DEVOTION – DAY 183

1 Peter 2:11-12 “Living For Others”

1 Pet.2:11-12 Dear Friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your souls. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us.

The Bible tells all Christians that the world is not their permanent home. A Christian’s citizenship is in heaven for he or she belongs to God. That is why Peter wrote in v.11 that all believers are foreigners and exiles in this world. They are to be separated from the corruption and worldly ways of this earth. They are not to give way to their sinful desires that will end up destroying them. In v.12, Peter calls Christians to live good lives. By that, Peter means Christians should live godly lives filled with good deeds that will cause non-Christians to notice the difference in Christians. It will even cause non-Christians to want to know more about what causes Christians to be different. And in God’s timing, some non-Christians may want to trust in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior – and all glory goes to God.

We know someone who was the only Christian at his workplace. He was a conscientious worker. He was respectful of his superiors and was polite and helpful to others. He was also willing to learn and he was humble. One of his superiors noticed that his work ethics was different from everyone else that she wanted to know more about him. She would invite him to join her during their lunchtime break. She found out that he was a Christian. One day, this man and his superior went to a lunch gathering where she would have the opportunity to meet other Christians. She wanted to know more. She met other Christians which caused her to become even more curious as to why Christians look at life so differently. She asked questions and in God’s perfect timing, she knew she wanted to be a Christian. She confessed that she was a sinner and put her faith and trust in Jesus as her personal Lord and Savior when someone in that gathering led her to say the sinner’s prayer. By being a conscientious employee, the “good life” of this man opened the way for an unbelieving colleague to want to know about Jesus. In the end, it opened the way for her salvation. This is what 1 Peter 2:11-12 means.

Let us pray: Heavenly Father, please help us to live godly lives and do good deeds so that others will be drawn to the saving grace of our Lord Jesus. Help us to be channels of your blessing to people who are living in darkness and in sin. We humbly ask this in the precious name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Questions

• What steps will you take so that you can live a Godly life and do more good deeds so that non-Christians can witness?
• How may your life bear witness for the Lord?
• Share how you have been able to give testimony to someone and led them to receive the gospel message and lead them to salvation?
• If this world is not your home, do your life reflect that you are a foreigner or exile? Share and Discuss.