Thought 219
Living a Counter-Cultural
Life
Dear friends, I urge
you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires,
which war against your soul. 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.
Submit yourselves for
the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king,
as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those
who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by
doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. Live as free
men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of
God. Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear
God, honor the king.
Slaves, submit
yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and
considerate, but also to those who are harsh. For it is commendable if a man
bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God. But
how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure
it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable
before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving
you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
“He committed no sin,
and no deceit was found
in his mouth.”
When they hurled their
insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats.
Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our
sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for
righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. For you were like sheep
going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your
souls. 2 Peter 2:11-25 (NIV1984)
