I Peter 1:22-25 “Spirit-filled Love”
Intro—Last week, as we were looking at the book of First Peter, we saw that Peter calls on us, because of the great promises of God that we possess and the living hope that we are given, to live a holy life. Holy living means doing what God wants us to do, but we saw that there’s more to it than just doing some things and not doing others...there is also a mental aspect to holiness—preparing, or as Peter says, girding up our minds—and there is an emotional aspect to holiness—there is a reverent awe for God the Father connected with knowing that His Son, our Lord, died and rose again for our sin. Peter says that we need to remember that we weren’t bought and paid for with anything we have access to, whether gold or silver or anything we consider precious here on earth—our salvation is purchased with the blood of One who has lived since before the beginning of everything we know and lives on today…
So now, Peter is going to turn from the subject of holy living, how we respond to God, to another issue—how we relate to one another...So the progression, if you’ve been following these messages for a few weeks, is that Peter explains what God has done and is doing for the believer, and what He is going to do...then Peter tells the believer what the appropriate response to God is...Holy Living...now Peter wants to talk about how believers, each of whom possess he same promises, and each of whom have the same obligations, should behave toward each other.
Peter says, in verse 22, that we are to love one another “fervently.” What does “fervently” mean? In Acts chapter 12, this same word is used concerning the prayers offered up for Peter while he was imprisoned by Herod. There it is translated as “constantly” or “earnestly.” So Peter is commanding believers to constantly and earnestly love one another because of what God has done in their lives.
Well, the first question that comes to mind for me, and the one I want to discuss today, is “why?” Why does God desire, why does Peter command, love of the brethren? Why is it important that we be seen as having a fervent love for one another? There are several reasons for command to love one another and I want to look at them this morning…
I. The first reason that we are commanded to love one another fervently is because in demonstrates our discipleship. In John Chapter 13, Jesus, speaking to His disciples, says this: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” Now notice what Jesus didn’t say in giving this commandment...he didn’t say that once you’ve handed out the tracts or had the opportunity to witness to somebody, you should then show love to one another, because this is a good feature of Christianity that it would be a good thing to demonstrate. No, Jesus says if you love one another, if you really love one another, the world will know you. Not by what you say, not by how you dress, not by where you live...by how you love one another.
This tells us two things...the first is that the world has no idea what godly love is...Jesus says if they see it in us, they will recognize it as something totally outside their earthly experience. If we are properly fulfilling this command, our unsaved neighbors will be forced to recognize that there’s something different about us. Unfortunately, the second thing it tells us is that we probably are not fulfilling the commandment very well...now you may say, “wait a minute pastor, I love the unsaved and I witness and I pray for them and I certainly do my best to relate to them and isn’t that love?” Yes, it is, but notice that this particular command isn’t to love the unsaved...the command is to love one another so that everyone can see what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. We can spend our thoughts, our resources, our prayers, our time, our money loving the unsaved, but if they don’t see love in the body, what is all that worth to them? It’s just a gimmick, it’s just a come-on, the gospel is just another commercial...love in the body of Christ is crucial if people are going to believe that there’s something different about being a follower of Jesus Christ.
II. The second reason fervent love of our brothers and sisters in Christ is important is because it shows forth the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives...in verse 22 of First Peter 1, Peter says “since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart…
What Peter is saying is, when we become Christians, which is what he means when he says you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit—the truth he is talking about is the gospel—when we become Christians, love of our brothers and sisters in Christ should flow naturally from that change in us...we’re purified in our souls, they’re purified in their souls, and that purification, Peter tells us in verse 23, is all caused by our new birth from the Word of God...having this new birth in common should make our love for one another simply an outflow of the work of the Spirit in us. In fact, I John 3:14 tells us that if we don’t have a love of the brethren, we have not been truly saved. So our love for one another proves that the Spirit really has done something in us.
III. The third reason fervent love for our brothers and sisters in Christ is important is because it is our appropriate response to what God has done in and for us. I John 4:7-11 says (READ)...I think that what John wants us to realize is that God became flesh and sacrificed Himself, in Jesus Christ, for us…The Infinite became finite so that we might have eternal life. God loves His children so much that He made the ultimate sacrifice to wash away our sin...now if God loves that person sitting near you enough to do that, what do you think YOUR approach to them ought to be? Do you think Jesus Christ looks kindly on someone who gossips about a person He gave His life for? Do you think Jesus appreciates it when someone He gave his life for is made to feel unimportant or small in church?
We need to consider—are we putting on a face for the world, trying to fulfill the Great Commission, without really loving one another? Today, this week, this month, this year, I would challenge you that when you are thinking about a brother or sister in Christ and an uncharitable thought comes into your head, reject it and ask the Holy Spirit to help you love that person the way God loves you.
Perhaps you’re here this morning and you don’t know Jesus as your Savior...Jesus Christ can change your life today, He can make it possible for you to love others as we’ve been talking about this morning…
(Hands raised invitation)
