Put Them to Silence

Verse of the day: 1 Peter 2:15-16 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men— as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God.

For those who want to know the will of God, here is one instance where God clearly states what is His will. In a nutshell, He tells us that He wants us to do good toward others, and lay aside the things of the flesh (v.1). We are to desire His Word (v.2), and offer up spiritual sacrifices (praise & thanksgiving; v.5). Our lifestyle is to be exemplary before the world, that one day they would glorify God, because of what they see in us (v.12). We are to submit to those God has placed in offices of authority (v.13, 14), and give honor, and respect, to those to whom it is do, love one another as children of God, fear God, and honor those whom He placed as rulers (v.17). We may not always agree with those who are in power, but we must (as God commanded) honor their office. We are called to suffer wrongfully, if need be, for doing what is right before God (v.19). As those set free in Chist, we must not use our freedom for an occasion to sin or hurt others. We are ultimately accounatable to God for how we lived out our freedom in Christ. Why must we be careful to do all of this? To close the mouths of those who would accuse us, and persecute us foolishly, and ignorantly. It may take some time for God to show them their own ignorance, but this is God's desire, that we be the instruments He uses, through our godly way of living, to bring others to Himself. Yes, even the most annoying, and trying, individual in our life. In the end, a lost sinner could be saved, and we will have grown by becoming more like Jesus in the way we respond, and treat others (especially those that are hard to love). Remember, we are not always easy to love either, but God still loved, and loves us, and proved it on Calvary. Let us represent the Lord in such a way that people would have to lie in order to make an accusation against us; and if that happens, don't worry, God sees it, and in due time will lift us up, and make things right. All to the glory of God!