READING: 1 Peter 4-5, 2 Peter 1-3, 1 John 1
Today’s one of those days when I read something in the Word I don’t know that I’ve ever focused on before. That’s one of the things I love most about reading the Word: the Spirit just keeps teaching us, no matter how long we’ve been believers or how many times we’ve read the Scriptures.
It’s 1 Peter 4:4 that caught my attention today: “They [‘Gentiles,’ or non-believers] are surprised that you don’t join them in the same flood of wild living—and they slander you.” In that day, life among the non-believers was “unrestrained behavior” (1 Pet 4:3), but the believers chose not to live that way. They knew they were not to be invested in the world; after all, they were only pilgrims here, seeking a city yet to come. Still, it all seemed odd; in fact, note how some writers have described this situation:
- “Godless men are genuinely surprised by the changed lives of those who once were like they are.”*
- “If Christians abstain from these things, their former associates will be surprised and shocked at their change of lifestyle.”**
- “What surprises unbelievers is that Christians do not “plunge” into or participate in their immoral way of living.”***
To live for temporal pleasures is foolish indeed, for the temporary never compares to the eternal. That’s a strange way to live in the eyes of the world, however, and some non-believers only ridicule those who do not follow their pattern. As I have invested more in the lives of non-believers, I have not often sensed that same level of ridicule—but I have encountered those who think it quite strange that we believers intentionally choose to live differently than the rest of the world. Nevertheless, we are to live without exception according to the will of God.
PERSONAL REFLECTION: Do non-believers clearly see a difference in you?
PRAYER: “God, I pray for (name), who seems to be living only for the world.”
MONDAY’S READING: 1 John 2-5, 2 John, 3 John
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*Raymer, R. M. (1985). 1 Peter. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 853). Victor Books.
**Marshall, I. H. (1991). 1 Peter (1 Pe 4:2–4). InterVarsity Press.
***Schreiner, T. R. (2003). 1, 2 Peter, Jude (Vol. 37, p. 203). Broadman & Holman Publishers.
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