Sermon Tone Analysis

INTRODUCTION:

Illustration: Statement from LBCF Chapter 18:3

Explanation:

Our message today is anchored very closely to our last message from the final verses of :

1 Peter 1:

In looking at this passage, we said that Scripture changes everything.

Verse 25 is the total summary regarding the power and impact of God’s Word!

How does God’s Word impact our life and grant us an infallible assurance as believers?

This passage reveals three very distinct ways that God’s Word impacts our life.

The end result of examining these ought to lead us to love and treasure God’s Word even more!

GOD’S WORD CAUSES US TO CHANGE

The word “rid yourselves” (apotithēmi) is often used in the New Testament for putting off sin or that which hinders Christian growth (Rom 13:12; Eph 4:22, 25; Col 3:8; Heb 12:1; Jas 1:21).

Some scholars see a reference to baptism, where believers removed their old clothes and then were clothed with new garments.

This practice, however, is not clearly attested in the New Testament, belonging to the later history of the church.184

Even more important, the removal of these vices is not a one-time event in the lives of believers, and hence it cannot be restricted to baptism.

The aorist may be ingressive, but it does not limit the action to one occasion.

In fact, believers need to put aside these sins on a daily basis.

“put away” ἀποτίθημι has the idea of to take off lit.

take off and lay down

ἀποτίθημι mid.

take off lit.

take off and lay down

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B. Putting away all Deceit

The participle translated “rid yourselves” (apothemenoi) is actually not an imperative, although most English translations render it in such a way.

Understanding it imperatively is acceptable, for it borrows, so to speak, its imperatival force from the main verb “crave” (epipothēsate) in v. 2. We should observe, however, that the central command in this paragraph is the injunction to long for the “pure spiritual milk” (v.

2).

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C. Putting away all Hypocrisy

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D. Putting away all Envy

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E. Putting away all Slander

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ILLUSTRATION:

The word “rid yourselves” (apotithēmi) is often used in the New Testament for putting off sin or that which hinders Christian growth (Rom 13:12; Eph 4:22, 25; Col 3:8; Heb 12:1; Jas 1:21).

Some scholars see a reference to baptism, where believers removed their old clothes and then were clothed with new garments.

This practice, however, is not clearly attested in the New Testament, belonging to the later history of the church.184

Even more important, the removal of these vices is not a one-time event in the lives of believers, and hence it cannot be restricted to baptism.

The aorist may be ingressive, but it does not limit the action to one occasion.

In fact, believers need to put aside these sins on a daily basis.

APPLICATION:

James 1

The sins listed tear at the social fabric of the church, ripping away the threads of love that keep them together.

Peter signals thereby that no sin is to be tolerated in the community, that sin is to be rejected comprehensively.

The first sin named could refer to wickedness in general, but the NIV rightly renders it “malice” (kakian) since the latter fits better with the social slant of these verses.

Ill-will toward one another destroys the harmony befitting the community of believers.

Guile and hypocrisy are closely related, for in both cases deceit and falseness have entered the community.

“Sincere love” (v.

22) is to be the goal of believers, and deceit and hypocrisy introduce pretense and disingenuousness so that the trust necessary for love vanishes.

Envy is also contrary to love, for instead of desiring the best for others, it hopes for their downfall or prefers the advancement of oneself to the joy of others.

Slander is not limited to spreading false stories about others but also involves disparaging others.

Well-timed words that carry insinuations about others are often all that is necessary.

Love, of course, finds the good in others and avoids speaking what is negative.

GOD’S WORD CREATES SPIRITUAL GROWTH

“long” means to crave, or desire.

This is the central focus of the paragraph—spiritual minded people crave the Word of God

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The longing for God’s Word is compared to the craving of milk that newborn babies have

This builds on the notion that believers are begotten of God (; )

This does not mean that the believers to whom Peter is writing are new believers

All Christians should have this kind of desire for God’s Word

The word “crave” is a strong one, used of the ardent desire believers should have for God in the Old Testament (LXX Pss 41:2; 83:3).

Babies long for milk that will sustain bodily growth, and similarly believers should desire milk for growth in salvation.

Milk, then, becomes the very substance of life, comprising that which all Christians need to progress in their spiritual lives.

The image of milk does not suggest, then, that believers in Asia Minor need elementary and basic teaching.

We conclude from this that this admonition applies to all believers throughout their lives.

No believer in Asia Minor could exempt himself from the admonition by claiming spiritual adulthood.

What about the milk to which Peter refers?

Peter used logikos to define milk here, so that the readers will understand that the milk by which they grow is nothing other than the word of God.

The means by which God sanctifies believers is through the mind, through the continued proclamation of the word.

Spiritual growth is not primarily mystical but rational, and rational in the sense that it is informed and sustained by God’s word.

Two adjectives describe it, translated as “pure” (adolon) and “spiritual” (logikon)

This word pure means uncontaminated in nature.

Meaning, it is right in every way!

Peter used logikos to define milk here, so that the readers will understand that the milk by which they grow is nothing other than the word of God.

The means by which God sanctifies believers is through the mind, through the continued proclamation of the word.

Spiritual growth is not primarily mystical but rational, and rational in the sense that it is informed and sustained by God’s word.

What is the purpose for desiring this milk?

It is for both spiritual growth AND final salvation

Spiritual growth is necessary for eschatological salvation.

Understanding “salvation” as an end-time reality fits with 1:5 and 1:9, as we argued in the commentary on those verses.

Some commentators, however, make the mistake of saying that Peter referred to end-time salvation rather than spiritual maturity.198