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This is War!

1 Peter 2:11 Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul.

Peter doesn't sound like a fisherman; he sounds like a general calling the troops to battle. However, here he is talking to foreigners and exiles. He uses two unusual words that don't sound like battle words. Strong says that, "in the NT, a stranger, a foreigner, one who lives in a place without the right of citizenship". He also says about the word "exiles" that   Greeks used to describe, "one who came from a foreign country into a city or land to reside there by the side of the natives."

So, these people are not of this earth. What would they be fighting for? Look again. There are these sinful desire creatures that are waging war against this foreign crowd. These evil beings come from within the foreigners. They are generated in the heart (Jer 17:9) and are on constant vigil for the host's weaknesses. James likens this warring process to conception and birth in 

James 1:14, but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their evil desire and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

 These evil sin creatures drag us kicking and screaming... er no-no. They drag us because we let ourselves be dragged to our sinfest. They entice us, and in their alluring work, the seed is planted and germinates to give birth to sin. It doesn't take nine months to give birth, however. It's a short gestation period. 

Therefore, dear foreigner, don't be fooled about what comes into that feeble mind of yours; keep away from those lingering thoughts that make you want to give birth to foolish desires. Even though you want to blame these sins on the Devil or someone else. Its you you see? And it's war, you see. 


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