1 Peter, 2:1-3
Gene Fuqua · Nov 19, 2006
1 & 2 Peter (2006-07), No. 08
Holly Hills Bible Church
https://www.hollyhillsbiblechurch.org/teaching/messages/49260855259

Transcribed from the recording by SermonAudio, so expect the occasional misheard word.

Well, there's a little chart there, I think it's in the handout, that shows you that we are on the subject of sanctification. Sanctification. So, we began back in chapter 1, verses 13, and now we're proceeding and we're in the second chapter. And it's a great passage. And I think it's one of his favorite passages he says, and so it certainly is a great passage. And we start off with this passage in 1 Peter. That's 1 Peter 2, 1 and 3.

Therefore, putting aside all malice, and all deceit, and hypocrisy, and envy, and all slander, like newborn babes long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord." Alright, so this is where we are, thinking about sanctification, and it starts off with this word Therefore, and you've seen that so many times and you know what it's there for. And let's think about this idea. And I think you have a chart at the very end, like a supplementary chart that shows this this idea of sanctification.

And the great thing I think I love about the teachings that we have here at Holly Hill is that we're taught and we see from scripture that victory starts from our completeness in Christ. Notice that there are two circles there, and the one indicating those who are working toward victory. There are many people, and I think maybe many of us in our Christian life in earlier days were seeking after Trying to walk in a victorious life. Seeking for an opportunity to get to this place that would please God.

And not seeing that we have a completeness already in Christ. So we are working out from a position of positional sanctification. And I think everyone here understands that. So, we want to clear that up. Okay. Now, when we look at this word, therefore, it's pointing us back to chapter one of what has proceeded.

And of course, if you look here at 1 Peter 1, 22 through 23, It says, Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls, to the sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart. For you have been born again, not of seed which is perishable, but imperishable. That is through the living and enduring word of God. We go back to this fact that we have been born again of this incorrupt seed, that we have this new nature that has come from the new man, the seed from Christ. that is a living seed. And so, he says, you know, therefore, it refers to this fact that we have this good foundation and we're starting from this wonderful position.

When you look at a little baby, you know, you say, oh, that baby is just perfect. She's just a perfect baby, you know. Well, she's not perfectly mature, is she? Are he? But we think of them as as they are, as they've come from the moon. They just can be so perfect. They just seem to perfectly form their eyes and ears and everything.

But so we are completing Christ, but we there is the growing that needs to take place. And so he says here for us to to look back and see that's where we're coming from, this position of perfection, this in Christ, this good seed that's not corrupt. Now then he says for us to put aside some things. And this word means to definitely put off. It's laying aside. It's like putting off clothing. And it's something that we do by faith. You know, the just shall live by faith. So it's something we've got to do. I find it's a momentary thing.

I mean, it's often that I have to stop and think about it, because the flesh can so quickly jump. And, you know, someone has said, I think, you know, we tend to react in the flesh. And when we respond, we can respond in the spirit or we can react often as reaction is from the flesh. And so we can blow it either with a bad word or say something or do something that is in the flesh very quickly.

Of course, I know a few of you say they don't have that problem at all. Right? Any volunteers to say they don't have that problem? Oh, thanks. Oh, he's he's a perfect young man. He's a perfect child. Oh, oh, oh, I see. Oh, yeah. No misunderstandings. All right. All right.

So we understand that positionally, we were separated from this old Adamic nature. in the solidification in Christ, which is such a tremendous thing. Sometimes I'll ask kids when I'm teaching young people, not in the public schools, but when I've taught in Christian schools, I'll say, well, where were you when Adam sinned?

Oh, it's such a hard question for them. You know, where were you? They just can't figure that out. Where were we when Adam sinned? Of course, we were in his sea. And once I asked this to a young person and I heard back from their parents that they felt that I was really trying to put down this child with a very difficult question, you know, that, you know, I really wasn't trying to put down the child at all because I just wanted to see that he has a source that's a dynamic source from Adam, the first Adam.

So anyhow, then I sometimes I'll say to the Christian child or person, where were you when Christ died on the cross? As a believer, where were you when Christ died on the cross? And they begin to realize, you know, that we were in Christ. I mean, our source went through the cross. Our new source, our new daddy, Christ, went through the cross. And so I can say, I am crucified with Christ. And so it gets people thinking and children. But we need to ask that to the right people who are ready for it, of course. And I'm learning that.

OK, so we go back to Romans 6, 6, and knowing this, that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be done away with so that we would no longer be slaves to sin. Now, this word to cardio, it means to render entirely useless. It doesn't mean to annihilate. I like the Darby translation which says, annulled, annulled, that the old man might be annulled.

And so, in Ephesians 4.22, we read that in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self which is being corrupted in accordance with the lust of deceit.

You know, Scripture speaks of the deceitfulness of sin. And the old sin nature tends to be deceived. You see that right from the beginning with Eve. She was deceived, even without an old nature she was deceived. But, you know, it's something that's Satan's way of deceiving us to get into sin.

So by faith now in our new sanctified position, return from and we reckon as crucified the principle of sin and self within. We count by faith in this to be new creations in Christ and to having died to sin and self. And this is really the foundation of our Christian growth. is to start there and realize we're not trying to be in the old Adam Improvement Society trying to build on that old foundation. So we're going to build on something that's really good. And Peter's going to talk about that. And he has talked about it. He will be talking about it as we continue in this study. All right. Everybody clear on that or any questions about that?

OK, so now. five hindrances to our ability to spiritual. These are five that Peter lists, and I have thought about this so many times. Why did he only list five things? I mean, you look at Paul, Paul list, I think it's twenty three over Romans and there is others listed in Ephesians and other places.

But first of all, Think about it as we go through. Maybe the Lord will open your understanding to see why Peter just used these five. But first of all, he says, all malice. We are to lay aside, put off all malice. This word kekia. By the way, if I mispronounce Greek according your pronunciation, I want you to know I used to know a little Greek.

She was a lady when I was in the third grade. She lived right next door to us. She made these Greek cookies. I thought she was trying to poison me with these cookies because she used these strange spices I'd never tasted before. But that's about my experience with Greek. But I'm learning thanks to Brother Verne and others who have provoked me to love and good works.

OK, so here we see this speaks of any kind of wickedness that comes from within. The desire to cause harm to another. Someone that says that it is an evil heart toward others. Romans 1 29, of course, lists that as one of the sins of the old man, the old nature, being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil. That's the word kikia right there, the word evil. Full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice, they are gossips.

Now that word malice that you see there, that's not the same word there. That is a word, kekoathia. It's a word that means it's mischievous. It's a different form. than the one that we're talking about here. But this word rendered this last word malice in the Geneva New Testament. This is a real convicting verse or statement. In the Geneva New Testament, it says this word malice means taking all things in an evil sense.

Reminds me of the two psychiatrists going up to the 10th floor on the elevator and they got to the second floor. And on the second floor, another man got on. He said, good morning, doctors. And then he got off on the third floor, this man. And then the two psychiatrists went farther up to the 10th floor. And as they were going, they said to one another, I wonder what he meant by that.

You know, and so taking things in an evil sense. So we're not talking about that part of the old nature that takes things in an evil sense, but we're talking about the kind that has a desire to cause harm to others. In James 121, for instance, there is, it says, therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness. That word wickedness is the same word. that Peter is talking about. In humility receive the word implanted which is able to save your souls.

Then we see in the example in Acts 8.22 where Peter is talking to Simon the sorcerer. And he says, therefore, repent of this wickedness. Now, when he used the word wickedness there, it's that same word, this wickedness of yours and pray the Lord that if possible, the intention of your heart may be forgiven you.

So this is a very interesting passage to study, and we could take the rest of the hour to study this about this terrible man. This man was a terrible man. If you look at this, this Simon, he was really really the big man of the day, especially in Samaria. And it considered, you know, he was considered like a God. I mean, he was and he accepted all this, that they were this acclamation that all this building up that people gave to him.

He wasn't like Peter and John, I believe it was, I guess it was Peter and Paul. I was trying to figure who it was that I know it was Peter, Paul for sure. Paul and Barnabas, that's who it was. They refused to have worship. They refused to be called Zeus and Hermes.

But this man, he just loved it. And of course, he was seeking to have the apostolic gift. the gift of laying on of hands. And so he was seeking a great position. And there's some that think that actually he was the start of the Catholic Church. It's an interesting study, but we won't get into that.

Okay, then Titus 3.3, we see, for we also once were foolish, ourselves disobedient, deceived, enslaved by various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice. That's the word that Peter's using also. Malice and envy, hating one another. Alright, then we come to the word guile. This is another thing that he wants us to put off here. And this speaks of deceit, to catch with deceit or falsehood.

It is deception toward others. It's leading people with trickery, devious actions to get what you want. And we certainly can see this in advertisements today, you know, if you buy this gadget, you'll never have to buy another can opener again, because this, this, you know, it'll last the rest of your life. And it's a great, I mean, it does wonderful things, you know.

Well, in First Peter 3.10, we read, For the one who desires life to love and to see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit, deceiving others. If we're guilty of malice and guile, these first two things, we tend, then we hide it.

And this produces the next item, which is hypocrisy. Okay, hypocrisy. This is deception concerning identity. It's pretending to be something that we are not. It's doing the opposite of what I'm telling others to do. It is not being genuine in relationships. It is an outward show like what we see on stage, a phony mask. Someone, I understand a lady, asked Robert Redford one time as he was getting on an elevator, Are you the real Robert Redford? Are you the real man?" He said, only when I'm alone. Only when I'm alone.

Ephesians 6.24, Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with incorruptible love and genuine love. Genuine love. I'm not being hypocrite about it.

If we are not sincere with God, we are playing the hypocrite, and it's an outward show. Jesus said to the Pharisees who thought that the external was what was most important in Matthew 23, 28, so you too outwardly appear righteous to men. But inwardly, you're full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

And I think that whole chapter speaks of this hypocrisy, these Pharisees and the way they would do. So our profession and our confession need to match. And shortly, we will see an example of Peter's solution to all of these things that he's talking about, how to deal with them. So in Matthew 7, 22 through 23, we have Jesus telling what would happen to the hypocrite.

Of course, we know the hypocrite will not stand before God, will not come before God. But he says here, many will say to me on that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name cast out demons, and in your name perform many miracles? And then I will declare to them, I never knew you.

Depart from me, you who practice lawlessness, iniquity, violation of the law. Just doing things perhaps what looks religiously, outwardly great, you know, but it's not according to God's plan. Not according to God's plan. And so there's a lot going on even in this city today that's iniquity. There's an outward show of religion and yet It's not really doing things the way God wants it to be done. So, hypocrisy is there.

I heard a story about Francois Van Halen, who in the 17th century was evidently chaplain or minister to Louis XIV. And he, so one Sunday, when Louis XIV came to the church or to the chapel with his attendants, and there was no one there. And he asked Fineland, he said, why, why isn't there anybody here? And Fineland said something like, well, I, I published that you would not be here today.

And I just wanted you to see who's, you know, who's for real and who's not for real. Who's trying to displease you and who's really trying to please God, in other words, you know? So, like the lady who was in the church, you know, who on a night when there was a Halloween night, I guess, but I don't know, but somebody came in dressed like the devil. into the church service, and everybody fled out, but this one lady couldn't move fast, and she was caught in the corner, and she said, Oh, devil. This guy was dressed like the devil, you know, in a costume. Oh, devil, I've been on your side all the time, she said.

So that's so we don't have that kind of hypocrite around. OK, so remember that here in Galatians 2, 11 through 13, Paul opposed Peter because of his hypocrisy. And of course, we know Peter was still He was still vacillating back into Jewish behavior. He was still vacillating.

He had not really gotten to that place of knowing some of the things that Paul had been taught by the Lord. And we know that the Lord had said, that when He, the Holy Spirit, will come, He will guide you into all truth. And so, certainly Paul, I think, had been guided a little bit quicker on a number of things before Peter, but that's the reason. I think Peter eventually did see all of the same things that Paul did, even though he does go on to describe some of the things that Paul says are hard to be understood, you know.

Okay, a characteristic of the end times. will be apostasy. We see that in 1 Timothy 4, 1-2. Now, an interesting statement by Francis Bacon about hypocrisy. He said, a bad name is worse when a person pretends to be a saint. A bad name is worse when a person pretends to be a saint. I can never find my own life. I couldn't wait till I could get a Bible that was really worn out. So I look spiritual.

I'll tell you this. It's so easy to be a hypocrite. I'd be practicing the piano in college in the practicing room. playing and I hear somebody come in the next room, I'd switch to something that I really knew well. So I wanted him to really think there's a great pianist right next door. You know, I mean, of course, I was still slaving away with so many things that didn't sound good. I wanted to sound good. I tell you, many of the afflictions of the righteous. I mean, we had a lot of problems. OK, so now. If you want to examine whether you're a hypocrite or not, think about modus.

James 3.17 says, well, let's go back to the one about our love. Let's examine our love.

Romans 12.9. Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil, cling to what is good. You know, we know that we pass from death to life because we love the brethren. So, one way to examine whether we're hypocrites is about our love. Is it genuine? Do we hate sin?

So, let everyone that names the name of Christ depart from iniquity, the scripture says in 2 Timothy 2.19. Then another thing is to examine our motives.

The wisdom from above we read in James 3.17 is first pure, than peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy." So it's some good things for us to think about, isn't it? In analyzing and thinking about whether our love is if we're being hypocrites. I think it's a very difficult area. Because there's certainly some things about some people we don't like. But the Lord wants us to love everyone, right? And so, the Lord gave us the grace to love as He loves. He loved us while we were yet sinners. He loved us.

We're enemies in our mind. And so that's the kind of love we're to have. Alright, then the next thing Peter says to put off. Envy. envy. This is an evil motivated by selfish desire to possess. It's jealousy. It's the feeling of displeasure of witnessing or hearing of another person's prosperity. This is a hatred of another who has something that we want.

I remember having someone in our family who would come and visit our home when I was a younger as a child, really. And this person, if we had something new in that home and they saw it, I want one of those, they would say. I want one of those. And the relative I lived with would sometimes get them one or give them what she had. Because I lived with my sister after my parents died. And so it was a very interesting thing to watch that happen, you know. And you've probably experienced that where people want something that you'd have, and you feel, well, I'll just give it to you, OK? You want it that bad? OK.

So Titus 3.3, for we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hating, hateful, hating one another.

So we know that envy is a work of the flesh. Galatians 5, 19 through 20. Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are immorality, impurity. He goes on a list all of these things and notice envying is there, envying. And certainly it's the type thing that It says here in this verse that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Practice those things. So, certainly it's a thing that we don't want to have seen practiced in our own Christian life, is envy. Always wanting what somebody else has.

Romans 1.29, we see this listed in this, being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil, full of envy. It's there.

Mark 15.10, for he was aware, this is Pilate, he was aware that the chief priests had handed Christ or him over because of envy. The Pharisees, you know, these priests, they were envious. Look at all the crowds that were following Christ, all the people. They were not happy with Christ because he had something they wanted. They liked to have all that attention. Now he uses another term, and notice it says all slander here, all slander. To speak against people is what this means here.

It's a hostile speaking, slander, backbiting and defaming. You know, it really, when we do this, it sets us up like on a pedestal another person's put down, you know, it makes us, You know, like we're a little bit better. It is the evidence of these four hindrances that we've mentioned malice, deceit, hypocrisy and envy. It's evidence of the four hindrances to spiritual growth being present. In other words, slander. When we slander someone, it's evident that these first four things that's been mentioned is there. in our lives, it's just the outworking of it, the mouth, you know, out of the heart, the mouth is speaking forth what's going on in the heart. So, it's very convicting, isn't it, these things? Okay.

Ephesians 4.29, Let no unwholesome word proceed out of your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. Someone has said, if you can't say something good about someone, don't say it at all, right? That's not an easy thing if you're walking in flesh, because we like to We can put down people, you know. It's just so easy.

Ephesians 4.31 says, Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Wow. Slander. The five relationship sins in this verse that we've been looking at here will cripple our Christian life.

You ever look at somebody and wonder why they're not growing? Oh my, you know, you think, hmm, wow. You know, they don't seem to be hungry for the things of God. They're not growing. Well, if we judged it righteously, could we say that maybe these sins are the ones that's holding them back? It should be it.

The flesh, which is the expression of the sin nature in each of our bodies, and the character of the Holy Spirit indwelling those who are in Christ, are incompatible. You can't walk in the Spirit and in the flesh at the same time, right? So, now, how can we overcome the flesh? Well, we certainly know it's by the Spirit of God. I mean, that's our great hope.

Galatians 5.16 says, But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh.

And then we know in Romans 8.14, For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. So, Lord, lead me today, for this hour, for this moment, by your Spirit. So, when we're walking in the Spirit, by the Spirit, we won't sin. It's easy to talk about, but, you know, we get in the crisis of life and everyday situations, and we can very easily step out of the realm of faith in the Spirit and walk in the flesh. So Peter's solution now to these sins. All right. Thank the Lord. We come to the positive side of this. Are you ready for it? Guys are so quiet this morning. When you teach, Vern, they talk.

Okay, 1 Peter 2.2, Like newborn babes, long for the pure milk of the Word, so that you may grow in respect to salvation. You know, this is the babes here.

It refers back, you know, to what we saw in 1 Peter 1.23, you know, being born not of corrupt seed, but of incorruptible by the Word of God, being new creatures. We're in a new family. What a blessing. We have a new appetite, that nature that really, really by nature, it desires the word. So he says like here, it starts off with like. This brings up the analogy between the physical and spiritual birth or growth, I should say.

There's only one imperative found in this one, this sentence. Now, I guess you've noticed that verses one through three are there. Basically, it's just one sentence. And so the imperative imperative is found when it says long for the pure milk of the word. So we'll talk about that in a minute. The laying aside of the evils listed in verse one is subordinate, subordinate duty. which prepares us for carrying out the principal command of long for the pure milk of the word.

Now, when he uses this term, newborn babies, he is not calling them baby Christians. He's telling them to earnestly yearn for God's word as a newborn baby does for milk. This hunger of the heart should characterize all of us from the newly born to the most mature. So we can still and we should still be craving the milk of the word as like a baby. It's the light, the analogy of how a baby craves that we're to see there. Jesus said, truly, I said to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. So Christ did not say that they were children. He said, but you'd be like a child. What's a child like? They're humble. They're believing.

I've done quite a bit of door-to-door visitation or evangelism type things in previous fellowships. I remember once I went to the door of a person. I got to the door and a little child came to the door. And before I had realized what was going on, and it was in my early days when I was a little less intelligent about these things, the child invited me into the home. I walked in. And around the corner comes the mother and she was shocked. Here's this man inside the house, you know, this little child invited me right in, not knowing me, you know, children are I mean, they're so trusting and so humble, you know.

So the Lord is saying here to Peter to be like. a babe, you know, to be like a babe. That type of hunger. Let it be true throughout our life. It's not just when we're babies or young as Christians, but throughout our whole life. Desire to do sincere milk of the word. Yes. Oh, children are teachable, aren't they usually? Often. Yeah, that's good. Teachable. Good. Okay, doctor, or I guess he's de Hebrew said this interesting statement.

Peter makes no mention of a process of growth from infancy to adulthood, where the longing for milk is replaced by the ability to eat food. He pictures his picture of the readers as babes, unlike that of Paul and the author of Hebrews is not derogatory. He was eager for them as those who had been born again to maintain the distinctive characteristic of baby-like eagerness for spiritual nourishment. So basically he's saying the same thing I was saying, you know, just to keep that attitude, that likeness of a baby and that hunger.

And then he uses this imperative here, long for, crave. PK, means to intensely crave and yearn for. It is in the Aorist tense, which speaks of the reality of it. It's the active voice making it something that we do. Imperative mood makes it a must, right?

So this is also used in the Greek Old Testament in Psalm 42.1, where it says, as the heart pants for the water brooks. So panteth my soul after thee or my heart after thee. Now he uses the term milk. Well, this word milk is described with two adjectives of the word and pure of the word.

You see, there speaks of the source. as seen in 1 Peter 1.23, for you have been born again, not of seed, which is imperishable, but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring Word of God. So, this milk is described as being of the Word. And so, think of Christ who said in Matthew 4, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. So this other as if pure speaks of something being of it being undeceitful, unadulterated, pure.

This means to have no human deceit, no human philosophy, no human anything, you know, psychology. Yes. I was going to say, this is the same word translated guile in the first verse. This was a negative. So she's made a contrast here. Very good. Like the guile that you had there. This is not guile. Very good. Yeah. Yeah.

You know, and when you meditate on that thought and realize, you know, just think of the Lord, you know. He is the Word, the living Word. And He said, I'm the truth. You know, and no man comes to the Father but by me. I mean, it's so wonderful to know that He didn't come to deceive us, you know, to say that He's going to die for us. And Paul, in his rise, he clearly, says, you know, he's speaking the truth. Peter, the same, the apostles. It's just a tremendous thing when you just realize that God has given us the truth and he's protected it for us and it's come down to us.

It's just wonderful. So, he says, now that you may grow, you may grow. This is in the Aorist Passive, which may be translated, be made to grow. We have a little Jamama with us this morning, the baby. Cadence, Cadence, is that right? Bradley, Cadence Bradley. All right. She's perfect, isn't she? We got to see that perfect baby. She's not mature yet. Does she cry? Of course. Are you going to show her to us? OK, that's it. Great. Yeah. So we have a little living illustration. Now, tell me, does she cry when she's hungry? Only at night. Only at night.

OK, thank you so much. I tell you, we're talking about babes here. You know, so we have to grow, that you may grow. That baby's going to grow, thank the Lord. If it doesn't, there's something wrong. Okay, so we have this responsibility to long for the milk of the Word. The passive voice tells us that God is the one who accomplishes this growing. Isn't that encouraging? It's a lifelong process of growth. I mean, why am I? Bevan, I know about that. You know, we're still learning. You know, I I often have to say, Bev, I was wrong. You know, I mean, she might I, you know. Yeah, you're right.

You know, it's so easy to to have situations where we blow it. one thing or another, but the fact, the reality of Christ in our life is the fact that he won't let us get by with having sin in our life. That's a great thing, and we confess it, and we humble ourselves to that point. So, the implication here when you read this is that some will not grieve. Some Christians will not grieve.

There's something wrong, and I think it goes back to these five hindrances, at least, those walking in the flesh. Growth is limited, also. Another implication is growth is limited to the word. And then all Christians, of course, are to grow. You can see that. In what respect do we grow?

In respect to salvation, it says here in this translation. So, in respect to our deliverance, you know, it's a great thing to know that the Lord leads us in paths of righteousness for His namesake. I think the Lord, in my other ways, led me in a way to be able to be at Holly Hills. I mean, I just think, I just rejoice in the Lord that He brought me to Holly Hills because of the Fact is, this is a place, a good growing ground here. It's a good place for growing because we're getting the word and that's going to cause us to grow if we're, you know, if we don't have these hindrances, these five hindrances in our life.

OK. So. The goal is spiritual growth, Colossians 1.10, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.

2 Peter 3.18 says, but grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Grow in grace. Grace, wow. Have you ever thought about that, how to grow in grace?

Well, we've got to get in the Word. And as you look at it, the Lord enlightens us and we think, wow, that's great. The Lord loves me. He does love me. Even though I'm a sinner by nature, of the old nature. You know, a friend loves at all times, and he's called his friend. He loves us even when we're down or whatever situation.

It's an encouragement. There's a lot of depth to that verse, and we'll be getting to it later as we do our study in Peter, 2 Peter 3, 18. So. So, this verse here is in the imperative, whereas 1 Peter 2.2 is not in the imperative. So, in other words, here, you know, it's a command for us to grow. But it's also a command that we're enabled by the Lord to fulfill.

Okay, Ephesians 4.15, But speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects unto Him, or into Him who is ahead, even Christ. I think this is one of the hardest verses to me, speaking the truth in love.

I mean, you don't want to hurt people's feelings, right? I mean, you know, you don't want to speak the truth to them, do you? You've got bad breath. I guess it's a nice way you can say it in love to somebody and let them know they've got a problem, right?

But it's not easy. I think a lot of prayer and certainly someone who says you cannot help someone unless you've got leverage, so to speak. In other words, have you shown love to them in advancements? Have you, have you, have you built a relationship with that person before you try to help them?

You know, if you just walk, sometimes, I mean, I see somebody do something wrong out here on the street, speedy, and I'd like to chase him down and say, hey, you know, you know, you really cut me off back there, you know, but, you know, but you haven't built a relationship with that person, there's a good chance they may not accept you correcting them. A little road rage might happen right there, right?

Okay. What time should we stop? Okay. Oh, man, that's great. 1 Peter 1.3. We're coming near to the end here.

He says, If you have tasted the kindness of the Lord. Now, this if does not imply any doubt. It speaks of the reality of this past experience. The conditional aspect of this word as seen in the Greek invites us to self-examination concerning this matter. So it's no doubt here about it, you know. Tasted, it says here. If you've tasted, this speaks of a fact. Have tasted speaks of an experience.

This word continues the imagery of the mill. The Aorist tense looks back to the past experience here, started at the point of being born again. We have this experience that we've tasted of the Lord, that he is gracious. The word for taste is the same used by the psalmist in the Greek Old Testament in Psalm 34, 8.

It says, O taste and see that the Lord is good. That the Lord is good. This is something that we have experienced when we were born again. Our experience as Christians is that the Lord Himself is kind, He's loving, He's gracious, and certainly we do know by experience that the Lord is good. And this is the first thing the Old Testament says. Oh, that men would praise the Lord for His goodness to the children of men.

We need to be thankful that He is a good God. He's always good. The end of all our time in the Word should be not mere knowledge of the written Word, but the knowing of Him who is the Word and His transforming power. The Lord Himself, He's the one that does the transforming into His image. If we're to grow and become fruitful, our faith must be anchored in the finished work of our position and in Christ. place for faith in our unchangeable condition, is it?

That's why I'm so thankful about our time here together each Sunday. God has blessed us to be able to see that God has already done a great thing for us. We're already in Christ, 1 Corinthians 1. But of Him are you in Christ Jesus, who of God has been made to us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. What a blessing.

Let's thank the Lord. Father, thank You so much for Your Word that is so rich and so good to us. Thank You for the time that we can meditate and think on what You are, who You are, what You've done, what You desire for us to do, to walk in the Spirit, being led by Your Spirit, that we might not fulfill these things of the old nature that we might choose today to, by our will, just to walk according to the new nature, according to that incorruptible seed, the Word of God, the living Word of God. In the precious name of the Lord Jesus, we thank you for this time. Amen.