This blog is from a spiritual father who loves this generation enough to share truth from a man named Peter who walked with Jesus. Please consider Simon Peter’s admonitions below, who we all know was not perfect, but who went on to be one of Jesus’ greatest spokesmen in the New Testament church.

1. Our language use: Cursing or using crude expletives like the “F***” word and other unwholesome speech is not becoming of a son or daughter of the King. We are not slaves to our culture, but rather we are called to influence our culture with the truth and the way we live our lives, which includes our language. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. I Peter 2: 1-3; 4: 11; II Peter 2: 19-21

2. Unwholesome thoughts: What words and pictures are we thinking? How can we become more wholesome through our spirit speaking to our minds? We are told that we have the mind of Christ (I Corinthians 2: 16), what is Christ’s mind thinking? I have written both [letters]…to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. II Peter 3: 1, 2

3. Drinking too much alcohol and getting too close to inebriation, along with any form of immorality is detestable to God: When you consume alcohol, if you drink, do you know the limit and practice it strictly in order to honor your relationship with Jesus? Too many today are calling it their liberty to get close to sin and/or blatantly sin – wounding themselves and others. For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose…drunkenness… I Peter 2: 9; 4: 3

4. God desires all to be saved: Our silence with so-called ‘acts of justice’ only, does not always give voice to simply, boldly and unashamedly sharing the gospel. Always be prepared to give an answer to every one who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. II Peter 3: 9; I Peter 2: 11, 12; I Peter 3: 15

5. Commitment to a local church, to relationships, to accountability and to discipleship is vital for our generation: Maybe you feel like you do not need the church, but does that church (people) need you? It is not just commitment to a building or a place, it is commitment to God’s children, your family. Love the brotherhood of believers… I Peter 2: 13, 17; I Peter 4: 9, 10

6. Pornography is a direct connection to human trafficking and a picture of the depravity of mankind’s fallen nature: The present generation is passionate about fighting human trafficking, while at the same time being the largest consumers of pornography. This seems a blatant cognitive dissonance and youthful arrogance. …They themselves are slaves of depravity – for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him. I Peter 2: 16; II Peter 2: 19

7. Pursuing holiness and sanctification rather than allowing ourselves to be as close to the world as possible: We are to taste not, touch not and handle not so that we might remain pure before our God (Colossians 2: 21). Holiness is His desire for us and only through Him can we be holy. But just as he who called you in holy, so be holy in all you do. I Peter 1: 13-15; 2: 9; II Peter 1: 4-9; 2: 20; 3: 14

8. Hell is a very real place: Hell is as present as heaven. It was not made for you and I, but those who reject Christ to the end will find themselves in this place. It is the Father’s will that none would perish, but rather that all would be saved (John 3: 17). For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell… II Peter 2: 4-9

9. Honoring our elders: We need to honor (rather than belittle, put down or ridicule even if we do not agree) those who went before us; those who have fought the good fight and who paid a price to bring the truth of the gospel to our generation. You do not need to always agree, but you do need to honor as they are our spiritual fathers and mothers. Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. I Peter 5: 5; II Peter 3: 2

10.False prophets: There are those who do not tell the truth or the whole gospel, but rather a perversion of the truth and it is bringing confusion to the church. Doctrine is as old as the book of Acts and it was the apostles who, through following Jesus on the earth, brought these truths to us (Acts 2: 42). Be careful of the doctrines of men and search your Bible.  But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. II Peter 2: 1-3