10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.  11 Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.  12 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.

Because of scandals, sexual impropriety, financial misdeeds, lying and cheating, clergy and denominational leaders have disgraced the name of Jesus. The world had is having such a heyday with Evangelicals. There has been immorality, embezzlement, abuses among staff in churches and Christian organization. There have been fraud and deceit. This is still continuing. Certainly, the secular sources love to promote and reveal such things and perhaps falsely accuse as well, but one thing sure, too many Christians in all levels of life live hypocritically. Promoting public piousness, when evil abounds in their hearts and secret lives.           

We are sinners. We all fall and fail. We are all in need of forgiveness. We all have areas of our lives we wish were different. Let’s not pretend we are above it all. A desire for holiness is to obey God and resist sin with His power. Peter was reminding the church to live differently than the world. We need to demonstrate holiness that God be glorified. A holy life is set apart from the ways of the world. A godly person reflects God in life and deed.           

Back in the summer of 1805 a number of Indian chiefs and warriors met in council at Buffalo Creek, New York to hear a presentation of the Christian message by Mr. Cram from the Boston Missionary Society. After the meeting a response was given by Red Jacket, one of the leading chiefs. Among other things the chief was reported to have said; "Brother, you say that there is but one way to worship and serve the Great Spirit. If there is one religion, why do you white people differ so much about it?  Why not all agree as you can all read the book? Brother, we are told that you have been telling this story to the people in this place. The white people are our neighbors. We are acquainted with them. We will wait a little while and see what effect your preaching has upon them. If we find it does them good, makes them honest, and less disposed to cheat and hurt the Indians, we will listen again to you."  

Application:  Do you wonder why witnessing is so hard among the Indian people? What kind of people ought we to be? We are a spiritual house, built together by faith alone in Jesus. We are chosen of God and being used to honor Him. We are a priesthood seeking to serve God, represent Him to one another and to our lost world. We are a nation under a different leader and rule. We are to be a holy and separated people so others see God at work within us.

We are the church of Jesus Christ. Let's live and act the way He wants us to be. The world is watching.

 

Prayer:  Create in me a clean heart Oh God, and renew a right Spirit within me that I might always rightly represent you to others.