The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Peter — Section 72

tiving hero of lusl.9, which nrc just self in Mme form or other. If, like many of thoM addressed in this EpiRtlo (Gentile converts), lusts once had the fashiunin>( of us, that belonged to our former life when we were in i,qnorance of Divine things. :Now that we are enlightened, let them not have the fashioning of us any more. Let there not be the slightest impress on us from sensuality, from avarice, from falseness, from pride, from worldlmeRs, from ambition, from injustice, from hatred. 2. After God. "But like as he which cnlletl yon is holy, be ye yourselves also holy in all manner of living; beuuse it i~ written, Ye shall be holy; for I am holy." 'vVe are to have the Divine impress on us. We nre to fashion ourselves according to the character of him who called us to be hi 11 people. This held under the old covenant. The command laid repeatedly on th 8 people of God then was, "Ye shall be holy; for I am holy." As belonging to God and enjoying many tokens of the Divine favour, it was their duty to take the fashion of their life, not from the heali1en around them and their pollutions, but from God and his absolute holiness. We have come into their privileges, and also their obligations. As called by God to a rich inheritance in the future, there is for us a shall be, a must be holy in the holiness of God, We are bound to approve what he approves, to condemn what he condemns. 'l'his obligation extends to every part of our life. 'vVe are to bo holy in all manner of living. Whatever holy form there is (purity, generosity, sin- cerity, humility, spirituality, earnestness, honourableness, gentleness), we are to impress it on all we think, and feel, and say, and do. III. FEAR ACCOMPANYING THE PILGRilll-STATE. 1. Fear of judgment. "And if yr call on him as Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to each man's work, pass the time of your sojourning in fear." The fear enjoined here is not the feeling of reverence which we are for ever to cherish toward God as infinitely exalted above us. It is the fear connected with our state of sojourning---our being away for a time from the Father's house, the fear of sin endangering the happiness, if not the certainty, of our home-going. "It is not fear alone, or fear supreme, or fear thwarting or limiting love and hope and joy that the Word of God enjoins, but fear surrounded, intertwined, and subservient. Fear must be like the sentinel-always awake, alw:\ys on the alert, always faithful, but always aware that he is neither general nor leader of any kind. Although fear in itself and by itself cannot produce truly good or spiritually right action, it yet performs a vital function in keeping the soul awake. Fear rings the alarm-bell and rouses the conscience. It blows the trumpet of warning. Where the sense of right is growing numb the smart blows of fear bring it back to conscious- ness again. It creates pause and opportunity for all better and nobler things to make themselves heard. To be regardless of dangers is to cut the sinews of effort" (Leckie). Fear is represented as springing out of our view of God as judging. His essential rnlation to each man (believer or not believer) is that of Judge. He judges without respect of persons, i.e. not by appearances, but by the actual realities of the case. He judges according to each man's work, i.e. all in which character is displayed. His judg- ment is ever going forward along with our work; it is to culminate in a pronounced judgment on our work as completed. lt is fitted to inspire us with fear, that the Divine judgment accompanies every deed. It is fitted by itself to overwhelm us with fear, that the Divine judgment is to be pronounced on our deeds as a whole. But then as believers we call on (in our prayers acknowledge) this Judge as our Father. That does not make his judgruont free from fear. "The judgment of a King does not feel half so searching and painful as that of a Fnther. It is dreadful to feel that even love, that even a Father's love, condemns me. But still Father is Father, and the heart that clings to the word will find enough in that to keep the fear from pamlyzing or even depressing" (Leckie). Let us, then, pass the time of our sojourning in the fear of judg- ment, Let us not lull ourselves into a feeling of security. Let us realize that there are perils by the way, and that we must never for a moment relax our efforts until we actually possess the inheritance, 2. Fear of redemption. Two points in analogy founded on. " Knowing that ye were redeemed, not with corruptible things, with silver or gold." The first point in the analogy is suggested in words which follow (" vain manner of Iil'ti "). 'l'ho life of a captive is a vain manner of life, i.e. empty of tb.a nctivities and therefore the pleasures which belong to a life of freedom. The second point in the analogy is brought O11t, 'l'he usual way of redeeming a c11ptive is by silver or gold being paid for him. 'l'ho captive who has thus been redeemed has reason to I, PETER. F 66 THE FIRST EPISTLE GENERAL OF PETER. [en. 1. 1-25.