“He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God. Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and en-during word of God. For, ‘All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever. And this is the word that was preached to you. 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 1:20-2:3, NIV).
What do you think a man of intellect – one who possesses a brilliant mind – would do to earn a living? Would he desire to remain out-of-school and just be a baggage boy? Or, would he strive to finish college, perhaps even to become a surgeon, a corporate or international lawyer, or a rocket scientist?
How about a man of strength? Would you expect him that his baggage would be carried by his wife? Or, would he carry the baggage of his wife and, perhaps, even together with her?
What do you think a man of “something” would do? Would he just do “nothing”?
This time, we will try to discuss what a man of faith should do, as we go through in our text (1 Peter 1:20-2:3, NIV).
So, what are the things – at least 2 things – a true believer should do?
As we have learned before, Peter was the writer of 1 Peter and he was writing both to the Jewish and Gentile Christians in his time. The Christians then were scattered throughout Asia Minor and were suffering local persecutions before the reign of Nero (before A.D. 68).
In the early portion of the first chapter, Peter encouraged the believers that they have reasons to praise God, though they were suffering trials and difficulties. He also showed them that they could do the extra-ordinary things. And last time, we learned in the succeeding verses, Peter pointed out at least three things how the believers could cope with sufferings: be hopeful, be holy and be a sojourner.
Then, Peter proceeded to declare the Excellence of Christ, and now in verses 20-21, he continued to magnify the Savior:
“He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.”
The New Living Translation paraphrased it beautifully:
“God chose him as your ransom long before the world began, but now in these last days he has been revealed for your sake. Through Christ you have come to trust in God. And you have placed your faith and hope in God because he raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory.”
Peter pointed out to the Christians then that Jesus was chosen, as ransom -- the payment for our sins to satisfy the demand for God’s justice. And note well that He was chosen as the ransom even before sin entered the world. The passage says, “God chose him as your ransom long before the world began…”
And Peter did not stop there in his exaltation of Christ. He stated further, “Through him you believe in God…”!
Perhaps, demons believe God through their own awareness of His existence. And even non-Christians believe of God’s existence through His creation. But, Christians believe in God through Christ! That kind of belief is not just a mere assent of the mind that God exists, but with an ingredient of trust, reliance and hope. As Peter went on to say that God “… raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.”
Jesus Christ did not just die to pay for and absorb the penalty of our sins. He was also raised from the dead, so we are enabled to have “faith and hope” in God. Because Christ came to life again, faith and hope could also come to life in the heart of those who are ransomed.
Then, Peter stated that because of the wonderful things that Christ did to them and now that their faith and hope are in God, he exhorted them to do at least two things that we could draw from the succeeding verses.
I – The first one: LOVE ONE ANOTHER DEEPLY (verses 22-23).
We read, “Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.”
Notice the words, “love one another deeply, from the heart.” The New Living Translation states, “Love each other deeply with all your heart.” The King James Version translates, “love one another with a pure heart fervently.”
And it is interesting to note that when Peter said, “…you have sincere love for each other…” the Greek word that he used for “love” was different from the word “love” he used in his exhortation, “love one another deeply…”
In the former the transliteration of the Greek word is “philadelphia,” which means, “brotherly kindness, brotherly love, love of brethren.” However, in the exhortation, the transliteration of the Greek word is “agapao,” which means, “beloved, felt a love, love.” The Greek word is related to the Greek word “agape,” when it is used in 1 John 4:8, “…God is love.”
Peter was telling the Christians then that they have sincere love or “philadelphia” for each other, now they have to love or “agapao” one another.
And notice further, he did not just say, “love one another…” but added the word “deeply” – “love one another deeply.” The Greek word “deeply” is translated from the Greek work “ektenos” – meaning “intently, fervently.” In the Helps Word-studies, it is explained further: “ekten?s – fully-stretched, i.e. describing the verbal idea as extended out, to its necessary (full) potential ("without slack"); strenuously, without undue let up…”
Christians, who were then facing difficulties, were told to love one another intently, fervently, strenuously – loving one another fully-stretched, as extended out, to its necessary or full potential, without undue let up.
And that kind of love they could accomplish, according to Peter: “For you have been born again…” They could really love one another deeply, for they were not just in their former life, born and living in the flesh. They were born again.
And Peter went on to say that their second birth was not just the result of ordinary, or temporal way that they came to exist in this world. But, “…you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.”
They ought to love one another deeply, because they were no longer of their former selves, who could just perform fleshly or earthly way and with limitation to perform divine acts. They were “born again” – product or result not just of temporal or ordinary earthly cause, but of something “imperishable” – a supernatural means. And this supernatural way did not refer to any incantation or whatever human feat, but “through the living and enduring word of God.”
Because their new life was grounded on the solid, living and enduring word of God, they could also love one another intently, fervently, fully-stretched, as extended out, to its necessary or full potential, without undue let up.
.Even in our time, true believers experience the new birth – been born again. And they went through such supernatural re-birth in the same way that the Christians experienced in the Apostolic times. It was not of their own desire or doing, but God caused them to be so by His Spirit “through the living and enduring word of God.”
And because of this new birth, true believers today could also love one another deeply, from the heart. They could love each other deeply with all their heart. They could love one another with a pure heart fervently.
When we responded positively to the call of God’s Word to have faith in Jesus, we became in positional state to have sincere love for other believers and we can progress to express such “philadelphia”-love, as we “agapao”-love them – loving them “intently, fervently, fully-stretched, as extended out, to its necessary or full potential, without undue let up.
As we read in 1 John 4:7, “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.” Note that the Greek word “love” used in “love one another…” and “Everyone who loves has been born of God…” is the Greek word “agapao.” But, the Greek word that is used for “love” in “for love comes from God” is “agape.”
So, we could read: “Dear friends, let us “agapao”-love one another, for “agape”-love comes from God. Everyone who “agapao”-loves has been born of God and knows God.”
And Jesus said in John 13:34-35, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” Observe well, if we supply the Greek word for “love” in that passage, we read: “A new command I give you: Love (agapao) one another. As I have loved (agapao) you, so you must love (agapao) one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love (agape) one another.”
Those who were born again, who have faith and hope, who are truly disciples of Jesus, who received or experienced the love of God were given the command by the Savior Himself to love (agapao or agape) one another. Or, in the words of Peter: “love one another deeply.”
How about us, saints, could we also love one another deeply, or intently, fervently, strenuously without undue let up? Could we really agapao or agape (love) one another?
One of the Christian autobiographies I read was about Corrie Ten Boom. During the time of Hitler, when Jews were arrested and eventually put to death, Corrie used her big house to hide as many Jews she could protect. Her house had secret rooms she used to hide the Jews, when German soldiers would come and make a search. After several instances of success, ultimately, she was caught and sent along with the Jews to a concentration camp.
In concentration camp, she suffered not only the inhumane condition of the place, but also the indignities inflicted by the prison guards to the miserable prisoners. By God’s mercy, she was spared to be among those who were sent to gas chamber and also one of those who were liberated from the camp when WWII ended.
After a period of time, when she attended a worship service, she noticed a familiar face – one of the prison guards in the concentration camp. But, now, he was already a believer. And before she could back off, the man who could no longer remember her as among the many prisoners he humiliated, went towards her as he extended his hand for a handshake.
Corrie Ten Boom, however, could not lift her hand, as the atrocities she suffered in the camp flashed graphically in her mind. The man was drawing closer to her, but she still felt that her hand was as if frozen. According to her, in that instance, she prayed silently for God’s help. And just like anyone who received the “agape-love” of God, who had faith and experienced the new birth, she related that she could feel in her heart no longer hate or indifference, but love and acceptance. So, when the man was already at her front, she was able also to extend her hand and shake firmly and warmly the hand of her new brother in the faith.
It may not always easy for you to love deeply every brother and sister in the faith, but remember of your faith and hope, you are already a new person – “born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God” – born in the Spirit, “through the living and enduring word of God.” And, like Corrie Ten Boom, you can pray to the Heavenly Father and ask for His help to love every brother and sister deeply.
II – And the second thing we can do, if we have faith: CRAVE PURE SPIRITUAL MILK (1:24-2:3).
We read, “For, ‘All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever.’ And this is the word that was preached to you. 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.”
Let’s focus on the words, “crave pure spiritual milk.”
In the New Living Translation, we read: “you must crave pure spiritual milk.” King James Version translates, “desire the sincere milk of the word.” English Standard Version states, “long for the pure spiritual milk.” New Century Version: “you should want the pure and simple teaching.” God’s Word Translation: “Desire God's pure word as newborn babies desire milk.” And Bible in Basic English: “Be full of desire for the true milk of the word, as babies at their mothers' breasts.”
“Crave” means to feel a powerful desire for something. In that passage, it was transliterated from the Greek word “epipotheó.” It has a definition of “I long for, strain after, desire greatly, have affection for.”
We are familiar with the meaning of “long for, desire greatly, have affection for,” but how about “strain after? “Strain” means “force (a part of one's body or oneself) to make a strenuous or unusually great effort.”
So, when Peter told the Christians then to “crave” for pure spiritual milk of the word or pure and simple teaching of the word, the idea of longing for, desiring greatly, having affection for and forcing oneself to make strenuous or unusually great effort for the pure milk of the word was included in the exhortation.
Remember the readers then of Peter had many concerns. Not only they ought to provide for their daily needs, but also how to deal with the persecution that were happening to them. Their minds could be filled with many distractions. That’s why Peter labored in his writing to direct them to see the great value of the Word.
Earlier Peter pointed out that through the living and enduring Word of God, they experienced the new birth. Now, in the succeeding verses, he continued to extol the Word:
“For, ‘All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever.’ And this is the word that was preached to you.”
He contrasted the permanent, never fading, never ending glory of the Word with the temporal glory of men and fleeting beauty of physical things. And he went on to make them realize that this very valuable thing – the Word – could not be taken away from them, would not fade away was received by them, when they came to faith, as it was preached to them.
Instead of growing in their apprehensions, he now exhorted them to grow in their faith – to grow in their salvation, which could be accomplished negatively or positively. In the negative way, he wrote: “Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.”
In the positive way, “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk…” or desire greatly, have affection for and force oneself to make strenuous or unusually great effort for the pure milk of the word.
And notice that Peter did not just say to crave for the Word, but “crave pure spiritual milk…” The transliteration of the word “pure” in Greek is “adolos” and has a definition of “unadulterated, pure, guileless (devoid of guile; innocent and without deception).”
In the Helps Word-studies, this definition is given: “not-caught (in a trap), referring to being free from fraud (trickery, deceit); without craftiness (hidden, ‘mixed motives’).”
So, Peter told those who have faith in his time to crave unadulterated, free from fraud or deceit, without mixed motives teaching of the Word.
More than ever, the believers today need also to see the value of God’s Word.
We need to have the perception of the Psalmist:
“My soul is consumed with longing for your laws (or words) at all times” (Psalm 119:20). “Your statutes (or words) are my delight; they are my counselors” (verse 24). “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” (verse 103). “Rulers persecute me without cause, but my heart trembles at your word. I rejoice in your promise like one who finds great spoil” (verses 161-162).
As we realize the value of God’s Word, we would be more motivated to heed the words of Peter:
“…crave pure spiritual milk…” or desire greatly, have affection for and force oneself to make strenuous or unusually great effort for the pure milk of the word.
Paul also said in “Let the message (or word) of Christ dwell among you richly…” (Col. 3:16.)
As men or women of faith, we are no longer just like the ordinary human beings in this world, who delight to make earthly pleasure and dreams to dwell in our minds. We will also rid, empty, purge, clear ourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.
As new born persons, we will hunger and thirst for God’s Word. It’s our life.
So, saints, what do we really crave for in this world?
It may not be wrong to desire for entertainment, pleasure and abundance. We have still our human or earthly bodies that long for them. But, let us strive not to be consumed by them. Let us not allow our time, our mind, our resources be consumed for them.
Besides, we could also find entertainment, pleasure and abundance in God’s Word. So, desire greatly, have affection for and force oneself to make strenuous or unusually great effort for the pure milk of the word. And crave for not just when the Word is rightly quoted, but when it is also rightly explained.
Our Pastor told those who attended the Monday Bible class to make it a practice to read the Bible before sleeping. Indeed, what a good thing to bring God’s Word in our sleep. And I would suggest, why not also read a portion of the Word before you face the battle of the day? Then, you will be fully armed to defeat your spiritual enemies.
You could still press on. Memorize the Word. How can we accomplish the will of our Father, if we could not remember His word that we ought to do?
So, crave for the Word – the undiluted, undefiled, unadulterated teachings of the Living and Enduring Word of God.
Finally, as men and women of faith, let’s grow in our love for another. Let’s grow in our salvation by craving for the pure, living and enduring Word of God.
When Peter told the believers then that they tasted that the Lord is good, that they tasted His kindness or graciousness, Peter did not just refer to physical provisions or deliverance they received from Him. The physical “gifts” or favors could be good, but what is really good is the Giver.
And they experienced or tasted His Goodness through His Son, Jesus Christ, they were gifted with faith and hope, they experienced the privilege to be born again to become His children –- obedient children loving one another deeply and craving for the pure Word of their Father.
