14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance,
15 but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior;
16 because it is written, "YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY."
17 If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth;
vs. 13 - "Therefore..." - This refers to all that was said above in verses 1-12. Because of all this that has been done for us by the grace of God we are to:
"gird your mind... keep sober... fix your hope" - Be prepared at all times to deal with the world through the Lord. Have a sound mind. Use logical reasoning, yet totally trusting in the Word. Our hope is in God's grace freely given. I do not like the phrase "blind faith". It implies that believers assassinate their brains and take a blind leap. It implies we are incapable of thinking, therefore being either ignorant or stupid we are stuck with blind faith. It implies emotional response, not rational thought, and people like this are weak, needing a crutch. Based on this 'weakness' decisions are made based on nothing but hope.
There are several good books that deal with Christians learning to be smart (not clever), including "Know What You Believe" by Paul Little, and "Loving God with All Your Mind" by J. P. Moreland. If you want to expand your mind try "Mere Christianity" by C. S. Lewis, or "Total Truth" by Nancy Pearcey. Neither of these two authors are mental lightweights. I guarantee you these books are not mind fluff - you will read and re-read paragraphs to comprehend what is being said. God wants us to understand and believe. See Deut. 6:5, Mark 12:30.
A quote from Thomas Jefferson, "Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blind-folded fear." A faith that cannot understand what or why it exists will be weak and of no consequence when faced with trials, problems, or challenges from others. Later in this letter, Peter admonishes us to "always be ready".
The things promised by Jesus our Savior, and written about in scripture can be taken as true and trustworthy. There are things that are not fully explained, like heaven (too glorious to explain in words) or the Rapture and all the events in the end times. I think these are "side issues" and not critical to salvation. Salvation information is clear, concise - "Believe and you will be saved."
Although I don't understand everything that is to happen, I know that at the coming of Christ we will be glorified as Christ is glorified. See Col. 3:4 When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory; 1 Thess. 5:6-8 but let us be alert and sober. For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night. But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ; Rom. 12:3 For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.; Titus 2:6 - Likewise urge the young men to be sensible.
vs. 14 - "obedient children" - We believers are children of God. Not always are we obedient. See: 1 John 2:1-6; 1 Pet. 1:2; John 15:10; and The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God. Peter is encouraging us to behave like obedient children. Rom. 8:16 If you know you are a child of God, then let your way of living be a demonstration of that knowledge. Let it be your roadmap, your GPS, being yielded and obedient to Him
"do not be conformed to the former lusts..." - Before we became Christians there were certain things we did that were not a credit to our Lord. See: 1 Pet. 4:2-4; Rom. 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world; 1 John 2:15-17 ...For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. Don't go back to those actions, those desires. Before you were a Christian you didn't know any other way. On the other hand, that is not completely true. All people have a sense of right and wrong, fair and not fair. I believe this basic understanding is imbued in all of us by God. Knowing there is a right way to behave is often overridden by our reasoning. See: Eph. 4:18 being darkened in their understanding... because of the hardness of their heart; 1 Cor. 2:14,15 - But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. See also: Acts 17:30. Only the grace of God and His Holy Spirit can give us the power to choose rightly, consistently.
vs. 15 - "like the Holy One who called you" - God is Holy. Lev. 11:45 There is no darkness in Him. Jam. 1:17. See also: 1 John 1:6, 3:3 - We therefore should be imitators of him, and be pure in all our actions. See 2 Cor. 7:1; James 3:13; Phil. 2:15; 1 Thess. 5:22; Rom. 15:13,14.
vs. 16 - "FOR I AM HOLY." See: Lev. 11:44,45 - For I am the LORD your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy. Lev. 19:2 - You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy. "Holy" is one of those 'churchy' words. We all think we know what it means. It is to be morally sacred, or set apart. There is no other God, none other like Him. That is one of the reasons He is Holy - there is no other! He is perfect in mercy. He is perfect in love. He is perfect in justice. He is worthy to be worshipped. See Deut. 4:35, 39; Isa. 45:5, 21,22; Dan. 3:29; Joel 2:21.
vs. 17 - "address as Father..." - If we are going to call God "Our Father", we should be expecting treatment as His children. We are forgiven our sins. This does not mean we have a free pass to misbehave. The children He loves He chastises for their misbehavior. See Prov. 3:11,12 - My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD Or loathe His reproof, For whom the LORD loves He reproves, Even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.; Also, see: Heb. 12:5-11 - He expects more than lip service as can be seen from the rest of this verse.
"... impartially judges..." Our sins are forgiven when we accept Christ, but we will be asked to account for our lives, and what we have done with them. See Acts 10:34,35; Deut. 17:10 - you shall be careful to observe according to all that they teach you.; Rom. 2:6, 11, 14:12; Gal. 2:6; Col. 3:24,25 - knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve. For he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality.; and Psa. 62:12; Matt. 16:27; Rev. 22:12; 1 Cor. 3:13 - each man's work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man's work.
"conduct yourselves in fear..." - Knowing that you are held accountable. We do not fear eternal separation, but the purifying judgement seat of Christ.
"Fear" is one of those interesting words in the Bible. If we are safe in Christ, if we no longer are under condemnation, why 'fear'? If death has no power over us, and Satan can not get us, why 'fear'? What about fear of failure, failing to live up to the calling of Jesus? If we have forgiveness of sins, should there be 'fear of failure'? It is perfectly possible to believe that we will experience sorrow for the sins in our lives, or not living as He call us to do as Christians at the judgement seat of Christ.
I do not see fear (fear of losing our promised salvation, and being cast into Hell) at the judgement seat of Christ. The word 'fear' used here can also mean 'reverence as for a husband'. This makes more sense to me. We can easily understand that we can (or need to) live our life governed by reverence for Jesus.
The reason for the actual fear, dread of the Lord can be seen in Heb. 10:31 - How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, "VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY." And again, "THE LORD WILL JUDGE HIS PEOPLE." It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.;
Consider this: When we are disobedient we are stomping on Jesus Christ our Savior (visualize a protester stomping on an American flag, or picture a protester kicking someone who has fallen on the ground and is defenseless) I am not saying that Jesus is defenseless, but our behavior treats him as such. You are grinding into the dirt the blood He shed on the cross for you. That shed blood is holy, it is the sacrifice paid for the sins of the world - for your sins, for my sins. This is not an impersonal sacrifice, a lamb plucked from a flock. This is very personal to you and I, and to Jesus. We are slated for death, eternity separated from the love of God, because of our sinful nature. He personally died for you, alone. He personally died for me. When we deliberately disobey, we spit in the face of the Holy Spirit (Yes, I know the Holy Spirit may not have a face, but we insult the Holy Spirit) who is to fill and control us by God's grace. These are strong words. Another reason for the actual fear, dread of the Lord can be seen in The judgement seat of Christ: 2 Cor. 5:10 - For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Everything we do will be revealed, and we will be judge on these acts. See: 1 Cor. 3:13-15. Have you ever wondered why is says in Rev. 7:17, 21:4 God Himself will wipe every tear from our faces? We're in heaven, face to face with our Lord, free from sin and pain. Why are we crying? I think we will know that we have not lived up to the cost paid for us. We cry not because of fear, but of knowledge of failure.
