1 Peter 2:11 - Holy Spirit Power Defeats Sin.
1Pe.2:11; Holy Spirit Power Defeats Sin.
1 Pet 2:11 (EAV) Beloved, I implore you as aliens and strangers
and exiles [in this world] to abstain from the sensual urges (the
evil desires, the passions of the flesh, your lower nature) that wage
war against the soul.
The word translated abstain literally means "to hold away from
one's person." In other words, we must distance ourselves from our own
self-indulgent urges. [Nelson SB]
Abstain. Christians are to remain without "spot" or "blemish"
(see on Eph. 5:27) in the midst of a morally degenerate world. They
are to avoid every contact with evil habits and practices. This is
what sets them apart as "strangers" and "pilgrims" in this world.
They stand aloof from its degrading pleasures and devote themselves
to things of the spirit. [SDA Commentary]
The basic commandment in this passage is that the Christian
should abstain from fleshly desires. . . Paul's list of the sins of the
flesh in Gal 5:19-21, includes "immorality, impurity, licentiousness,
idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness,
dissension, party spirit, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like." There
are far more than bodily sins here. [Barclay Commentary]
In the New Testament, flesh stands for far more than the
physical nature of man. It stands for human nature apart from God; it
means unredeemed human nature; it means life lived without the
standards, the help, the grace and the influence of Christ. Fleshly desires
and sins of the flesh, therefore, include not only the grosser sins
but all that is characteristic of fallen human nature. From these
sins and desires the Christian must abstain. [Barclay Commentary]
We must abstain from sins by the power of the Spirit. [Wiersbe
Expository Outlines]
Gal 5:16 (KJV) Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the
lust of the flesh.
Flesh. the sinful nature is received at birth and never
eradicated in this life. But it can be controlled by the Spirit. Walk.
i.e., take each step of the Christian life in dependence on the Spirit
to have victory over the flesh and its works. [Ryrie SB]
Living by the promptings and power of the Spirit is the key to
conquering sinful desires (see v. 25; Ro 8:2-4). [NIV SB]
By continually depending upon and yielding to God, the believer
can live under the control of the Holy Spirit and does not need to
carry out the desires that seek to hold sway over his physical body
(the "flesh"). [New Bible Companion]
Christ in us can manifest His holiness if we will yield our
flesh to Him. This is not a human operation; it is a spiritual one.
Jesus installs His holiness in us by grace. Not a once-for-all-time
transaction, this is a daily, moment-by-moment striving to live more by the
Spirit and less by the flesh.
Though becoming more holy is God's work in us, it is not a
passive enterprise. Our part is active, to strive and stain toward the
high calling we have received. God's part is to forgive our failings
based on the merit of Christ's atoning death.
His will is that we become holy ... This kind of holiness is not
the result of our own best effort...
The forgiveness of Christ makes us holy; He washed away our sin.
In reality, God in us - the Holy Spirit - makes us holy. There
is no possibility of holiness apart from His grace. He calls us,
He justifies us, He sanctifies us (makes us holy), and He will
glorify us - all by His grace.
Our part is to surrender in faith; God's part is to implant the
sanctifying Holy Spirit in us. "So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will
not gratify the desires of the sinful nature" (Gal.5:16). Because
of His everlasting love, we know Him, and He is faithful to mold us
into the character of His Son Jesus Christ - to make us holy. Patrick
Morley; [Time with God SB]
In learning to walk with God, there is always the difficulty of
getting into His stride, but once we have done so...the individual
person is merged into a personal oneness with God, and God's stride and
His power alone are exhibited. [In His Time; My Utmost For His
Highest]
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