HOW GOOD WORKS, WORKS

1 Peter 2:11-12 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles; that whereas they speak against you as evil doers, they may, by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.

Peter is here addressing fellow Christians that reside, primarily in Asia Minor. By referring to them in this passage as strangers and pilgrims, he is not considering them to be outside Christ's church, but as children of God, having obeyed the commandments found in the New Testament, and being baptized into the body of Christ. When one becomes a Christian, they have a dual citizenship. When born, each person has civil citizenship within the country or dominion in which they were born or reside. When born again, each Christian has their citizenship in heaven.

With this in mind, we can see that the Christians, to whom Peter was writing, he considered to be strangers and pilgrims, or sojourners while living here on earth. In other words, Peter considered their earthly home to be a temporary dwelling place, and their spiritual citizenship, acquired when they became a Christian, giving them access to a permanent dwelling place in Heaven.

We have two groups of people discussed in the lesson text. The first are the Christians, to whom Peter addresses this letter. The other group Peter mentions is the Gentiles. This group is primarily made up of the pagan people that resided in the same area in which these Christians lived. Peter's instructions to these Christians was to abstain from fleshly lusts that was prevalent among the Gentiles, including the sinful actions that result from giving in to carnal desires that satisfy worldly appetites. Such sins war against the soul, hinder us from good works, are contrary to the will of God, and convict our conscience, knowing that we are violating His will.

Peter instructs them regarding their conversation, or conduct of life. He tells them they should lead honest, or upright, lives, as they associate with, and walk among the Gentiles people around them. Like Peter, Paul told the Thessalonian Christians to conduct themselves in a similar manner when he instructed them to ...walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing (1 Thess. 4:12). Like the pagan Gentiles, referred to by Peter as being outside the body of Christ, Paul refers to the non-Christians of Thessalonica simply as them that are without.

And why was Peter instructing them to conduct themselves honestly and justly among the Gentiles? So there would be no cause for them to speak against you as evil doers. Sinful actions by members of the body of Christ being reproach to His church. These Christians were to do nothing that would discredit the work of the church, or bring derision or contempt upon it, by those outside the body of Christ. It is a truthful saying that the world judges God's church by the actions of its membership. It is also a truthful saying that the benefits resulting from good works by many in a congregation of God's people, can be voided by a few members that may conduct themselves dishonestly and sinfully in their walks of life.

How Christians are expected to conduct themselves, is clearly taught by Jesus Christ, Himself. In His "Sermon on the Mount", Jesus says, Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven (Matthew 5:16). The church was founded in order to bring God's word of salvation through Jesus Christ, to the world. Its membership has been given this responsibility. This obligation is fulfilled by teaching God's word. The good works of its member's draws those outside the body of Christ, into it. Each member is an ambassador representing God before the world, giving non-Christians the opportunity to hear and obey His will - thus glorifying God.

Good works, work, when the lost come to Christ, and are baptized into His body, the church. Good works do not work, when God's word is made void through the sinful conduct of erring members of His church. The good works of Christians need to work. When they do, God is glorified.