Today, I want to dig into the concept of obedience and focus on overcoming the passion of the natural man. What passion is this? We will get into definitions below, but for now, let’s call it inordinate desire. For more on Peter and obedience to Christ, please see Obedience and Blood: The Quest: Day 20.0. Yesterday, (Sober-Minded: The Quest: Day 26.0) we covered the concept of sober-mindedness. Before that, we delved into preparing our minds for action (Our Minds: The Quest: Day 25.0).
In case you think I’m moving too quickly
It seems, then, that today we should be jumping into Peter’s exhortation that follows: set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. However, we covered this hope that will be fulfilled with the revelation of Christ in a previous study. (Mercy: The Quest: Day 21.0) So, without further ado, here are the verses we will continue discussing today:
3 Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
1 Peter 1:13-16
Who’s it to? (and other dangling prepositions)
First off, Peter addresses us as Christians. This letter is written to obedient children. It is not written to people outside the church. It would actually be odd, if you think about it to ask non-Christians to flee inordinate desire. Why would they?
We addressed the fact that 1 Peter was written to Christians in the study Called: The Quest: Day 18.0. But, even if you haven’t read that particular study, you can read these verses and know that they are meant for those already members of the Church universal. Peter calls his audience obedient children. He also refers to their (ours too!) former ignorance. Ignorance can only become former, when knowledge has replaced it. We know then, that Peter is not just talking to young people who have now matured, but to converted Christians who have been transformed.
What not to do
What does Peter then tell these Christians to do? Actually, he leads by telling them what not to do, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance. After, he exhorts them to holiness in imitation God. (God is the one who calls! If you don’t believe me, just click that link above and walk through the study. If you still don’t believe me, drop me a comment or email.)
Defining ἐπιθυμίαι
What is Peter referring to when he mentions the passions we had before we were gifted the knowledge of the gospel? Well, the word he uses is: ἐπιθυμίαι. And, since neither you nor I know what that means, I will give you the transliteration, like I did yesterday, and then (if we have time) we’ll see where else it crops up in scripture. Transliterated it looks like this: epithumia. Crazy that it doesn’t have any accent markings or anything, huh?
Anyway, according to Strong’s Concordance the word is used as: desire, eagerness for, inordinate desire, lust. It is interesting to read that it has both positive and negative connotations. However, given the usage of the qualifier inordinate along with desire, we can see how it would be commonly translated as lust.
Do not be conformed to inordinate desire
This is a fascinating passage, the more I think about it. Note that Peter does not say, Now that you have the knowledge of the gospel of Christ, you no longer experience lust or inordinate desire. Instead, he urges us not to be conformed to the lust and inordinate desire by which we were ruled while ignorant of the gospel. So, we can expect to still experience lust and even inordinate desire, but we are not to let them rule us, and thereby be conformed to them.
The first thing that springs to mind in response to Peter’s negative exhortation against inordinate desire is Paul’s similar, but positive, exhortation to something greater in Romans 12.
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Romans 12:1-2
Conformed to the image of Christ
If our bodies are to be a living sacrifice, we must not be conformed to the inordinate desire of our former ignorance, but rather to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. And we know from Romans 8:29 that those whom God called, He predestined to be conformed to the image of Christ instead. (Again, if you are struggling at all with this concept, please see Called: The Quest: Day 18.0)
But, how can we obey this injunction of Peter’s? How do we avoid being ruled by our inordinate desire for the things of the flesh? Luckily, the writers of the New Testament offered us some practical advice. When writing to the churches of Galatia, Paul tells them to walk by the Spirit and not by the flesh. He even proceeds to give a non-exhaustive list of what walking in the flesh looks like.
Inordinate desire of the flesh vs. fruits of the Spirit
Helpfully, for this study, he even uses epithumia not once, but twice, in the passage below. (In bold)
16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
Galatians 5:16-24
In case you are wondering, Yes.
How do we know the list above is non-exhaustive? Paul threw in a short rider, and things like these. What are things qualify as things like these? Well, if you find yourself considering doing something, and you ask yourself, “I say, might this be one of those things to which Paul was referring when he wrote and things like these?” The answer is yes.
Prayer is the answer
Thankfully, we can put the inordinate desire of the flesh behind us as we grow in the fruits of the Spirit, which Paul also included in list form above. If you are struggling with growth spiritual fruit, I can tell you that the best thing you can do is pray. Pray for the fruits of the Spirit to grow and increase in your mind and heart, and you will find them flourishing in your actions as well. It doesn’t happen overnight, but it does happen. Remember the metaphor of the farmer (Patience: The Quest: Day 15.0). The seed are there, but you must water them, tend to them, and weed the beds daily!
Here’s a few more verses of encouragement, for those longing to focus on the things of the Spirit and eschew the things of the flesh. To help anyone still tracking the use of epithumia, I have highlighted it in bold where applicable below.
Seek the things above, inordinate desire is earthly
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming. 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.
Colossians 3:1-8
Make no provision for inordinate desire
13 Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.
Romans 13:13-14
Let us walk in the daytime,
3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, 5 not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; 6 that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. 7 For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness.
1 Thessalonians 4:3-7
Flee inordinate desire, pursue righteousness
20 Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. 21 Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.
22 So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.
2 Timothy 2:20-22
