Growing Faith

Stop Sinning

The first thing a new believer must do is allow the Holy Spirit enable them to overcome strongholds in their lives. These are things that they do not want in their lives and probably have tried to eradicate from their lives. They have not been successful because they do not have the ability to overcome their strongholds. They must be transformed rather than reformed.

Put away malice

The Greek word for this is kakai. This means general wickedness. It takes time for people’s lives to be transformed because they have established patterns in their lives that are conducive to wickedness. It is what they have known. Peter is saying that the new believer must allow the Holy Spirit to change the person. It is not just a matter of stopping the sinful behavior, but changing the will to sin.

A person can modify their behavior, but if they still have the desire to sin, then it is just a matter of time before they get back into the sin. However if a person’s will is changed then they will not have the desire to engage in their sin. This can only happen by allowing the Holy Spirit change them.

Eliminate deceit

The Greek word for this is dolos. It is bait or fishhook. It gives the idea of bait and switching someone. You get them to do something under false pretenses. It is being dishonest.

We must learn to speak and operate from truth. We must not have ulterior motives for getting people involved in something. We must have transparency and full disclosure.

Put away hypocrisy

This means pretending to be something that you are not. We all like to put on a good front because we want people to think that we have everything together. It is okay not to be okay, but it is not okay to stay there.

We must live according to what we believe and not just say one thing and do another.

Put away envy

Envy (phthonos) defines the attitude of those who resent others’ prosperity (cf. ; ; ; ). It often leads to grudges, bitterness, hatred, and conflict (cf. ; ; ).

John F. MacArthur Jr., 1 Peter, MacArthur New Testament Commentary (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2004), 98.

Put away slander

1 Peter: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary Eliminating Their Sins

Lastly, Peter mentions all slander (katalalias), an onomatopoeic word designed to sound like the whispers and tattles reported behind someone’s back in gossip and backbiting (2 Cor. 12:20). It referred essentially to defamation of character (cf. 2:12; 3:16; James 4:11).

Long For the Word

One of the signs that a person is growing in the Lord is their hunger for the Word of God. Peter gives the illustrations of a new born baby crying for milk. This baby needs the nutrition and cries out for it. Our souls cry out for the word of God.

Just as a baby grows from the nutrition in the milk, so our souls grow from the nutrition in the Word.

Just as a baby gets the antibodies to resist infection, so the word of God purifies our soul and eradicates the infection of sin.

Grow In Your Salvation

When a person is saved, this doesn’t mean they stop. Salvation is just the beginning of our walk with Christ. The Word of God Guides us in our relationship with Jesus.

31 So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”

Growing in Christ makes a person free. It frees them from the bondage of sin and frees them to do the will of God.