July 3rd – 1 Peter 2:16
1 Peter 2:16
As Americans, we value our personal freedoms. And as Christians the personal freedoms we enjoy were purchased by Christ at a high price. Jesus shed His precious blood to free us from the bondage of sin and death. And we are not to use that freedom as a free pass to live a life of sin. Peter exhorts Believers not to use the gift the Lord gave as a “cloak of wickedness”, but rather to use our freedom to serve God. For we are a “chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession.” (1 Pet. 2:9) We are Christ’s representatives on earth. And as such, we need to be examples of His patience, grace, and obedience. To show the world that freedom tempered with self control and love, honors all people. And by obeying the will of God in loving obedience, we silence the unbelieving ignorance of a lost and wicked world. (1 Pet. 2:15)
