“Do not let your adornment be merely outward–arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel– rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.” I Peter 3:3-4
We are a “chosen generation” “living (lively) stone” “spiritual house”“holy priesthood” “peculiar people” “holy nation” . . .
2 Peter 2:1-10
I am always struck to the heart when I read about our “attractiveness” or as Scripture teaches, our “beauty” as the children of God. It is not talking about our outward physical appearance (although as biblical Christians, we are concerned to present a good witness in our physical appearance in being well-groomed, tidy in our homes and with a walk that is outwardly exhibiting what we are internally), it is talking about the dichotomy of our being “a sweet smelling savior of Christ” on the one hand and the “stench of death” on the other. It is talking about the double-edged sword we carry in our hearts and hands, and it is talking about our being loved and attractive to Christ and the people of God and at the same time being loved and hated by unsaved men. This is what it means in following Christ, being like Christ, loved and hated for the gospel’s sake. We are the messengers and the messengers carry the message of life and death. We have an “aroma” of Christ and if we live biblically, we will give off that aroma very clearly to the body of Christ and to the world. It will say who we are in Christ and that message will bring joy or conviction.
Another way to look at our “attractiveness” is to examine our walk. A “living stone” offering up “spiritual sacrifices” is one who is being biblical in their behavior. We are attractive even to the world when we are biblical. They may “rail” against us in many ways but the “railing” is against our good witness in Christ, the gospel message, not from offensive or contrary behavior on our part. If we try to shove the Bible and Christ down the throat of an unbelieving person who is spiritually “dead” and has neither the eyes nor ears to understand the gospel, nor been given the gift of faith, in an arrogant, proud or self-righteous manner, we will be offensive and not attractive. If we live in the world and think, act and walk like an unbeliever, we will be unattractive and cause shame to the cross of Christ. If we, as believing sisters, lord it over our sisters who are weak in the faith, have different gifts or situations than ours and thereby wound them, we are offensive and not attractive. If we are gossipy, envious, backbiting, complaining believers, we are not attractive and do not reflect Christ-like behavior. We are to be those loving “attractive” believers who can be a witness as Christ was, “there was no fault found” in them. In other words, we are to love the brethren, our neighbor, our enemies with a heart of Christ and exhibit the fruits of the spirit (love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance against such there is no law” Gal. 5:22-23) so that we are “innocent” of the sin of being offensive. We cannot blame our offensive or unbiblical behavior on the grounds of “persecution” if we are not living, acting and behaving biblically. We will “suffer persecution” but not because of our disobedient behavior. We are to be “without fault” and thus as we reflect Christ-like behavior, we are “attractive” to Christ, His people and the world. The unbelieving world may not recognize that “attractiveness” (as we will see every day) but we do not answer to the world, we answer to Christ and we are to be that reflection of Him and that is, without a doubt, attractive because it reflects the gifts of the Spirit. We are to “examine ourselves” daily to be sure that we are living by faith, in faith, acting upon faith, and walking by faith. A faithful walk exhibits Christ and we know that Christ is the “beauty of holiness” “altogether lovely” and One to be desired above all else. The unsaved world called Him a “drunk and winebibber” but that did not negate His “beauty of holiness.” Thus, our attractiveness, the reflection of God’s Spirit, is not negated by unsaved man. Therefore, our marching orders are this, live biblically, reflecting holiness and the gifts of the Spirit because we love Christ and we know not who He will bring into our lives and our testimony may be the very “attractive” thing that He uses to bring them into His kingdom. Perhaps it will be an unbelieving husband or wife who is “won by the behavior” of the spouse. Perhaps it is our child or family member who is won by our infectious love, joy and peace. Perhaps it is the neighbor that we refrain from gossiping with or perhaps it is that sister who is a babe in Christ who wants to be a godly Proverbs 31 woman. We are to live as we are called, offspring of our Heavenly Father, with His characteristics and beauty.
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Source: joany, Reformed-Women, “The Attractiveness of God’s People” My Summary Comments: Grace To Stand Study, Dec. 2003. Copyright ©2003-2006, The JoyPals Network, All rights reserved.
