1 Peter Series Part 7
Sub Series: A Demand for Holiness (1:13 – 2:3)
Title: A holiness expressed by the new life received from a gracious God
Text: 1 Peter 2:1-3
INTRO: The taste of a fresh baked pie. or mom or grandma’s home-made food and desserts? And when you put the treat in your mouth and have a taste? Oh my!
How about milk? When a baby is born the child requires Mother’s milk.
Milk is for what purpose? To provide the nutrition for the baby to grow healthy. Today we will discover how Apostle Peter uses an illustration of milk regarding growing toward spiritual maturity.
Transition: Previously we looked at:
1. First teaching section (1:3-12). The method and nature of salvation
a. A salvation based on the hope inspired by Christ’s resurrection (1:3-5)
b. A salvation secured through a faith deepened in trial (1:6-9)
c. A salvation reported by the prophets who described its grace and glory (1:10-12)
2. First preaching section (1:13-2:3). A demand for holiness
a. A holiness demanded by God’s own character (1:13-16)
b. A holiness demanded by the costly experience of Christ’s passion (1:17-21)
c. A holiness expressed in genuine love responding to the gospel (1:22-25)
d. A holiness expressed by the new life received from a gracious God (2:1-3)
TEXT:
1 Peter 2:1–3 (ESV)
1So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.
2Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—
3if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.
I. Holiness is Expressed in New Approach to Spiritual Matters.
a. How is your holiness expressed in your life? How is your new life in Christ revealed to others?
b. Apostle Peter continues in his letter to the dispersed believers in the 5 provinces of Asia Minor, declaring a demand for holiness.
e. Previously, last Sunday, we discovered “A holiness expressed in genuine love responding to the gospel” (1:22-25)
f. The importance of the Word of God, that is living and abiding, is needed to purify the believers walk in obedience to God. The Word is like seed that never perishes, just as the kingdom of God is eternal.
2. Because of the holiness we receive from God, a new heart, a new mindset, there are predominant attributes or results of walking in holiness of our Sovereign God.
3. Apostle Peter provides a few important attributes of the flesh, the natural sinful desires that need to be removed out of our system.
4. A new approach regarding the new life and spiritual matters
a. Peter tells us in Verse 1:
b. 1So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.
5. Peter provides five negative carnal traits that need to go:
a. Malice – meanness, cruelness, hatred.
b. Deceit – deception, trickery.
c. Hypocrisy – pretense, two faced.
d. Envy – Jealousy, greed.
e. Slander – smear, defamation.
6. What does Peter tell these new believers to do?
a. “Put away all…” of these bad traits.
b. Why?
1. Because it does not allude to Christ-like behavior in the sanctification process. That is growing up in the faith in the relationship with Christ.
c. What is the solution to unchristian like mindset and behavior?
d. Jesus had something to say:
1. Matthew 18:3 (ESV)
2. 3and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
c. Illustration: God can bring the change in our traits; you and I can allow the Lord to make the adjustments in our lives. You and I cannot change others.
i. Be not angry that you cannot make others as you wish them to be, since you cannot make yourself as you wish to be. - Thomas a'Kempis.
d. Application:
i. We must have the mentality to “Become like children” Jesus tells us of the humility to follow Him.
ii. The Holy Spirit of God can lead us to make the adjustments, to make the changes not only in ourselves but others. Will you let Him in to your life and lead you?
II. Holiness is Feeding Our Souls Spiritually.
a. What if a newborn baby did not have Mom’s milk? What happens when a baby gets hungry?
b.
i. 2Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—
c. “Long” in Gk: “epipotheo”
i. to long for something, with the implication of recognizing a lack—‘to long for, to deeply desire, deep desire.’
d. Peter declares to these new believers to have a deep desire for spiritual things. To put off the fleshly desires and have a strong deep desire for true spiritual food!
e. Illustration:
i. Birth must be followed by nurture. And just as a natural baby requires milk in order to be nourished and to grow, so must a spiritual baby have the milk of God’s Word in order to be nourished and to grow up in Christ.
III. Holiness is Growing in the Salvation of the Lord.
a. Have you ever heard or used the words “Will you grow up!” Or “Grow up!”
b. The premise of Peter is to become mature on the goodness and truth of God’s Word in the sanctification process.
i. 2Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—
ii.
c. Peter explicitly declares the importance of growing into spiritual maturity.
d. A salvation that is genuine and is going forward to new levels of maturity.
e. Again, to have the desire of the importance of the gospel and a walk in holiness!
f.
g. Illustration:
i. A pond verses a stream.
h. Application:
i. How are you growing in holiness? In Spiritual purity?
i.
IV. Holiness is Tasting the True Spiritual Food of Christ.
a. How many times have you looked at a food or a meal that may not look very appealing and decide “ I am not going to eat that!”
b.
c. Someone nearby will say to you “Try it, you will like it!”
d. If you remember many decades ago there was a TV commercial with Mikey and one of the boys tells the other “try it you’ll like it!”
e. Apostle Peter is utilizing the analogy of the spiritual milk, but at this point he make an important point.
f. First of all, Peter placed a word in the beginning of verse 3 – “IF.”
g. That word is Greek is: “aei” pronounced “hey” emphatic marker of condition
h. So when read in context the prior verse 2:
i. 2Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—
i. If indeed (on the condition of) you have tasted that the Lord is good.
j. Peter declares believers have either tasted that the Lord is good, or you have not tasted the goodness of the Lord?
k. Peter declares a condition for to grow in the grace of God, there is a condition of tasting the Lord and how good He is!
l. The five senses of hear, see, touch, smell, and taste!
m. Mother’s milk is good for nutritional physical growth.
n. God’s Spiritual milk is great for spiritual growth. But it must be tasted!
i. Matthew 5:6 (ESV)
ii. 6“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
o.
p. Illustration:
i. As many of you know I despise coconut, the typical coconut they use for baking or that comes in the famous candy mar Mars and Almond Joy.
ii. I can taste coconut in cakes, cupcakes, cookies, pies, from a distance! Some people have tasted coconut and love it. I don’t. How about liver and onions? I love this food! Some do not.
q. Application:
i. Have YOU tasted the goodness of God? Have you met the condition to continue in Spiritual food that brings growth in our relationship with God?
