love one another

Church hurt (Have you ever been hurt by a church?) This often leads to abandonment of the church

instead, we should seek a true understanding of GOD’s church

So far, we have talked about the christians relations to the world. Now he shifts to our relation to one another

1 Peter 1:22-2:2.

What do you think about when you hear the word purification?

purification = set apart

obedience to the truth; hear the gospel, believe the gospel, live the gospel

what marks us as believers that we are obedient to the truth? (love for one another; v. 22)

What should love for one another look like?

The world judges Christians on their love (acceptance is not love). You can love and not approve.

If we do the opposite of 2:1, then the world has every right to call our faith into question.

So Peter points out our conversion when he talks about our love (v. 23). Love each other with a pure heart BECAUSE you have been born again.

What are things that are perishable? What do you think Peter is talking about when he talks about things that are perishable?

Perishable vs. Imperishable

Peter quotes an OT passage when he illustrates the difference in perishable seed vs. imperishable (Isaiah 40:6-8)

Isaiah is wrestling with his task to comfort the people of Israel because all he can see is God’s promise of judgement. (Isaiah 40:6-7 read it)

Quote from 1 Peter for You (How to Love like This) - Juan Sanchez

Isaiah does not understand how good news can come out of judgment. But God corrects him, saying that while feeble humanity perishes like a fading flower, his word, which had promised coming salvation and restoration for his people, endures forever (Isaiah 40:8). Every human family is flawed and failing—born of perishable seed—but God’s family, born through his word, which promises and proclaims his gospel, is eternal, for its source is flawless and imperishable.

Because of their obedience to God’s word they have experience the good news that was preached to them. That God’s word will never fail, it will remain forever.

What does it look like when we love others because of our love for the gospel?

So, because God has caused us to be born again and we have responded in obedience, we have experienced adoption into God’s family.

So, if we are new creations in Christ, why do we continue to do the same things we used to?

Do you ever feel like there is a battle going on inside of you? Fight between you being a child of God and a citizen of the world?

Read v. 2-3

We have a problem today with what I have heard called delayed adolescence. We have many who refuse to mature.

Peter tells us that we need to grow up into salvation. What do you think it means to grow up into salvation?

To do this, we are to long for the pure spiritual milk. What is the pure spiritual milk? It is God’s word. And Peter tells us that if we have truly tasted that God is good (through salvation), then we will desire to be in God’s word.