Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and
pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war
against the soul; having your conversation honest
among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak
against you as evildoers, they may by your good
works, which they shall behold, glorify God in
the day of visitation (1 Peter 2:11-12).

Where do we get the word honest? If you will
study the way this word developed, you will see that
it is related to honor. Honor, honesty and truth are
closely related concepts.

Peter is saying here, “Let your conversation—your
manner of life—be honorable among the gentiles.”
Among the Jews of Peter’s day the word gentile
was used to refer to nations or people without God.
If you study the book of Ephesians, you will see that
at one time you and I were gentiles, but now we who
were afar off have been brought near to God by the
blood of His Son Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:13).

This passage is talking about the way we should
act toward those who don’t know God. Our honorable
manner of life, our living honestly among the gentiles,
is important. Oh, how important it is.

Let just one or two preachers get in trouble and
suddenly all preachers have trouble because of the
way a few “Christian” ministers have lived their lives
and conducted their business. Instead of walking in
honor before the gentiles, these few have disgraced
and damaged all believers. We need to understand
what God intends for us to do and what we can
expect of Him.

Expect of Him? Yes, we expect of Him. If we don’t
expect something from God when we act on the
Word, all we are doing is just making a tradition out of
it. We are doing things because someone said we are
supposed to do it instead of because God said it and
we’re acting on His Word.

We must learn to walk honestly before the gentiles,
so they will behold our good works and glorify
our heavenly Father.

Submit to God-Ordained Authority

Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man
for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as
supreme; or unto governors, as unto them that
are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers,
and for the praise of them that do well.

For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may
put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:
as free, and not using your liberty for a cloak
of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.
Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear
God. Honour the king (1 Peter 2:13-17).

We are not to use our freedom to hide our shady
dealings. We don’t use our power or reputation to take
advantage of someone. We must not use our position
and the respect due us as a preacher of the gospel or
as a child of God to defraud anyone.
Some do, though, and it reflects badly on all of
us—and on the Church of Jesus Christ.

Kenneth Copeland Ministries

Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus
Christ, to them that have obtained like precious
faith with us through the righteousness of God
and our Saviour Jesus Christ: Grace and peace be
multiplied unto you through the knowledge of

God, and of Jesus our Lord, according as his divine
power hath given unto us all things that pertain
unto life and godliness, through the knowledge
of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

whereby are given unto us exceeding great and
precious promises: that by these ye might be
partakers of the divine nature, having escaped
the corruption that is in the world through lust

The Bible teaches honor all the way through even
though the word honor isn’t always used, as in this
passage from 2 Peter, which speaks of God’s divine
nature and His precious promises.

What is honor? The world defines it in many ways,
but we will define honor as “a keen sense of ethical
conduct.” Honor is often used to refer to one’s word
being given as a guarantee. It is personal integrity.
Honor and honest are related. They are often used
to refer to those who fear the Lord.

We fear, or reverence, or highly honor God by living
life as He directs. God has promised that if we will do
that, if we will honor Him and act on His Word, He
will honor us (1 Samuel 2:30). A common problem
is that many of us have not believed His Word or
believed for the blessings promised in His Word.

For instance, we have not understood what Jesus
meant when He said for us to turn the other cheek
(Matthew 5:39). He was not talking about weakness;
He was talking about meekness.

Such scriptures are not referring to our being weak.
They are referring to our being submitted to God and
committed to doing what He says, whether it looks
good to us or not. That is doing the honorable thing.
We must learn to put aside our own feelings
and human reasonings and just be obedient to the
Lord. Jesus was telling us if we will turn the other
cheek in meekness and in the power of the honor
of God, we cannot be hit again.

Even though a person turns his other cheek, if
he stands on the Word and in the Word, the devil
will have a hard time getting through to hit him
the second time. In order to do this, however, an
individual has to know in whom he has believed.
He has to have faith and trust in the honor of God
and in His divine integrity.

If you and I know how to walk in honor before
God, we don’t have to be afraid of anyone. We don’t
have to fear what men can do to us. The Lord has
promised that if we will honor Him and be obedient
to His Word, He will honor us and protect us
from all our enemies.

Kenneth Copeland Ministries