Secret Sins and Secret Strength

I wonder what comes to mind when you hear that expression – “passions of the flesh”? Surely, we think at once of those most grotesque and scandalous sins that scripture condemns – sexual immorality and violence – those base drives of the sinful nature that exchange the dignity of bearing God’s image for the behaviour of  brute beasts. Young men especially must take heed that such sins do not have the chance to flourish.

It might surprise you, however, that in this passage, Peter does not directly consider such obscenities. With this headline, he begins a section of the letter (2:11-3:7) that deals with the relationships of believers to those in the world. More specifically, he deals with Christians who find themselves under some authority figure, who in most cases is not a believer. He deals with the examples of government rulers (2:13-17), slave-masters (2:18-20), and husbands (3:1-6). What do these relationships have to do with the “passions of the flesh”?

In each case, we find that Peter imagines the difficult extreme of these relationships. What do I do when the governor is unjust? When my master beats me no matter how well I work? When my husband has heard but fiercely rejects the gospel? These circumstances (and surely many similar situations in our lives) have a common effect upon us. They inflame us. They make us angry and frustrated. They cause us to curse those people for their ignorance, their injustice, and downright wickedness. The passions of our flesh proclaim within us: “do not stand for this”; “you deserve better”; “show this person that you will not be treated like this”.

The flesh acts up in self-assertion, we seek to plead our cause, to right our wrongs, to usurp authority. We want to see these folk get their comeuppance. And it is all too easy for this passion to unleash itself in unrighteousness, to lead us into sin. These sins are often secret, hidden in our hearts, but do not be fooled by them.

These passions “wage war against the soul” (2:11). They attack the dignity of our designation as the people of God (2:10), as ambassadors of Christ to the world. They jeopardise our mission to “win [the lost] without a word” (3:1) and the will of God that we should enlighten the ignorance of evil “by doing good” (2:15). Do not be lulled into thinking that they are merely secret sins either. These sins manifest themselves, however subtly it may be. People will surely notice and what then of our mission to the world?

What are we to do in such circumstances? Peter tells us, walk in the footsteps of Jesus Christ (2:21). Peter calls us to mimic the path of one who had all power to assert his cause, but who “threatened not, entrusting himself to him who judges justly” (2:23). So, we too are called to meekness, that is to possess “a gentle and quiet spirit” (3:4). This isn’t just for the women, as if Christian men can be as loud and brash as they see fit. Rather, Peter commends this meekness for all, under whatever “human institution” (2:13) they find themselves.

Christ could say of himself “Learn of me, for I am gentle and lowly” (Matt. 11:29).  This is not a call to weakness and cowardice but rather, in strong faith, being “mindful of God” (2:19), we are to demonstrate true strength of character, the restraint of our passions, the foregoing of our self-assertions. With grittiness, we are called to “endure sorrows” (2:19), remembering that Christ also “bore our sins” (2:24). We are called to “fear God” (2:17) rather than “fear anything that is frightening” (3:6). 

The mission is daunting and might quickly overwhelm us, but Peter gives us this confidence, that we are not left to ourselves but “have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of our souls.” (2:25)