Be Loving

 

1 Peter 1:22–2:3 CSB
22 Since you have purified yourselves by your obedience to the truth, so that you show sincere brotherly love for each other, from a pure heart love one another constantly, 23 because you have been born again—not of perishable seed but of imperishable—through the living and enduring word of God. 24 For

All flesh is like grass,

and all its glory like a flower of the grass.

The grass withers, and the flower falls,

25 but the word of the Lord endures forever.

And this word is the gospel that was proclaimed to you.

1 Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all slander. 2 Like newborn infants, desire the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow up into your salvation, 3 if you have tasted that the Lord is good.

When you think of PURE or PURITY, what comes to mind?

Peter starts this next section building on the previous. He says something that might sound a bit off at first:

1 Peter 1:22 CSB
22 Since you have purified yourselves by your obedience to the truth, so that you show sincere brotherly love for each other, from a pure heart love one another constantly,

“Since you have purified yourselves by your obedience to the truth”

Is it possible for us to purify ourselves? What did they do to purify themselves?

They believed in Jesus and his resurrection. The sacrifice was made for them. They simply believed. They were purified by the blood of Jesus because they chose to obey God. Faith in God brings about the righteousness of God, which means we are pure in God’s eyes.

Purified does not mean that we are perfect. Nor does it mean that we will never struggle with evil. We will struggle with evil until the day we trade in this earthly body for our resurrected one. What it DOES mean is that we can stand before God as one who is clean, because we have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus.

Remember, the previous verses brought in the sacrificial system. People would offer up an animal in their place, for their sins, to purify themselves – to have their sins covered over. Jesus did that once and for all.

1 John 1:7 “If we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.”

Since they believed in Jesus, were purified.

Since YOU have believed in Jesus and obeyed God YOU are purified!

But there is that word, “since”. It is one of those anticipation words, right? “Since I let you borrow the car, can you …” “Since I gave you the last piece of pizza, can I have…”

1 Peter 1:22 CSB
22 Since you have purified yourselves by your obedience to the truth, so that you show sincere brotherly love for each other, from a pure heart love one another constantly,

In Peter’s words, since we have been purified, there is something we must do. What is the action here? THE COMMAND: love one another constantly

There is a pivot here. So far, much of what we have been reading and studying has been about our relationship with God. What he has done for us and what our new identity looks like. NOW, Peter is getting practical in what it looks like to LIVE OUT that new identity!

Theology apart from application is dead.

You can study all your life, read the bible every year, go to church services every Sunday, but if you never allow what you believe about God (theology) to change the way you live it means absolutely nothing. It is like owning Ben & Jerry’s or Häagen-Dazs and never eating ice cream! OK, let’s bring this closer to home: like owning a dairy farm and never drinking milk.

Peter is now saying that we need to have some application, some action. We are to love one another constantly.

There is a transition from Me & God to Me & Others. We have the introduction of “one another” and “each other”. This is the first time Peter uses those phrases in this letter. Who is this referring to?

Well, obviously, since this is a letter written to the believers in Asia Minor, “one another” would refer to other believers. This might have been tough for some. For a Jew to love a Gentile would have been a new thing. It shouldn’t have been, but it would have been. You are talking about two groups that were at odds with each other must accept and love each other. Two groups that had literally nothing in common now have Jesus in common, and must learn to love each other.

This is true for you and me today. We are to love one another. Everywhere. Regardless of denomination – if they call on the name of the Jesus as their Messiah, and their redeemer, we are to love them. But especially those in the church body that you are a part of.

• Whether you are from the North or South
• Your skin is black or white
• You are military or civilian
• Regardless if you are a democrat or republican

You can think of any type of segregation, and in the body of Christ it must be set aside for the cause of loving each other. THIS is the “one another” of scripture. ALL WHO call upon the name of the Lord are saved and all of us share the same value in God’s eyes – we are his redeemed children that he paid a high price for.

I can love God, but you want me to love THEM? YES.

TIME OUT: Loving does not mean accepting or condoning any kind of lifestyle, especially those that are disobedient to the Word – that is not love at all, as Peter will bring out in his letter.

And Peter is not just saying, “You need to get along”. We need to learn how to really love each other. But what does that mean in Peter’s mind?

Love one another

The Greek has at least 7 different words for love. We have 1. The four main words for love are:

1. Storge: Familial love such as parents to children.
2. Eros: Refers to sexual and romantic love.
3. Phileo: Represents affection between friends.
4. Agape: Signifies selfless, unconditional love as of Christ for the Church, God for humanity.

FREEBIE:
Video of C.S. Lewis on the 4 loves
READ his book for free online

I have placed my set of C.S.Lewis books in the church library for people to borrow. A copy of the Four Loves is available if you want to borrow it.

The command the church is given is to “love one another constantly” or continually. Because you now love, continue to love. That sounds a bit strange to us, but Peter is using two different words for love here:

The first is the PHILEO love. Because of Christ you now are able to show brotherly and sisterly love to one another. There is an acceptance there. There is a sense in which we acknowledge each other and are no longer at odds but we are friends now. Because of Jesus, we ARE family. If you have accepted Jesus you are my brother, you are my sister. Most of us accept that quite easily, and it appears the churches Peter was writing to did as well.

Since we now have that ability, we need to strive to grow that love into something more.

We are not to remain at that level of love, we are to deepen our love for one another to make it look like, sound like, act like the love that we have received from our Father. AGAPE love. What kind of love has the Father shown you? What kind of love has Jesus shown you? Listen to what Jesus says:

John 15:12–14 CSB
12 “This is my command: Love one another as I have loved you. 13 No one has greater love than this: to lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you.

Love each other as Jesus has loved us. Simple, right?

SIDE NOTE: you cannot love the family of God without also loving your biological and legal family. Loving others starts at home. Husbands, you are commanded to love your wife and Christ loved the church. I can assure you we all fall short of that – but what a goal! Husbands – love. Wives – love your husbands. [Peter is going to dig into those tow more later] Parents – love your kids. Kids – love your parents. Our faith starts at home and grows from there. Home is not just the practice field, it is the battle ground where followers of Jesus are constantly being attacked to discredit the God that they were redeemed to reflect.

Because you have been purified by Jesus, and because you are now friends with each other, learn how to really love each other the way God loves each of you.

Are you a “Why?” person? You want to know WHY you need to do something? Well, Peter gets you, because he seems to always give is the answer to the “why” question:

• Be hole because… the one who called you is holy
• Be reverent because… you have been redeemed at a high price
• Be loving because…

BECAUSE you have been born again.

1 Peter 1:23 CSB
23 because you have been born again—not of perishable seed but of imperishable—through the living and enduring word of God.

Because of Jesus we have been PURIFIED and RE-BORN. We have eternal life. We are re-born of “imperishable seed”. If we have been given a new life, that life ought to be lived in a way that validates its existence. We have new life because God loved us (agape) John 3:16, and we are now friends of God (philia) James 2:23 because of the love of God.

Now, we need to love others the way God has loved us. Again, this is something Jesus commanded:

John 13:34–35 CSB
34 “I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

I think it is imperative that you and I understand this is not something you can program as a church. There is no class that will make you more loving. There is no sermon I can preach that can make you more loving. You become more loving by making it a priority in your life. You become known as a loving person through DNA – (Design Not Accident). It must become a part of your daily rhythm of life. As you and I, individually, become more loving, the church will be more loving. It is that simple. You ARE the church.

We have a new life, and that life needs to reflect the one who purchased it for us.

We need to be more loving because we have been given new life through Jesus. Peter talked about that a few times, but this time he spins it a littler different. He says that we have been born again through the living and enduring word of God. ⭐

1 Peter 1:23 “because you have been born again—not of perishable seed but of imperishable—through the living and enduring word of God.”

The Enduring Word of God

We were born again because of the living and enduring word of God. While this *could* refer to Jesus (John 1:1), it probably is not the direction Peter is going. The majority of the English translations I looked at did not capitalize the “w” in word. Most of them WILL when it refers to Jesus – such as in John 1:1. Peter is most likely referring to the actual words and promises of God that never die and are always trustworthy. That is why he launches into the next quotation – which happens to be a word from God: 🙂

1 Peter 1:24–25 CSB
24 For

All flesh is like grass,

and all its glory like a flower of the grass.

The grass withers, and the flower falls,

25 but the word of the Lord endures forever.

And this word is the gospel that was proclaimed to you.

That reference is from Isaiah 40. It speaks of a comfort that will come from God, when he will deliver Israel from bondage to Babylon. They will be enslaved and taken from their homes, but God will rescue them and bring them back. It is a prophecy about the Messiah – about Jesus. It is the gospel message, the good news that God will redeem his people For you and me, that God HAS redeemed his people! The prophets were serving us, remember?

Peter uses to adjectives to describe the word of God:

It is LIVING -> it is alive; it gives life; is sustains life. This book is a compilation of the words of God. They are not dead words on ancient paper, they are still living and creating life today. People come to know God just by reading these words, which is why we have a pile of Bibles to give to anyone who does not own one. It is one way that God has chosen to reveal himself to us and his word changes lives and affects people:

Hebrews 4:12 CSB
12 For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Peter says the word of God is living, AND it is enduring.

It is ENDURING -> The word of God HAS endured. Not just in the reality that we have copies of those words in our hands today, but that the truths presented are still true today, just as they were thousands of years ago. It continues to endure, to last! The condition of mankind, the struggles of life, the reality of eternity, the compassion of God, are just as valid and alive today as they were when they were inked. And they will continue to be, which is why it is so important that we pass them on to our children.

What can you cling to when you have no hope? What can comfort you when you are in distress? What directs you when you are facing difficult decisions or opposition? God & his promises.

Psalm 119:153–160 CSB
153 Consider my affliction and rescue me,

for I have not forgotten your instruction.

154 Champion my cause and redeem me;

give me life as you promised.

155 Salvation is far from the wicked

because they do not study your statutes.

156 Your compassions are many, LORD;

give me life according to your judgments.

157 My persecutors and foes are many.

I have not turned from your decrees.

158 I have seen the disloyal and feel disgust

because they do not keep your word.

159 Consider how I love your precepts;

LORD, give me life according to your faithful love.

160 The entirety of your word is truth,

each of your righteous judgments endures forever.

God’s word brings life. God’s word is truth. What God declares endures forever.

SINCE YOU have been BORN AGAIN through the word, and PURIFIED by obedience to that word, live lives of LOVE towards one another. Not just a polite acceptance, but a genuine, selfless love.

BUT WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE?

What does it mean to truly love each other continually? Peter gets real practical here with us. If you are going to love the way God loves, you are going to have to change some things:

1 Peter 2:1–3 CSB
1 Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all slander. 2 Like newborn infants, desire the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow up into your salvation, 3 if you have tasted that the Lord is good.

Therefore rid yourself

The phrase “rid yourself” is often used as a reference to taking off a garment.

Years ago, I had a robe. And, I had it for years. It was warm, and familiar, and… well ugly! At one time it was stylish, maybe. But after 10-12 years it had lost it’s style. My family hated that robe and complained about it. Eventually, they bought me a new robe (took them long enough!). We took the old robe and put it in a casket – I think we might have even burned it after that.

When Peter says we are to “rid ourselves” he is saying we need to “take off a garment”. I think we can even imply that we should take it off and bury it or burn it so it can never be something we pick up and put on again… ever.

So, what are we to rid ourselves of if we are going to show agape love to each other?

• malice – do desire ill will on someone. depravity. evil. naughty.
• deceit – cunning, craftiness in a negative way. Like a decoy…
• hypocrisy – acting as a stage player, pretending to be something you are not.
• envy – being jealous of each other – what they have that you do not,
• slander – speaking badly about someone else, defamation.

All of these things are things that demonstrate that we love ourselves more than we love others. Think about it. And THAT is not the kind of love Jesus showed us!

However, we KNOW that it is not enough to just STOP doing the wrong. We can take off a garment, but we must put something more appropriate, more flattering back on.

Throw those things off, like old garments. And then do what?

1 Peter 2:1–2 CSB
1 Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all slander. 2 Like newborn infants, desire the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow up into your salvation,

Desire the pure milk of the word, like newborn babies.

LEARN your new way of life. Find your nourishment, your sustenance in the Word of God, in the Way of God. Crave God’s word like a baby craves its mother’s milk. We have a lot of babies in this church! I cannot think of a more relevant metaphor.

I love that Peter calls the believers children previously, and compares them to infants here. This is not a slander, it is an honest reminder. When we are born again, we are newbies. We are infants, babies.

The expectation is that we will grow up, in all way, to be like Jesus. But that takes time. We can sometimes expect that when someone comes to Jesus they will immediately act like a mature Christian. That is not a realistic expectation.

I have a granddaughter that is 10 months old. I am frustrated with her! She needs to stop with the gibberish noises and talk to me using her grown up words. It is so immature of her, right? And having to pick her up and carry her there? What does she think I am, her personal uber? And when she eats… what a mess! And she refuses to clean it up herself!

We understand this idea of growth taking time when we talk about physical birth and growth, which is why I believe Peter framed it this way. You start your Christian life making a lot of noise, sometimes incoherent, not being sure what what the right words are to say, etc. You make messes, too, that often require others to clean them up.

BUT, we grow. Growth is natural when nourishment is provided.

We need a diet of what is healthy, from God. Then, we naturally grow. You do not make kids grow up, they just do! When we have a steady diet of the Word of God, we grow – it is natural.

We are to grow up into our salvation.

What does that mean? It is NOT saying that we grow so that we can be saved.

• We grow up to be like the one who saved us.
• We grow up to live up to the life that was purchased for us.
• We grow up being holy, as God is holy and loving as Christ loves us.

Be committed to the Word of God – even when it is hard, like the Psalmist said. To learn from God what is good, and just, and pleasing to Him.

One step further….

Peter gave us a list of things to take off, and then just said, “do all that God commands”. Let’s take a moment to get a bit more practical. We had a list of things to take off, but what would be the opposite of those things if we were to put them on?  What might God want us to act like instead?

The really good news is that we not only have God’s Word to tell us what it means to love others, we have God’s Spirit to teach and empower us to accomplish it.

Galatians 5:19–25 CSB
19 Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, 21 envy, drunkenness, carousing, and anything similar. I am warning you about these things—as I warned you before—that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. The law is not against such things. 24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.

We are not to live the way that is “natural” to us. Those are the things of the flesh. We are to live “supernatural” – above the natural – since our citizenship is in heaven where God lives. We have been redeemed to a new way of life, and we have God’s spirit in us to help us live that new life. Crucify the old – throw it off, burn it, consider it dead; Live by the Spirit, put on the new.

Unconditional love is not natural. It takes God’s power to do it.

Wrapping it up…

Then Peter wraps up this section on drinking the milk of God’s word with this statement:

1 Peter 2:3 “if you have tasted that the Lord is good.”

If you have new life through Jesus you HAVE tasted and that the Lord is good! Amen? Peter is actually referring back to another Psalm here.

Psalm 34:8 “Taste and see that the Lord is good. How happy is the person who takes refuge in him!”

We mentioned that Peter will “throw in” a reference or a thought to get you to recall something else. When he mentioned the perfect lamb and blood he was taking us to the OT sacrificial system to see how those pointed to Jesus and how Jesus was the perfect sacrifice.

We have fun with things like this in our house. One of us might whistle part of a song and then walk out of the room. A few minutes later, we find whoever was in that room is now whistling or singing that song. We do it on purpose.

We might quote a line from a movie to get someone to think about a scene in that movie. If Laura asks me to do something and I reply with, “As you wish” – all of you that have seen The Princess Bride will know what that means, right?

Peter references Psalm 34:8 “Taste and see that the Lord is good. How happy is the person who takes refuge in him!”

But when a Jew learned that Psalm, he did not memorize just that part of the Psalm. So when Peter quotes it, the listener knows there is more to it than just those words. He is giving the soundbite to get the listener to fill in the big picture. Let’s do that as we wrap up:

Psalm 34:8–9 “8 Taste and see that the Lord is good. How happy is the person who takes refuge in him! 9 You who are his holy ones, fear the Lord, for those who fear him lack nothing.”

You do realize that the last two sermons are in that verse BE HOLY and BE REVERENT?! If you are Holy and if you fear God, you will want to learn from him, and grow up in him. You live for him because you have seen his goodness.

• Be Holy – because your Father in heaven is Holy

• Be Reverent – because you have been redeemed by the sacrifice of Jesus

• Be Loving – because the you have been born-again into God’s family

If YOU have experienced the goodness of God, then learn to love each other continually. Be loving.

May God bless you as to strive to show His love to each other!