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Selected Verse: 1 Peter 1:14 - King James

Verse	Translation	Text
1Pe 1:14	King James	As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
From sobriety of spirit and endurance of hope Peter passes to obedience, holiness, and reverential fear. As--marking their present actual character as "born again" (Pe1 1:3, Pe1 1:22). obedient children--Greek, "children of obedience": children to whom obedience is their characteristic and ruling nature, as a child is of the same nature as the mother and father. Contrast Eph 5:6, "the children of disobedience." Compare Pe1 1:17, "obeying the Father" whose "children" ye are. Having the obedience of faith (compare Pe1 1:22) and so of practice (compare Pe1 1:16, Pe1 1:18). "Faith is the highest obedience, because discharged to the highest command" [LUTHER]. fashioning--The outward fashion (Greek, "schema") is fleeting, and merely on the surface. The "form," or conformation in the New Testament, is something deeper and more perfect and essential. the former lusts in--which were characteristic of your state of ignorance of God: true of both Jews and Gentiles. The sanctification is first described negatively (Pe1 1:14, "not fashioning yourselves," &c.; the putting off the old man, even in the outward fashion, as well as in the inward conformation), then positively (Pe1 1:15, putting on the new man, compare Eph 4:22, Eph 4:24). "Lusts" flow from the original birth-sin (inherited from our first parents, who by self-willed desire brought sin into the world), the lust which, ever since man has been alienated from God, seeks to fill up with earthly things the emptiness of his being; the manifold forms which the mother-lust assumes are called in the plural lusts. In the regenerate, as far as the new man is concerned, which constitutes his truest self, "sin" no longer exists; but in the flesh or old man it does. Hence arises the conflict, uninterruptedly maintained through life, wherein the new man in the main prevails, and at last completely. But the natural man knows only the combat of his lusts with one another, or with the law, without power to conquer them.

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

From sobriety of spirit and endurance of hope Peter passes to obedience, holiness, and reverential fear.

As--marking their present actual character as "born again" (Pe1 1:3, Pe1 1:22).

obedient children--Greek, "children of obedience": children to whom obedience is their characteristic and ruling nature, as a child is of the same nature as the mother and father. Contrast Eph 5:6, "the children of disobedience." Compare Pe1 1:17, "obeying the Father" whose "children" ye are. Having the obedience of faith (compare Pe1 1:22) and so of practice (compare Pe1 1:16, Pe1 1:18). "Faith is the highest obedience, because discharged to the highest command" [LUTHER].

fashioning--The outward fashion (Greek, "schema") is fleeting, and merely on the surface. The "form," or conformation in the New Testament, is something deeper and more perfect and essential.

the former lusts in--which were characteristic of your state of ignorance of God: true of both Jews and Gentiles. The sanctification is first described negatively (Pe1 1:14, "not fashioning yourselves," &c.; the putting off the old man, even in the outward fashion, as well as in the inward conformation), then positively (Pe1 1:15, putting on the new man, compare Eph 4:22, Eph 4:24). "Lusts" flow from the original birth-sin (inherited from our first parents, who by self-willed desire brought sin into the world), the lust which, ever since man has been alienated from God, seeks to fill up with earthly things the emptiness of his being; the manifold forms which the mother-lust assumes are called in the plural lusts. In the regenerate, as far as the new man is concerned, which constitutes his truest self, "sin" no longer exists; but in the flesh or old man it does. Hence arises the conflict, uninterruptedly maintained through life, wherein the new man in the main prevails, and at last completely. But the natural man knows only the combat of his lusts with one another, or with the law, without power to conquer them.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
As obedient children - That is, conduct yourselves as becomes the children of God, by obeying his commands; by submitting to His will; and by manifesting unwavering confidence in him as your Father at all times. Not fashioning yourselves - Not forming or modeling your life. Compare the notes at Rom 12:2. The idea is, that they were to have some model or example, in accordance with which they were to frame their lives, but that they were not to make their own former principles and conduct the model. The Christian is to be as different from what he was himself before conversion as he is from his fellow-men. He is to be governed by new laws, to aim at new objects, and to mould his life in accordance with new principles. Before conversion, he was: (a) supremely selfish; (b) he lived for personal gratification; (c) he gave free indulgence to his appetites and passions, restrained only by a respect for the decencies of life, and by a reference to his own health, property, or reputation, without regard to the will of God; (d) he conformed himself to the customs and opinions around him, rather than to the requirements of his Maker; (e) he lived for worldly aggrandizements, his supreme object being wealth or fame; or, (f) in many cases, those who are now Christians, gave indulgence to every passion which they wished to gratify, regardless of reputation, health, property, or salvation. Now they are to be governed by a different rule, and their own former standard of morals and of opinions is no longer their guide, but the will of God. According to the former lusts in your ignorance - When you were ignorant of the requirements of the gospel, and gave yourselves up to the unrestrained indulgence of your passions.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]

As obedient children - That is, conduct yourselves as becomes the children of God, by obeying his commands; by submitting to His will; and by manifesting unwavering confidence in him as your Father at all times.

Not fashioning yourselves - Not forming or modeling your life. Compare the notes at Rom 12:2. The idea is, that they were to have some model or example, in accordance with which they were to frame their lives, but that they were not to make their own former principles and conduct the model. The Christian is to be as different from what he was himself before conversion as he is from his fellow-men. He is to be governed by new laws, to aim at new objects, and to mould his life in accordance with new principles. Before conversion, he was:

(a) supremely selfish;

(b) he lived for personal gratification;

(c) he gave free indulgence to his appetites and passions, restrained only by a respect for the decencies of life, and by a reference to his own health, property, or reputation, without regard to the will of God;

(d) he conformed himself to the customs and opinions around him, rather than to the requirements of his Maker;

(e) he lived for worldly aggrandizements, his supreme object being wealth or fame; or,

(f) in many cases, those who are now Christians, gave indulgence to every passion which they wished to gratify, regardless of reputation, health, property, or salvation.

Now they are to be governed by a different rule, and their own former standard of morals and of opinions is no longer their guide, but the will of God.

According to the former lusts in your ignorance - When you were ignorant of the requirements of the gospel, and gave yourselves up to the unrestrained indulgence of your passions.

Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886]
Obedient children (τέκνα ὑπακοῆς) Literally, and more correctly, as Rev., children of obedience. See on Mar 3:17. The Christian is represented as related to the motive principle of his life as a child to a parent. Fashioning yourselves (συσχηματιζόμενοι) See on Mat 17:2; and compare Rom 12:2, the only other passage where the word occurs. As σχῆμα is the outward, changeable fashion, as contrasted with what is intrinsic, the word really carries a warning against conformity to something changeful, and therefore illusory.

Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886]

Obedient children (τέκνα ὑπακοῆς)

Literally, and more correctly, as Rev., children of obedience. See on Mar 3:17. The Christian is represented as related to the motive principle of his life as a child to a parent.

Fashioning yourselves (συσχηματιζόμενοι)

See on Mat 17:2; and compare Rom 12:2, the only other passage where the word occurs. As σχῆμα is the outward, changeable fashion, as contrasted with what is intrinsic, the word really carries a warning against conformity to something changeful, and therefore illusory.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
Your desires - Which ye had while ye were ignorant of God.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]

Your desires - Which ye had while ye were ignorant of God.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
Not fashioning yourselves - As the offices of certain persons are known by the garb or livery they wear, so are transgressors: where we see the world's livery we see the world's servants; they fashion or habit themselves according to their lusts, and we may guess that they have a worldly mind by their conformity to worldly fashions.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826

Not fashioning yourselves - As the offices of certain persons are known by the garb or livery they wear, so are transgressors: where we see the world's livery we see the world's servants; they fashion or habit themselves according to their lusts, and we may guess that they have a worldly mind by their conformity to worldly fashions.

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