ALL FLESH IS AS GRASS

Another contrast is presented to us in this passage. Peter has already set the preciousness of gold over against the precious­ness of faith, and now he contrasts the impermanence and frailty of flesh with the immoveable endurance of the word of God. Our verses today are in the context of a divine command to the people of God to be holy, ‘But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy’, 1 Pet. 1. 15, 16. Notice the words ‘because it is written’. There are some who would have us believe that the Old Testament scriptures are irrelevant and inapplicable to Christians today, but here the imperative for believers to be holy in every aspect of their lives is based upon the word of God recorded in the Old Testament.

A life characterized by holiness can never be produced by the flesh. Paul stated that ‘in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing’, Rom. 7. 18. To be holy in all manner of behaviour is not an option for the Christian, it is a divine demand upon those God has saved by His grace. How lightly we treat such a clear statement of divine intent! Some would dismiss this absolute requirement by claiming that a holy life is either totally impracti­cal or else unachievable. That would be true if it were not for the fact that we are ‘born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incor­ruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever’, 1 Pet. 1. 23. Corruptible seed brings forth grass, short-lived and doomed to wither. Such is the new-year resolution, earnestly made, enthusiastically started and forgotten before the end of January! The believer, upon whom the word of God makes seri­ous demands, has the ability to meet those demands because of the new birth of incorruptible seed and the power of the indwelling Spirit of God. It was by the word of God that salva­tion was brought to us, and it is by the same word that we are instructed, fed and strengthened for service. Everything to do with man and his goals will wither and die, but the word of God is living and it abides for ever. ‘There are many devices in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand’, Prov. 19. 21.