Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, 2 as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
Our Inheritance Through Christ’s Blood
Once again, we run into the word “therefore.” Therefore, the rule is that we go back and learn what preceded this word. What we learned was the “enduring word.”
Obedience to the truth brought purity to our souls. We obeyed through the Spirit of God. The evidence is manifested by “sincere love of the brethren.” We were “born again” by the incorruptible word of God, which lives and abides forever, the enduring word. It is the gospel that was preached. It is the gospel that we also must have preached to us today and be received.
Peter gives the saints several areas as examples of what the saints of God should lay aside, beginning with “malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking.” What is malice? As a noun, it is the intention or desire to do evil; ill will. In the purifying of our souls through the incorruptible word of God, we should have this attitude, “I bear no malice toward anybody.”
Next, we have the word deceit. The Dictionary describes deceit as “the action or practice of deceiving someone by concealing or misrepresenting the truth.” Some people have learned to build “a web of deceit.” It is a big problem in our society.
Next is the word hypocrisy. The Dictionary describes hypocrisy as “the practice of claiming to have moral standards or beliefs to which one’s behavior does not conform.” Another word is pretense. An attempt to make something that is not the case appears true. An example would be: “his anger is masked by a pretense that all is well.” Another could be “A false display of feelings, attitudes, or intentions.” An example would be: “he asked me questions without any pretense at politeness.”
Next, Peter mentions “envy.” This is a feeling of discontented or resentful longing aroused by someone else’s possessions, qualities, or luck. An example might be: “he had envy or was envious for his neighbor’s good fortune.” Envy is a deep heart condition that might not be openly expressed but can consume one’s thoughts and emotions and manifest in various ways, such as anger, excesses to prove one’s mutual success.
Next is “evil speaking.” Another word that speaks to this practice is “slander.” “it is a sin to speak evil of the king.” It is commonplace and easy to talk about evil or speak slander about another behind their back.
I am very sorry to report that a great deal of these four areas is found in the Lord’s people. It is found as well in leaders in the Body of Christ. These practices have brought many divisions and hurtful separations. It is one reason why that “denominationalism” is not born of the Lord. It is man’s doings, creating multitudes of separations and hash feelings. It must cease if we are to fulfill Christ’s purpose in the earth. Remember what Jesus said to His disciples, “By love all men will know that you are my disciples” (John 13:35).
In verse 2, Peter connects these instructions to the new birth. Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, 2 as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby. This, I believe, is a very profound statement, “as new born babes, desire the pure milk of the word.” As a son or daughter of God we should never outgrow this basic desire of “the pure milk of the word.” I know that we are to grow up and take in the “meat” of the word, as Hebrews 5 declares. Peter is not saying here that we are to remain as babies. He says that his instructions about putting away these former practices are fundamental to our new creation development. Do not neglect the basic principles of Christ, for they are the foundations of the new birth so that we may grow up into the full measure of our Lord.
I love going back and being reminded of those basics that I learned at the beginning of my walk with the Lord. I love the health of reviewing my development as a believer by checking to see if any of these corrupt practices are still there or have crept back into my walk with Christ among the believers and in my association with the world.
Even at age 76, I love the “pure milk of the word.” In the natural, I am still a milk drinker, in my coffee, on my cereal, and yes, with a cookie or chocolate cake. Okay, now you know! This does not hinder me from a solid intake of an excellent meaty dinner. In the natural, there are different approaches, so I can only take the illustration so far. But, as it relates to the scriptures, we all need to adhere to Peter’s instruction here in 1 Peter 2 and the writer of Hebrews instructions in Hebrews 5.
The goal is growth! Ephesians 4 gives to us God’s way for that growth to mature and become the full stature of Christ.
Ephesians 4:11-5:1
And He gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the
- equipping of the saints for the work of ministry,
- for the edifying of the body of Christ,
- till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;
- that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,
- but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head — Christ —
- from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
The Goal is the New Man
17 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, 18 having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; 19 who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
20 But you have not so learned Christ, 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
Do Not Grieve the Spirit
25 Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another. 26 “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, 27 nor give place to the devil.
Here is what Paul says to put away:
- Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.
- Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.
- And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. NKJV
Back to Peter and verse 3: if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious. All of this instruction is rooted in the fact that the Lord is GRACIOUS!
Are we gracious as He is? What a beautiful appeal for the whole church in the year 2022!
Next week January 2, 2022
The Chosen Stone and His Chosen People
4 Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture,
“Behold, I lay in Zion A chief cornerstone, elect, precious,
And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.”