Growing into our Salvation

Text: 1 Peter 2:1-3
Rid yourselves, therefore, of all malice, and all guile, insincerity, envy, and all slander.  Like newborn infants, long for the pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow into salvation—if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. (NRSV)

I still find it fascinating that otherwise good Christians act with malice, guile, insincerity, and slander and act out of envy.  I am not surprised that there are good Christians who do this.  I know in my heart, and am ashamed to say, that I have done the same in recent memory.  What surprises me, is that there are those who do this while using Christianity as a support for this kind of behavior.  Instead of being broken by their actions, they claim that they are fighting for God as they tear down others with their angerly chosen words of contempt and malice.

Apparently, Peter was seeing similar things coming from those for whom he had pastoral responsibility.  But Peter was declaring such actions as inconstant with those who claim to be following the teachings of Jesus.  He is pleading with those to whom he is writing to rid themselves of such thing.  He is telling them that they should have been reborn as those growing up as children of God.  And, as children of God, should see the example of their Lord Jesus as their goal for living.  As infants in the faith, they should be nourished by the spiritual milk of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Peter’s ultimate argument is for them to judge for themselves if what they have experienced in Jesus has been good; “if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.”  What have you experienced in your relationship with Jesus, malice or forgiveness?  What have you known in Jesus’ call to you, rejection or acceptance?  What have you felt from Jesus, insincerity or genuine love?  If you have tasted of the Lord and found that he is good, be nourished by the pure spiritual milk of the Gospel and grow into his likeness.

Pray with me:

God of love and acceptance feed me on the Gospel of your Son so that I may grow up in his likeness as your child.  AMEN.

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