Identity of a Christian - part 2
1 Peter 2:1-10
Another sin the saved person needs to lay aside is “guile”. Guile is a crafty deceitfulness. It is something the devil is known for. He is a deceiver. He is one that tries to come up with new ways to keep people away from God. Guile is something that those who practice magic are known for. They try to show that they can do things that are really impossible. They try to pull a coin from behind a person’s ear. They are deceivers. However, it is not only “magicians” who are crafty. Every lost person comes up with crafty ways they hope will help them get away with sin. It is important to remember that no one can ever get away with sin. The born again Christian is not trying to get away with sin. He is desirous of being free from sin. He does not try to hide his sin, but he wants to be free from his sin. That crafty, deceitful nature needs to be put off by the born again Christian.
The Christian also needs to lay aside hypocrisy. Hypocrisy is that which the Bible identifies as the religion of the Pharisees. They claimed to love God but they actually hated God. Jesus called them whited sepulchres. They looked good on the outside, but inside they were full of dead men’s bones. The born again Christian is not to pretend they are someone they are not. It is the fruit of pride to try to portray ourselves as being more “spiritual” than we truly are. We might act as though we have overcome when in fact we have not, but are trying to portray ourselves as being greater than we are. Verse 2 answers this matter. Rather than act as if we have arrived, we must understand our dependence upon God. The Christian does not need to be defeated by sin. However, the Christian must understand that his only hope is found in humbly walking with God through the power of the forgiveness of sin and the work of the Holy Spirit in the person’s life as he or she faithfully reads and obeys God’s word and confesses sin quickly and frequently - as often as he commits sin. It may take some time, but generally hypocrites reveal their true nature. Their facade begins to crack and they cannot keep it patched up. The right way to live is in humility and understand our absolute dependence upon God’s grace.