1 Peter 2:12: Keep Your Conduct Among The Gentiles Honorable,

1 Peter 2:12

[12] Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation. (ESV)

After Peter has given us great instruction on making sure that we are pure as the body of Christ, he now turns our attention to how we ought to live amongst those who do not belong to the body. We are living stones connected to Christ the cornerstone of our faith. We are a royal priesthood, chosen by God. We minister with one another in his spiritual house he is building. Purity is essential.

Friend, the outside world is watching us. In Peter's time, he referred to the world of unbelievers as Gentiles. Because outsiders to the faith are watching us it is important that what they see is something that is "honorable." Peter reminds us that those who do not know Jesus are going to bring accusation against the body of Christ. If our lives are pure God will be glorified and the accusers will look foolish.

In Peter's day the Gentiles would accuse the Christians as being atheists because they did not worship a multitude of gods. They would accuse them of immorality because they had love one for another. The unbelievers would accuse the believers in Christ of cannibalism because of rumors concerning eating the boy of the Lord Jesus and drinking his blood.

In our day there are other accusations that we may hear. We are likely to be accused of being homophobic because we do not believe that God is in favor of a homosexual lifestyle. Christians today may be accused of being hypocrites. We could be accused of not caring about the people that live outside of the four walls of the church. It is essential that our actions show the outside world that we are always motivated by love.

What are some ways that you have been falsely accused by an unbeliever? How have you been able to show them that you are pure and motivated by the love of Christ? In what ways do you need help in these areas? Ask the Holy Spirit today. He is your helper.