What does "conform to the passions" mean in 1 Peter 1:14? Text of 1 Peter 1:14 “As obedient children, do not conform to the passions of your former ignorance.” Immediate Literary Context Peter has just declared that believers possess “a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (v. 3) and are called to “be holy” (v. 15). Verse 14 bridges identity (“obedient children”) with conduct (“do not conform”), contrasting the believer’s new life with pre-conversion desires. Parallel New Testament Exhortations • Romans 12:2 — “Do not be conformed (συσχηματίζεσθε) to this world.” The same verb underscores the peril of taking on ungodly patterns. • Galatians 5:24 — “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions (πάθεσιν) and desires.” • 1 John 2:16 — “The desire (ἐπιθυμία) of the flesh… is not from the Father.” Cultural Background First-century Asia Minor was saturated with emperor cults, fertility rituals, drunken symposia, and sexual license. Converts formerly flowed with those “floods of debauchery” (1 Peter 4:4). Peter labels such a lifestyle ignorance because it fails to acknowledge the Creator’s holiness and the resurrected Christ’s lordship. Theological Significance 1. Regeneration re-creates identity: believers are now “children” (τέκνα) of God. 2. Sanctification demands non-conformity: outward behavior must align with inward rebirth. 3. Passions spring from the unredeemed “flesh.” The Spirit wars against them (Galatians 5:17). 4. Holiness is modeled on God’s own character (1 Peter 1:15–16; Leviticus 11:44). Old Testament Foundations Israel was repeatedly charged not to “follow the stubbornness of their evil hearts” (Jeremiah 7:24) but to circumcise the heart (Deuteronomy 10:16). The prophets foretold a New-Covenant heart transplant (Ezekiel 36:26). Peter sees that promise realized. Practical Application 1. Diagnose passions: Identify thoughts or practices sourced in pre-conversion ignorance. 2. Disrupt conformity: Alter contexts (Proverbs 4:14–15), cultivate new liturgies of holiness (Colossians 3:1–2). 3. Depend on grace: “Set your hope fully on the grace to be given” (1 Peter 1:13). The indwelling Spirit empowers resistance (Romans 8:13). Pastoral Counsel Freedom begins not with suppression but replacement: delight in superior affections (Psalm 37:4). Accountability, Scripture intake, and prayer form a triad that starves old cravings and feeds new ones. |
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