inuation of the
admonition in the foregoing part of the chapter, warning Christians to
abstain from gross vices--carnal lusts--which in the world lead to
obscenity, and from the wild, disorderly, swinish lives of the heathen
world, lives of gormandizing, guzzling and drunkenness. Peter
admonishes Christians to endeavor to be "sober unto prayer." The
epistle was written chiefly to the Greeks, the masses of which people
were very social, and inclined to carouse and gormandize. And we
Germans are accused of the same excess; not without some reason
either.

3. With intent to turn Christians from these vices unto temperance and
sobriety, Peter reminds them, as all the apostles are wont to do, of
the obligations particularly incident to the Christian calling, to the
only true, divine service, the things for the sake of which they have
become Christians and which distinguish them from the remainder of the
world. His meaning is: It is not for Christians to lead lives
heathenish, profligate and riotous; to indulge in gormandizing,
guzzling, carousing and demoralizing of themselves. They have
something nobler to do. First, in that they are to become different
beings, and be occupied with the Word of God wherefrom they derive
their new birth and whereby they preserve it. Second, being born anew,
they have enemies to fight; so long as they live on earth, they must
combat the devil, also their own flesh, which is corrupted by the
devil until it is full of evil lusts. Having, then, to assume the
obligations of this calling and contest, they must not give way to
drowsy indolence; much less may they become foolish, drunken sots,
indifferent to all issues and heedless of their obligations. Rather,
they have need to be watchful and sober, ever ready with the Word of
God and with prayer.

4. These are the two kinds of armor, two weapons of defense, whereby
the devil is vanquished and of which he is afraid: First, diligence in
hearing, learning and practicing the Word of God, that instruction,
comfort and strength may be received; second, sincere petitioning upon
the authority of that Word, a crying and calling to God for help when
temptations and conflicts arise. One or the other of these weapons of
defense must continually be in active exercise, effecting perpetual
intercourse between God and man--either God speaking to us while we
quietly listen, or God hearing our utterances to him and our petitions
concerning our needs.

Whicheve