1 Peter 2:1-3
“Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.”
1 Peter 2:1-3 NIV
You could almost say that a baby lives to eat. And so it is not surprising that Peter would use this picture to speak of hunger for growing in the Lord. The “therefore” ties us back to the previous thought about the enduring word of God. Peter’s readers should nourish themselves on that which is for their health, that which is the stuff of eternity. Those things that are natural to the passing world involve such items as are listed here to be gotten rid of: malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, slander. The first two words speak of ill intent to do and speak wrongly. The others are no better, from envy, one might purposefully feign affection and support while falling short of truth and speaking of others in an ill light. But since we have been partakers of the goodness of God, and since we have been born into a living hope in Christ Jesus, we are called to earnestly desire the milk of the Word, to guard against the lust of the flesh, and to flee from selfish pride and a carnal life style. We are not to harbour malice or deceit in our heart and are to refrain from hypocrisy, insincerity, envy, and evil speaking. To engage in such behaviour violates our Christian witness and discredits the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. If as born again believers we have indeed tasted and seen that the Lord is good, we should be motivated to live as unto the Lord, to thirst after the pure milk of the Word, to abstain for ungodly actions and attitudes, and to walk godly in Christ Jesus. But with God’s truth and His Word, it is the better tasting way to go as well as the healthier choice for spiritual growth. For some reason let’s call it the sin nature, this is not naturally the immediately believed path. But the results are undeniable, even in, especially in a world where the follower of Christ lives as a chosen stranger. God’s Word is living. It is powerful. It changes lives. That is why it is so important that we desire the pure milk of the Word. And a Bible that’s falling apart usually belongs to someone who isn’t. Indeed, when the Bible becomes a part of you, you’ll be less likely to come apart. You can mark it down. You will experience no spiritual growth apart from intake of the pure Word of God. In short, in order to be healthy Christians, we can’t treat the Bible as snack food. And the corollary is that if we are careless in our Bible reading, we will care less about Christian living. A well-read Bible is a sign of a well-fed soul!!!
Father thank You for this day and how we thank You for Your goodness and grace toward us and to all people. Lord let Your abundant blessings flow from the floodgates of heaven over my friend and family today. Lord thank You that we have been born again, united with You, have a living hope in You and an inheritance kept for us in heaven. Lord keep us we pray, from all malice and evil speaking, hypocrisy, and ungodly attitudes. Lord give us a thirst for Your Word so that we may grow in grace and in a knowledge of You. Lord use my friend to be the touch of Your love to all today. Daddy we love You amen. Be a blessing. Love ya !
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