Learning to Love (1 Pet 1:22-2:3)

Intro/Recap

Ordering furniture from Amazon - you get the package, you see the instructions and the pictures make it look so easy. But sometimes its a lot harder to put together than it looks on paper. you end up with peices all over the place, parts on backwards - and you find that you’ve made way more of mess then you wanted - and it all looked so easy on paper.

The reason I use that anology is because we are talking about love. And love is something that i think, looks easy on paper - but during the assembley process, its easy to get parts mixed up, put things on the wrong way - and really make a mess of it, if we arent careful

In our text tonight, Peter is going to command his readers to “love one another”

He’s going to start by giving us two ‘whys’ - why should we love one another?

and then he’s going to give us a handful of ‘hows’ - what does loving each other look like? and what does it not look like?

So my goal for this time - is that we can think on the ‘why’ Peter calls us to love, and the how and how not to love the people we are called to love

so lets read out text:

Text:

1 Peter 1:22–2:3 ESV

Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; for “All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever.” And this word is the good news that was preached to you. So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

We have a command to love

1 Peter 1:22 ESV

Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart,

the fourth command in the book is to 'love' - however, as we talked about in the command to hope, its really weird to command an emotion. Yet, we are now called to love.

Its the 4th command that stems from the identity statement ound in 1-12. We were born again, to a living hope through Christ. This identity moves us into action.

All throughout the book, Peter weaves together identity and activity.

So in 22 we get the command to love.

Well, the natural question arises - why should i do that? and of course no one says that they are thiking that question out loud. None of us would openly say ‘why would i love people?’ - but i would submit to you, that we say it often uncounsiouly - when we are faced with situations to either do something loving or beneficial to someone else, OR do something beneficial to ourselves. That is when the question “why should i love people” needs a good answer.

Why should i drop my time or money to give to this charity? why should i give up my resources to help this person?

Well Peter is going to give us two whys - why should we love one another. And its not probably what you were thinking.

Peter sandwiches his imperative, the command to love, in between two participlial phrases - remember that participles ‘participate’ in the main verb. So we get two phrases that help answer the question why we should love?

and his reasons are a little weird.

If i were to ask you the question - “Why should we love one another?” - what would you say?

probably none of you said what Peter says

Why should we love?

1a) Soul Purification by Obedience ???

The first reason Peter tells us to love is vecause “having puried your souls in obedience to the truth for sincere brotherly love…love one another”

Yet what does that even mean? Know one has that verse put on a coffee mug.

Know one when i read that was like “yes of course, i remind myself of this everyday when i need to love others”

What is he talking about - and why does that motivate us to love other people?

“Having purified your souls by obedience to the truth”:

What does that mean??? when did we “purify our souls”? Is Peter talking about salvation? Is he saying that by obeying we somehow participate in Gods saving work?

While no commentary that I researched supports a synergistic view here (that we participate in salvation by our obedience) - the commentaries are divided on if Peter is talking about Salvation here, or if he’s talking about sanctification

If he’s talking about salvation - then obedience to the truth is probably the command to ‘believe in the one whom He sent” - meaning we were purified by our obedience to “believe the gospel”.

If he’s talking about sanctification - then he probably means a purification from a destructive/evil way of living.

The verb here is “hagiozo” - which is the verb to literally “make holy” - or rather “to consecrate” or “to set apart”.

In the early church, this concept of ‘purification’ of the life of the convert was strong. When you came to faith in Christ, you were justified before God and cleansed from sin, but you were also saved from a destructive way of living—a way of living that not only harms yourself but also the world around you.

Baptism in the early church emphasized this - there was a baptismal pledge of activities to stop doing and start doing. When you went through this process, it signified a walking out of a corrupt or wicked life.

“in obedience to the truth”: This purification happens through obedience to the truth, meaning following the teachings and example of Christ. When we believe the gospel we are instanlty purified - made holy, consecrated in the eyes of God AND there is also a sense of moral purification that we step away from the old, harmful patterns of living, and embracing the new life that Christ commands.

Potential Question (more for ‘cultural Christians’ ): do you see your salvation that way? as saved eternally yes - but also saved from the corrupt and perverse way of living in the world?

But why does that help us to love: well the phrase isnt done.

1b) We have been consecrated FOR a brotherly love

“For a sincere brotherly love”: Peter tells us that this consecration is FOR something. Literally ‘into’ something.

Whats interesting is Peter uses two different words for love here. We translate one word Philadelphia (φιλαδελφία) - as two word in english, brotherly love. So the noun in the clause is “ philadelphia” - into a brotherly love

but the imperative verb is the greek word agape “so agape one another”. Does the difference of word choice hear mean anything?

We have very little concrete proof as to how a first century greek audience would have understood the difference between Philadelphia and Agape. There is much disagreement on this issue. Some commentators and historians argue that these ideas were very different concepts to the first century readers, and others argue that they are almost the same and used interchangeably and that we should not insert any differences in the two.

However, if there is not some difference in the two, Peters arguement goes from “you were set apart into a certain kind of love, so love this other, deeper way” to “you were called to love, so love”

Here is potentially some context to differentiate the two (but take it with a grain of salt)

Philadelphia (φιλαδελφία): This term specifically referred to "brotherly love" or the love shared among close friends or family. It was a more relational and reciprocal type of affection, emphasizing loyalty, camaraderie, and mutual care within a community or family context.

In the New Testament, philadelphia is often used to describe the love Christians should have for fellow believers, emphasizing a sense of unity and familial bond within the church.

So Peter could be saying that we were set apart for a communal, brotherly, familial type love.

I know its hard to believe, but back then, there were major difference in the make up of the church - and so they had trouble getting along. Just really try hard to imagine that - christians not getting along. But what Peter is saying is, we were made holy —> to be a family.

Agapē (ἀγάπη): This word was often used to describe a deep, unconditional, and self-sacrificial love. It carried the idea of love that is not dependent on the merit or worthiness of the recipient. It is a kind of love that is willing to give without expecting anything in return, often associated with moral goodwill and the love of God for humanity.

In the New Testament, agapē takes on a significant theological meaning, describing God's love for humanity and the type of love Christians are called to have for God and each other.

Thus - since you were called to be a family - actually love one another in an unconditional, self sacrificing way - like God does for us.

Whats clear is that we are purified/consecrated not just for our individual benefit. It’s for (or "into") sincere brotherly love for one another. This love is genuine, without hypocrisy ("a-nupokriton").

In other words - you were set apart to love like a family! SO LOVE ONE ANOTHER!

In other words, we are called out of harmful living not just for our own sakes but to live in a way that blesses others, demonstrating real, authentic love.

God set us aside for this very purpose - for a brotherly - familial love - SO self sacrificially love each other

So why do we love? according to Peter - because we’ve been adopted into a family. and families love each other.

does that motivate you to love? Do you see your fellow brothers and sisters as your actual family?

Now lets look at the second ‘why’

2a) You were born from an imperishable seed - the word???

“Since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable”:

Again, this argumenet is a little weird. Love because - you’re born of a imperishable seed ? no one wakes up saying that

Peter’s argument might seem odd: we should love because we’re born from an imperishable seed, and the word of God lasts forever. But his point is that our new birth should produce a new way of life, including sincere, enduring love for others.

2b) The bible endures forever ???

what is Peter doing?

Why does he quote Isaiah here?

Isaiah 40:1–8 “Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins. A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

This passage speaks to the exilic community - under a forgein government, waiting for the restoration of the Lord:

“be comforted, your warfare is over sins are forgiven - now get ready, Lord is coming back into your midst!”

Peter’s audiacne finds themselves in the exact same situation. We are forgiven, pardoned - but we find ourselves as exiles in a foriegn land.

AND Isaiah goes on:

A voice says, “Cry!” And I said, “What shall I cry?” All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the Lord blows on it; surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.”

to summerize - “everything around you - all flesh, and all beatuy - its like grass and flowers. It will not hold up when God blows on it.”

The empire that is oppressing you - it wont last. The beauty of the kingdoms and culture around you - they will fade. What will last is Gods word.

This idea will either be comforting OR challenging - depending on your relationship to the current kingdom.

This idea is a comfort to those waiting for the return of the Lord - who are ready to leave their culture

This idea is a warning to those who are laboring in the current kingdom.

I think the agrument Peteris trying to make is this:

We love people because People and God’s word are eternal - thats it. Everything else will perish.

So what is Peter’s arguement as to why we should love?

That everything in this world is going to one day be gone except 1) People and 2) God’s word

So dont spend all your time serving yourself, building your own little kingdom - because everything else that isnt done for people or the Word is ultimately a waste of time.

So it begs the question - What are you doing with your life? Anything you are doing that isnt focused on people OR the word of God - it will fade away and not matter in the end.

How are you spending your resources, energy and time? Does it reflect this truth?

So we’ve looked at the two whys - now I want want us to look at ‘how’. How does peter call us to love one another?

How do we love?

What are some of the ways the text tells us to love?

From a clean heart

we cant love unless our hearts have been made new

1 John 4:19 ESV

We love because he first loved us.

you cant love others unless we have been made pure in our hearts.

Earnestly (Lit. Stretched Out)

We are called to a love that stretches out. this word captures the image of a runner strechting out to cross the finish line of a race.

Its a love that leaves its normal position, to extend beyond the natural way of being.

Consequently, ektenōs refers to the act of doing something intensely or earnestly, i.e., not in a casual manner. When combined with all the other elements of this imperative (including its accompanying participial clause), a picture emerges of an intense, pure, un-hypocritical love toward those within the church—love that is modeled off of what Jesus Christ has done for us. This love is hardly the emotional affection that the world calls “love,” but rather a unique kind of attitude and lifestyle that has resulted from having been born again

Paul A. Himes, 1 Peter, ed. Douglas Mangum, Elizabeth Vince, and Abigail Salinger, Lexham Research Commentaries (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2017).

Put off communal poison

“put away” “lay aside” used in Acts 7 to talk about putting off clothes

Imagine if you never took off your clothes? But, you tried to put on new clothes. How would that go? IT would be heavy, cumbersome, and you would look really stupid. In the same way, if we try to put on the new clothes of the Christian life without removing some old clothes, we’re just gonna look stupid, and have a hard time doing what we need to do - and we dont really get to enjoy our new clothes to the fullest.

So we have to take off the old as we put on the new. What do we take off?

Malice

a mean-spirited or vicious attitude or disposition, malice, ill-will, malignity

William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 500.

intent to do harm - doing something with an intent to hurt or lower another person

ex. -

Deciet

taking advantage through craft and underhanded methods, deceit, cunning, treachery

William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 256.

withholding or distort truth about reality - so that you dont have all the information you need to make wise decisions.

EX - exagerating your busyness to sound more imporant - or to shill off responsibility

Hypocrisy

‘playing a stage role’) in our lit. only in a neg. sense to create a public impression that is at odds with one’s real purposes or motivations, play-acting, pretense, outward show, dissembling

William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 1038.

putting on a false face - presenting a version of yourself that isnt the real you.

Ex. - putting on a face spirtualness, but walking in things that dont align with that

OR putting on a face that everythings okay and good, when in reality its not

why do we act like someone we’re not? often its because we arent happy with who we really are - so we will put on another face that we think people will like.

Envy/Jealousy

I want the good thats happening to someone else. I want something that God hasnt, in his good providence, given me.

Ex. you can have good freinds, as long as you’re winning in a category. But if you’re the funny guy, and someone joins your freind group and is funnier than you - that person needs to get hit by a bus.

Slander

the act of speaking ill of another, evil speech, slander, defamation, detraction

William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 519.

I dont like myself - and i dont like what you have, so i will use words to tear you down, in order to build me up.

Almost all of these lists of vices stem from that cause - I dont like me, so i will hurt you.

Pursue soul nourishment

our tendancy is to go to the wrong thing for nurishment.

Babies love to suck on anything. They have a legitement need to get nourishing milk - but they take that to the wrong place. Shoes arent going to nourish them. They are taking a good desire to a bad place.

We do the same thing. We need to be nourished and to grow up - but we often take that longing to some many different places. We need to the milk that correspondse to

the “logical” “not deceitful” milk - so that you might grow in to salvation, not destruction.

IF we want to grow, we have to take our desires to him - to his real, pure, logical word. “the goodness of the Lord” - That is the only thing that will truly build us up into salvation.

if “you have tasted that the Lord is good” - direct quotation from Psalm 34:8

Psalm 34:8 ESV

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!

Application questions:

How does knowing we were ‘consecrated’ for a “brotherly love” motivate us to unconditionally love others?

Peter makes the agrument that only thing that will endure forever is the seed of the gospel implanted into people. Think about how you are spending your time, energy, and resources. Are you more focused on things that will endure forever or things that wont last? What are some ways you can prioritize things that will endure?

What are some practical examples of/steps you can take towards an earnest or ‘stretched out’ love?

What are some sublte ways the vices listed in 2:1 might manifest in your own life?

Is there anything you’re running to for nourishment, to ultimately cant satisfy you?

How can you take a step towards true nurishment, the goodness of God and His word?