1Peter 2:16-17
Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God's slaves. Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.
These verses highlight the seemingly incongruous message of living in Christ: living in freedom yet as a slave to God. We all look for ways to serve God, to show His love, and to love His creation. We may be slaves, but we are very happy to live as slaves to God. But it is the freedom from condemnation that keeps me going. I know I have been forgiven, and will live for eternity with Him. This is what allows me to even continue the relationship. Otherwise I would be continually second-guessing myself, wondering if I had repented properly and fully. I am free!
Holy Father, you know me, inside and out. You stick with me and encourage me. You have forgiven me. I can live in freedom for you. I am eternally thankful, and grateful beyond words. Amen
Becky, transforming
pic by Kay
1 Peter 2:16-17
Our Bibles, our God, and his son have left us with all we need to live a life of freedom that speaks to Peter’s example in these verses. We know that freedom doesn’t mean the freedom to do just about anything. We must live up to the example Jesus and the”rules” by which we should live.
Prayer: Gracious God, thank you for giving us all we need to live right as you wish is to live. Amen
Monday October 2nd, 2023
1 Peter 2:16-17
Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the King
Peter had just told the people to submit to every authority. Living free does not mean doing what I want, when I want and how I want each and every time. It is living life in consideration of others, while enjoying life myself. And of course the number one freedom is the need to respect God. Respecting him is following His rules. It is living my life in a way that honors Him. It is trusting Him with everything. People may us…
1Peter 2:16-17 The late Timothy Keller wrote most of the people he met in New York City claim “belief in absolute truth is the enemy of freedom.” He disagrees, of course, and states, “this objection is based on mistakes about truth, community, Christianity, and of liberty itself.” Even the most strident atheistic secularist, if honest, must admit that complete, unbridled human freedom would be catastrophic. To truly believe this reflects a naive conception of some innate goodness of humankind. The limits on our innate fallen nature imposed by faith actually free us from the power of sin to have eternal life. Every one of us is a slave to something, even if it is to the mistaken belief we are not…