How Shall We Then Live?
II Peter 3:11

A Sermon by Dr. Neil Chadwick


At the end of his letters to the churches of his day, the Apostle Peter asks a penetrating question, "What kind of people ought you to be?" This question was popularized by the title of a book with a similar expression, "How Shall We Then Live?" In this book, Francis Schaeffer tried to get people thinking about the dramatic change that had taken place in the western culture, one in which there were no longer any absolutes or moral boundaries. It is a worthy question, one which should frequently cause us to stop and evaluate how it is that we live our lives in a godless culture.

In Peter's writing, the question comes at the end, after he has already suggested several answers to his own question. We can find these answers by looking at the places where the word "live" is used by Peter. Along the way, we will notice that there are several different words behind the translation of our word "live", and Peter uses them all.

First there is the basic word "dzao", which is a primary word simply meaning "alive." It's found in our word "zoology", which is a study of living things, specifically, animals. In Peter, this word is found in 2:24, "He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed." This corresponds with Paul's teaching in Romans 6:13. As we live in the body, are our body parts used for sin or for righteousness?

Secondly, there is the word, "anastrapho" which has to do with conduct, or manner of life. This word is used a couple of times, but notice 2:12, "Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us." It is easy to see that this has to do with behavior - the actions, words and attitudes that people in the world can see in our lives. They may want to find something to criticize, but are frustrated.

In this regard, I think it's time we stop hiding behind the "I'm not perfect, nobody's perfect" cop-out. If someone hears a vulgar expression coming out of our mouth, or catch us in a lie, or notice an unforgiven grudge, they might say, "I thought you were a Christian." What is the correct response? Not "I'm not perfect, nobody's perfect", but rather, "You know, you're right. I'm glad you pointed that out, and I am truly sorry." The third word for "live" is the one found in our text, II Peter 3:11: "Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives." The word here is is "huparcho", which simply means "to exist". However, as a noun, this word refers to "possessions, goods, or property". The word is used earlier by Peter in II Peter 1:8, "For if you possess these qualities. . . ." The possession he is referring to represent a resource kit for the Christian, i.e., faith, goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and love. But the point is, these are "possessions". When we speak about the prosperity of the Christian, this is what we mean. Be wealthy in faith, goodness, knowledge, etc. This reminds us of what Jesus said, "Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal." (Matthew 6:20)

Paul uses this same word in his great passage concerning Jesus being in the form of God. "Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped." (Philippians 2:6) Jesus, in His basic existence, possessed the very nature of God.

When Peter uses this word in his question, "what kind of people ought you to be?" he is going to the very basic center of our existence, life beyond the physical, and also beyond observable behaviors.

In answer to this question, we will identify, from Peter's first epistle, three ways of life, or as we might say, three life-style characteristics.

Before we get to that, notice that his message actually starts as a negative injunction, "As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance." (I Peter 1:14) Here the word "lived" is hidden in the previous word "conform" (suschamatidzomai). The meaning is clear, conforming to evil desires is synonymous to living in ignorance.

Then come the three positive life-style directives:

How Shall We Then Live? We should live as Strangers in Fear

"Since you call on a Father who judges each man's work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear." (I Peter 1:17)

Let's never forget, as so well phrased in the old song,

    "This world is not my home, I'm just a passin' through.
    My mansion is made up somewhere beyond the blue.
    The angels beckon me from heaven's open door,
    And I can't feel at home in this world anymore."

Jesus was speaking autobiographically when He said, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." (Matthew 8:20) John tells us, "He came unto His own, but His own received Him not." (John 1:11) Jesus was a "stranger", do we think we deserve better?

In chapter 2, verse 11, Peter picks up this theme again, "I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul." The expression, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do" just doesn't apply to the Christian. One of the dangers we need fight against is that of the Christian community becoming merely a sub-culture - one among many in America. Rather than being a sub-culture, Christianity is an "anti-culture", standing over against the culture. We say, "We're not of this world, we're strangers here, so we're not going to give in to sinful desires like those who make this world their home." (Isn't it somewhat alarming to discover that the divorce rate among those who claim to be "born again" is hardly different than among non-Christians?)

Notice too, that we are to live as strangers "in fear". We understand there is a judgment to come, a judgment of fire. Look at the verse just before our text, "But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare." (II Peter 3:10)

How Shall We Then Live? We should live as Slaves, yet Free.

"Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God." (I Peter 2:16)

It sounds like a classic oxymoron, "free slaves", but that is what we are, that is how we are to live. We are free from sin, free to serve the Lord.

While doing some work in preparation for this fall's mission to India, I came across a note from Pastor A. P. Daniel. This is what he wrote, "By your leadership teaching, I am so much blessed. The story of "Leo" taught to me a good lesson. May God give me grace to have a servant leader heart. Thanking you for coming to India to teach and encourage and to be with us."

Let me briefly tell you this story, written many years ago by Hermann Hesse. It's a story called "Journey to the East", and relates how a group of people called "The League" have banded together, each for a different purpose, but all moving along in company toward their goal. Each has a role to play - for Hermann it is storytelling. In the group there is another member who is always joyful, and always placing himself in the place of service, carrying the luggage, and meeting the needs of the other members of the group. His name is Leo, and his joyful service is like a glue which holds the group together.

Suddenly Leo is missing, and after a search party cannot find him, the group continues on without him. But everything is different without him. The joy is gone, peace begins to disintegrate, other members begin to get discouraged and leave the group. Finally, Hermann, the storyteller also departs, abandoning his goal of reaching the distant city in the East.

Ten years later, while Herman is doing research in order to write a book about the League and the Journey, he learns where Leo may be living. Standing outside the house, Hermann hears a tune being whistled by someone inside, and he knows for sure this must be Leo - it was the same tune he used to whistle while going about his work as servant to the traveling troupe. Later the two men talk, and Hermann is summoned to the headquarters of the League in order to explain his abandoning the Journey. He follows Leo through the streets, stopping at two churches along the way to pray before they climb the stairs to the top floor of a rather plain looking building.

When they arrive in the hall where all of the officials of the League have gathered, Leo and Hermann are separated in the crowd. Soon, however, silence begins to grow as everyone stands by their seat, and a booming voice announces the entrance of the President of the League who now can be seen making his way through the crowd, greeting the officials as he makes his way toward the podium. He is dressed in a beautiful flowing gown trimmed with gold, his face is soft yet strong. Hermann is stunned as it suddenly dawns on him, this is his friend, Leo. The servant is the President of the League.

The message is clear, Jesus our Savior is the Servant, and He calls us to follow Him.

How Shall We Then Live? We should live in Symphony in Fellowship.

"Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble." (I Peter 3:8)

The first directive had to do with how we should live in relation to the world - "as strangers"; the second, "as servants", in relation with God. The third has to do with how we are to live with one another as members of the Body of Christ. We are to "live in harmony."

The word for harmony here literally means "one mind". This again reminds us of Paul's expression in Philippians 2:2, "having the same mind". Paul, like Peter, goes on to explain that this means humility, and explains it further by saying, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus." (Philippians 2:3-5)

Using the word "symphony" helps us grasp this idea - a number of people all playing the same tune. Their instruments are extremely diverse: from the piercing piccolo to the rumbling tuba; from the high strung violin to the rattling tambourine; from the blaring trumpet to the soothing harp; from the cool French horn to the bombastic timpani. But they are united in purpose, and all their efforts are coordinated by the rhythm set by the conductor. What a wonderful picture of the church!

It's not very often that I get to go to hear the symphony orchestra. It's out of my price range, unless I buy seats in the nose-bleed section; but then the whole experienced is diminished when I can't be close enough to see. However, one time my friend Jacob gave to me and my wife complimentary tickets which he had received from the music school he was attending. We got to sit on the front row at the Philadelphia Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra! Oh, the sounds were beautiful, but it was the sights that captured my concentrated attention. We were just a few feet away from the violin section, all 35 of them pulling their bows across the strings at precisely the same nanosecond, so that they sounded as one instrument. They were intensely involved in the music of Wagner - we saw tears rolling down the cheek of the violinist nearest to us.

Also of interest was the fact that there were moments when the violinists just sat there while other instruments played. And you know what? I never saw a trombone player jump up and say, "Wait a minute. The violinists aren't playing, that's not fair, we're over here blowing our brains out, and they're just sitting there!" No, they all understood the importance of concentrating on playing their own part well, and making sure they were following the directions given by the conductor.

So the question has been raised and answered. "How Shall We Then Live?" Live as Strangers in Fear. Live as Servants yet Free. Live in Symphony in Fellowship with one another.

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