Love One Another Series

1 Peter 1:22–25. 22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, 23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; 24 for “All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, 25 but the word of the Lord remains forever.” And this word is the good news that was preached to you. (ESV)

In Canada, as Christians have faced fines arrests and imprisonment recently for seeking to gather in worship, there has been an outpouring of solidarity from other believers in other provinces. Although there are concerns about governments having overly harsh penalties and not honoring constitutional requirements, the main aim of the solidarity is to show Christian love for other believers. Basic to an understanding of what God has called us to be and do, is to consider the welfare of other believers.

In 1 Peter, as the Apostle Peter has explained the nature of God’s love shown to us in salvation, he now explains how that love should impact our lives. Not only are we to be thankful to the Lord for His love to us in sending His son, as the Spirit shows us the wonderful impact of His love to us, He spurs us on to extend that love to others. In essence, to “Love One Another” is to extend to others, the love the God has shown to us. We are to forgive as God has forgiven us. We are to be patient, kind, understanding, encouraging and peaceful with others as God has and continues to be with us. The Christian life cannot be lived authentically in isolation. Peter shifts his exhortation from how to live rightly in relationship with God to how to live rightly with one another in Christian community.( Jobes, K. H. (2005). 1 Peter (p. 123). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.)

The more we understand the motive and richness of God’s ongoing outpouring love for us, the more that understanding should translate to worship and service. Godly worship is an expression of thanks to God for His love. Our ministry to others, is the best way to show that we are thankful for God’s love. How to show that love to others is the question and the best way to determine how we can “Love One Another” is to ask a series of questions of what has been shown to us and how we can show that to others.

In 1 Peter 1:22-25 the Apostle Peter presents a series of four questions for us to consider to understand and properly respond to God’s love in “Loving One Another”. He calls us to consider: 1) When were believers enabled to love? (1 Peter 1:22a), 2) Who are believers to love? (1 Peter 1:22b),3) How are believers to love?, (1 Peter 1:22c) and finally, 4) Why are believers to love? (1 Peter 1:23-25).

Believers can “Love One Another” as we understand:

1) When Were Believers Enabled to Love? (1 Peter 1:22a)

1 Peter 1:22a. 22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth (for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart), (ESV)

Please tun to Ezekiel 36

It was at salvation that believers received the capacity to demonstrate supernatural love (Rom. 5:5). When they evidenced obedience to the truth (were saved), they also purified their souls. Purified (hagnikotes) is a perfect participle that describes a past action with continuing results. Not only did God cleanse Christians’ impure past (cf. 4:1–3; Heb. 9:22–23), He also gave them new capabilities for the present and future (2 Cor. 5:17; cf. Rom. 6:3–14; Col. 3:8–10; 2 Peter 1:4–9). The image of purification is that of OT washings that made one ready to participate in the cult (Exod. 19:10; Josh. 3:5; John 11:55; Acts 21:24, 26; 24:18). This figure was taken over in the NT and stood for both inward purification through repentance from sin (Jas. 4:8; 1 John 3:3) and Christian initiation, which included repentance, commitment to Christ, and baptism, (cf. 1 Cor. 6:11) (Davids, P. H. (1990). The First Epistle of Peter (p. 76). Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.)

Ezekiel looked forward to the spiritual reality of inward change when he prophesied of what God would do for believers under the new covenant:

Ezekiel 36:22-28 22 “Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord GOD: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations to which you came. 23 And I will vindicate the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, and which you have profaned among them. And the nations will know that I am the LORD, declares the Lord GOD, when through you I vindicate my holiness before their eyes. 24 I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land. 25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. 26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. 28 You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God. (ESV) (cf. Jer. 31:31–34; Matt. 26:28; John 3:5; Eph. 5:26; Titus 3:5)