Verse of the Day Devotion: 1 Peter 1:14 

“As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance,” – 1 Peter 1:14    

When we are saved, we are not the same person after as we were before.  Before giving our life to Christ, we did as we chose.  If we wanted to get drunk, we drank till we were intoxicated.  If we wanted to curse, we thought nothing of it.  We did not have the Holy Spirit in us, and we felt as long as we did not harm anyone or was not too illegal, it was OK.  But when we received Christ as our Savior, it is not just our thoughts that have changed, or our beliefs.  It was much more than that.  “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17.  We are not the person we were prior to committing our life to Christ.  We are not just mended, having our broken areas fixed.  We have essentially been made new. 

When we become new creatures, this should mean that everything about us is new.  The first three words of our focus verse say’s ‘as obedient children’.  Peter is telling them that their life should be one that exemplifies obedience to God.  This is the way our lives should be.  Just reading the word is not enough.  We should also obey it.  “But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.” James 1:22. We are to do what His Word says, since we are now a new creature that does not live as our old self.  In fact, Jesus says we are wise in doing so.  “Therefore, everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock.” Matthew 7:24. So, Jesus and James tell us that we are to be obedience to God and His word. 

Peter goes on to say, because they are obedient children, they should not be conformed again to the former lusts in their old life of ignorance.  Paul says essentially the same thing when he writes, “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:1-2.  It can sometimes be too easy to go back to the old ways, becoming conformed to the world, and I do not say this loosely, as the newness of that life begins to fade.  We cannot go back to our old life and lustful ways and still live a life of obedience.  We are to live a holy life.  Again, our focus verse, “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance,” but then he continues, “but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, You shall be holy for I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:15-16. 

So, what can we do to help us live as the obedient children noted above?  By reading His word, fellowshipping with Him in prayer, and staying away from anything that could draw us into that old life again.  Also, if you are struggling, go to a fellow Christian and ask them to pray for you, asking God to take these old ways away.  It is important that we completely walk away from the old life and submerge ourselves in the new.  Life will be so much more beautiful when we do.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries, Inc.