Seeds for 04/23/2024 - 1 Peter 2:1
Scripture:
Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.
Observation:
As we have seen, Peter is pleased that his readers have matured in love. They have been born again because the enduring Word of God has been proclaimed to them. Further, they have obeyed Jesus’ commands on love so that they are increasing their capacity not only to act lovingly toward one another, but also to feel love toward one another.
Obedience to God’s Word forms us in love. Peter’s command is to “love one another deeply, from the heart.” This is an authentic love, representing the conversion of our attitudes and affections as we mature in the Lord. It compels us to bring true empathy and compassion into our loving actions, instead of only performing them through gritted teeth as strict obedience.
This is a beautiful vision. What more need be said?
Well, we hardly have space for new spiritual and emotional furniture to come in if we have not made room by clearing out the old furniture.
This is where Peter’s statement in verse one comes in. Apart from slander, these deal with attitudes and dispositions of the heart. Slander is an action that flows from these attitudes: malice, deceit, hypocrisy, and envy. If we feel this way about another person or group of people and let that weed grow unchecked, then slander is the natural outgrowth.
If we will “love one another deeply, from the heart”—if that is the spiritual and emotional furnishing we want to add to the room of our heart, then malice, deceit, hypocrisy, and envy are the furnishings we will have to move out. This is not easy, but it is the work that must be done. Growing in spiritual maturity is not an optional add-on to belief in Jesus. A heart adding Christian love to malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander is a very crowded heart! It will be a struggle to make it all fit and it will never mesh well together. Best to do the difficult but rewarding work of moving that stuff out in order to make room for love.
Application:
What else might the Holy Spirit be speaking with you about in the text today?
Prayer: Lord, inventory my heart through the work of your Spirit. Move out what needs to go so that the love of Christ may fill the space. Amen.
“But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” (Matthew 13:23)
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