First Epistle of Peter
HINDRANCES TO GROWTH
Scripture Reading: 1 Peter 2:1 (KJV)
The "wherefore" at the head of this verse refers back to what has gone before. Seeing you have been purified through obeying the truth, and have been born again, so becoming a child of God, put to one side everything that might have a tendency to hinder your progress and growth as a Christian.
If the things mentioned in this verse are not put away, whatever knowledge or attainments one otherwise might have, he would still be a poor floundering Christian.
None of the things listed in this verse are Godward. All are manward. This should teach us, that for growth as a Christian, it is necessary to have a right attitude toward man as well as toward the Lord.
Oftentimes these evils are interlaced, because we have the one, another will naturally follow.
"all malice"
Also translated "wickedness." Malice is holding "ill will" or "spite" against anyone. This is a great evil. A brother I know to this day seems to hold a grudge against a fellow Christian from something done over fifteen years ago. Sad, Sad, Sad.
How one hates to be corrected and criticized. Let us not hold malice toward anyone who does this toward us. Maybe we need it. Let us be like David when he was cursed by Shimei. Abishai wanted to kill him, but David said, "So let him curse, because the Lord hath said unto him, 'Curse David"' (2 Sam. 16:10).
"all guile"
Guile is deceit, cunning, duplicity, double talk. The world is full of this, but it should never be found in a Christian. It is used for various sinister ends. Maybe to cover an evil practice is an unscrupulous politician who makes all kinds of pre-election promises in order to get the vote, but never means to keep them. A Christian should be open and above board. His motives should be clean and transparent, like a clean pool of water into whose depths you can peer without obstruction.
"and hypocrisies"
This evil is akin to guile. A hypocrite is usually thought to be someone who pretends to be a Christian when he really is not and there surely are many such.
But it is possible for true Christians to show hypocricies in some things. To pretend to be anything at all that we are not, is hypocrisy. To pretend to be fond of someone when there really is no love, is hypocrisy. We have an example of this in 2 Samuel 20:9 and 10. Amasa had been captain over Absalom's army. After Joab killed Absalom, Amasa came to David and David made him captain in Joab's stead. Joab meets him on the field of battle, and here is the story, "And Joab said to Amasa, Art thou in health, my brother? And Joab took Amasa by the beard with the right hand to kiss him. But Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in Joab's hand: so he smote him therewith in the fifth rib, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and struck him not again: and he died." Kind and real love, wasn't it? Just like betraying the Lord with a kiss.
Now, as children of God, we do not want to be like the world. In 1 John 3:18 we read, "My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth." Let our love be without pretension. Let us not pretend to be anything that really is not true of us.
"and envies"
Envy is a very serious sin, very prevalent, and subtle. Its disastrous results are very far-reaching, yet by many, it is not considered to be one of the serious sins. Webster defines it as "chagrin, mortification, discontent or uneasiness at the sight of another's excellence or good fortune, accompanied with some degree of hatred and a desire to possess equal advantages."
Perhaps no expression could better state God's loathsomeness of this dreadful sin than the verse in Proverbs 14:30, "A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones." This suggests its internal character. It is often hidden and therefore, the more dangerous. When it strikes it is usually under the form of some disguise. Falsehood is its constant companion. It injures not only the envied, but also the envious. It stabs the envied, but rots the bones of the envious. An envious man cannot be happy. There is rankling in the bosom and restlessness of mind and body.
The Word has much to say about envy. In Proverbs 27:4 we read, "Wrath is cruel and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand against envy?" Wrath, anger, how we condemn them; but envy is worse. The best of men, the finest of homes, the greatest of countries, the nicest congregations have been broken to pieces on the rocks of envy. If the truth were really known, I believe most of the troubles among God's people could be traced to this one sin. Why the divisions among God's people? Why the maintained separations? Why jealousy among those who minister the Word? Why distressing conflict among those exercising oversight? Is it envy?
To the Corinthians, Paul found it necessary to say, "For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?" (1 Cor. 3:3). Here it says that envy and strife are evidences of carnality.
Envy in the heart will destroy joy in the Lord and His Word. Neither can there be spiritual blessing and progress in the things of God where envy rules, for we read, "For where envy and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work" (James 3:16).
Now for a few examples from the Scriptures of what envy can do:
What was it that put Joseph in the pit, and then sold him into Egypt? Was it not envy? (Acts 7:9).
What caused Korah, Dathan and Abiram to rebel against Moses, as we read in Numbers 16? Was it not that they envied his authority and favor with God?
What was in the hearts of the princes of Babylon that they caused Daniel to be put into the den of lions? Was it not that they envied his high standing and position with Darius?
The greatest crime of all time was instigated by envy, for we read of Pilate when he sought to release Jesus, "For he knew that for envy they had delivered him" (Matt. 27:18). Ah yes, it was that cruel monster envy, that led them to demand the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus.
Thank God for His favor to the envied. He was with Joseph in all his troubles and finally exalted him. His brethren were brought low to fears and tears, but finally forgiven. The rebels against Moses found they had to deal with an angry God who could quickly bring them down to the pit. The Lord was with Daniel in the den, shunting the lion's mouths. Soon the envious found themselves in the den and we read, "And the lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces." The Lord Jesus went down into death and the grave, but on the third day He was raised by the power of the Father.
How important it is then to lay aside envy. Do we find a spark of it in our hearts? Let us not tolerate it for a moment, but immediately judge it on its slightest movement. Let us remember that God links it with wrath, strife and murder, and as we shun these, let us also flee from envy.
"and evil speakings."
Evil speaking is also a terrible sin that must be laid aside, if we are to be successful Christians. In James 4:11 we read, "Speak not evil one of another, brethren." Then in Titus 3:2, "Speak evil of no man." These are positive commandments from the Lord; as positive as "Thou shalt not steal", or "This do in remembrance of me."
Evil speaking injures three people, the speaker, the one spoken to, and the one spoken of. The speaker is the real sinner. Usually there is some motive behind it. Perhaps a desire for personal profit or aggrandizement. The only way they can commend themselves is by belittling the other fellow. They are like the salesman who is always knocking the other man's goods in order to sell his own. The one evil-spoken-of has one great advantage – he has the Lord with him.
It is possible to speak evil of any man. In the first place, no man is perfect. If you are looking for something to speak evil about, no doubt something can be found. Preachers sometimes are criticized for foolish things, such as "he speaks funny" or "his words are strange." If fault cannot be found with what is said, perhaps fault can be found with what someone thinks should have been said. Then it is possible to speak evil because of misunderstanding. Sometimes, what one says is misunderstood; sometimes, what one does.
The very best men have been evil-spoken-of. Paul, the great apostle, complained, "Alexander, the coppersmith, did me much evil." All such people are not yet dead. In Genesis, chapter 3, we find the devil speaking evil of God. Have you ever heard anyone speak evil of Christ? In Matthew 12:24, the Pharisees said, "This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of devils."
In Ephesians 4:30, we have "and grieve not the Holy Spirit of God." In verse 31 we have some things listed that will grieve the Spirit. "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice." There will be no blessing where we have a grieved Spirit because of evil-speaking.
A fellow stopped at a place he had heard had very good fruit. The farmer said, "You can have all you want from this fresh fruit I've just put up for nothing because it is no good." None of it looked bad, so he took some. But soon he found out that what the farmer said was true. The fruit was no good and his family got nothing out of it. Bugs had gotten into the fruit and spoiled it. The five terrible things that we are to lay aside are like the bugs that spoiled that fruit: malice, guile, hypocricies, envies, and evil speaking – they are all bugs that will spoil any fruit for God.
Scripture Reading: 1 Peter 2:2 (KJV)
"As newborn babes"
A new born baby is wonderful. Parents often say they just look at their child and are amazed. No wonder David said, "I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well" (Ps. 139:14). A little new-born babe perhaps illustrates the mighty wisdom of God as nothing else does. More wonderful yet is a new born babe in Christ, one who just has received eternal life from the Lord.
A new-born babe knows nothing of malice, guile, hypocrisies, envies or evil-speaking. Neither should a new-born babe in Christ.
Those that Peter was writing to, were recently converted Christians. The Scriptures do speak of babes, children, young men and fathers (see 1 John 2). Yet, in one sense, all Christians in this scene are new-born babes. This world is God's nursery for His children. The time here is but the infancy of the eternal life they are to live with Him.
"desire the sincere milk of the word"
Have you ever noticed how a little new-born babe loves milk? The Word is likened unto milk suitable for the new-born babe in Christ. Milk is all a baby needs at first to grow, but he cannot get along without it. Every vitamin necessary for growth is found in milk. As milk is needful for the child, so the Word is needful for the growth of a new-born babe in Christ. It is wonderful to see newly saved Christians with a healthy appetite for the Word. I have seen some such grow with leaps and bounds. Only the Word will make a Christian grow. In chapter 1:23, we have the Word as the mother, and in our verse, chapter 2:2, it is pictured as the nurse. The mother is the natural nurse of the child. When we have a healthy appetite for a healthy food, we have a healthy growth.
"sincere milk of the word"
The word "sincere" could be translated "guileless." Surely, the Word is pure, untainted, unadulterated. "The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes" (Psalm 19:8). It is nice to take it unmixed. Many seldom read it for themselves. They only listen to what others have to say about it.
Then many come to it with preconceived notions, and others read into it what they want it to say. It is nice to read it, and to let the Lord speak to you through it. Remember, your ideas may be wrong, but the Word is always right. It will never deceive you. It is wonderful to ask the Lord to guide you into a right understanding of it, as you read it. The Spirit of God is the best teacher of the Word of God. However, we would not belittle good helps that lead us to an understanding of the Word. Good books can be a great help, but they should never displace the Word.
"grow thereby unto salvation"
"Unto salvation" does not appear in my Authorized Version but you will find it in the Revised Version, and there is a word in the Greek that should be so translated. Why the translators of the Authorized Version omitted it, is hard to say, but it should be there. The word "salvation" has various aspects. One has put it this way. First, we are saved from the penalty of sin, then we are saved day by day from the power of sin, and finally, we will be saved from the presence of sin. A baby is as much human as a natural man, but a baby is not a man. A new-born babe is as much a Christian as one who has been saved for 50 years, but a babe is not a mature Christian. As we feed on the Word, we grow in our salvation and become mature Christians. Of course, none will be fully developed until they are at home with Him.
It is so important to read and study the Holy Bible. This is the life and growth of the child of God. It should be our daily guide. We will not stumble if we walk in the light of its pages. "Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path" (Ps. 119:105). If we cannot devote long periods of time to it, let us buy up the minutes. Some read it while traveling to work on the highway. How quickly many of us pick up the newspaper or listen to the radio or watch television. We should be quicker to pick up the Bible.
How can we know the will of the Lord if we never read His instruction Book? In it are our orders. How long would a firm keep a representative who never paid any attention to his written orders? If we neglect the Word, Satan is sure to trip us up. When he tempted Christ, our Lord answered him with the Word of God.
There is one more thing we suggest. Don't just be a reader of the Word, be a doer of it. If a airline captain only read his orders and did not obey them, he would soon cause a serious accident. Many a Christian gets into difficulties because he does not obey the Word.
Scripture Reading: 1 Peter 2:3 (KJV)
"If so be"
"If so be" has the sense of "since" here. Since ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. They were saved, so they had tasted that the Lord is good. This is a reason to go on and to fast upon Him. If you take a taste of some food and you find it excellent, then you desire to eat more. And of course, they way to feed on the Lord is to feed on the Word of the Lord. This verse is an allusion to Psalm 34:8 where we read, "O taste and see that the Lord is good."
The word translated "gracious" could be translated "good", "kind" or "excellent." And truly, our Lord is all of these things. How good of Him to save us. How good He has been to us every since. He has watched over us, helped us, guided us, blessed us. We will realize this more and more as time goes on, and will fully appreciate it when we get home to heaven with Him.
