1 Peter, Day 19: 1 Peter 4:3-5 - How Should We Respond to Peer Pressure?

How Should We Respond to Peer Pressure?

1 Peter 4:3-5

1 Peter, Day 19

For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you; but they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.

- 1 Peter 4:3-5, ESV

Hacksaw Ridge tells the true story of Desmond Doss, a devout Seventh-Day Adventist and committed pacifist who wants to serve his country in the army in World War 2. He is eager to do his part and serve, but he refuses to carry a weapon. He is assigned a role as a combat medic, and for a long time he is harassed and ridiculed by his fellow soldiers. They are convinced that his refusal to carry a weapon puts their lives in danger, and so they relentlessly bully him, hoping he'll quit. When they finally get into combat, they see Doss's incredible courage, which leads to him being awarded the Medal of Honor.

Peter has been urging Christians to live lives that honor the Lord, transformed lives of Spirit-empowered holiness and obedience. One of the big obstacles all believers face in living lives of holy obedience is peer pressure. We sometimes act like peer pressure is only something kids deal with, especially in middle and high school, but that's not true. The culture is constantly exerting its pressure on us. It's nothing new. 1 Peter tells us this problem is at least 2,000 years old.

Why does the world pressure Christians to act like it? Because it wants approval and acceptance of what it knows is wrong behavior. People who live "in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry" know they're doing wrong. They live with guilty consciences they are desperate to silence. One way they can silence their feelings of guilt is to have lots of people join them in their immorality.

The worst thing, when you're doing something you know is wrong, is to have to live with people who are doing right. It's infuriating, because it inflames your feelings of guilt. And nothing feels better than getting someone who was once abstaining from the immorality to compromise their morality and join you in your sin. Misery loves company, and the misery of a guilty conscience is more tolerable if you know someone else is dealing with a even more guilty conscience: Not only are they drunk and engaging in sexual immorality, but they're also a hypocrite for breaking their religious moral code.

So, that's why the world pressures and antagonizes Christians. How should we respond? Peter gives us three things to keep in mind:

1. Remember the sufferings of Christ. (v. 1)
2. Remember your own coming death, which will put an end to all your sinning. (v. 2)
3. Remember, Judgment Day is coming. (v. 5)

When the world wants to drag us into the muck with it, we need to fix our eyes on Jesus. He suffered and died to free us from the tyranny of sin. If we love Him, we should walk in the freedom of holiness that He secured for us.

We should also always keep in mind that life is short, eternity is forever, and all sin and evil will be judged and obliterated when Jesus comes again. Things that last forever matter more. Things God has created us to enjoy forever are the very best things to enjoy.

We all face peer pressure. The siren song of the world is never silent. Only walking closely with Jesus and keeping an eternal perspective can equip us to turn a deaf ear to the world's insane immoral invitation.