Become Who You Are In Christ

Who Are We?

Peter has just spent the first chapter reminding the readers of their wondrous salvation and then encouraging them to be who they are by exhibiting the

Right Hope

Right Conduct

Right Worship

Now, Peter transitions into an exhortation to not just be who they are, but to become who they are - moving from their position in Christ to their behavior as those who are in Christ.

So in verse one of chapter two, Peter begins with Wherefore

1 Peter 2:1 KJV 1900

Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,

That wherefore is the foundation of the challenge Peter is giving to them. Based on your salvation then, become who you are - a sanctified person

And in verse two he gives the main command - verse one actually modifies the command in verse two:

1 Peter 2:2 KJV 1900

As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

And then Peter goes on to describe the reason for that command to desire - that they might grow

And in verse three, Peter will give the foundation for that command to desire or crave the word - their tasting of the grace of God - in other words, their salvation.

1 Peter 2:3 KJV 1900

If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

But it all begins here with their salvation based upon the Word of the Lord.

1 Peter 1:25 KJV 1900

But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

Our salvation begins with the wonderful truths found in God’s Word and then our daily Christian life is ruled by the precious promises and truths found within its pages.

As a believer who has come to faith through the Word of God, Peter then commands each of us to:

Desire or Crave God’s Word

So, how does Peter explain this process and our need to desire God’s Word.

First, he reminds us to:

Remove Obstacles to Craving God’s Word

1 Peter 2:1 KJV 1900

Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,

Peter gives a list here of behaviors that will cause us to not only fail to grow in our Christian life, but will actually strip away our desire for God and His Word. He gives a list of five items - which are grouped by using three “all” words

All Malice

This word could mean every sort of evil thing and could be a general catch all phrase for bad behavior. But really it seems to fit best in a relationship idea - that of malice or ill will toward other people. Not necessarily just hatred, but any type of words or actions designed to be hurtful to others.

Why did Peter begin with the call to put away evil attitudes and actions? Probably because such things destroy love, and responsibility to love was the main idea in vv. 22–25. Schreiner

Thomas R. Schreiner, 1, 2 Peter, Jude, vol. 37, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2003), 98.

There are times that we inadvertently hurt someone - but this is speaking about the intent behind the action - the malice - the evil desire to see someone else get hurt.

And Peter says - we have to put this away!

He uses a term that means to take off clothes - and the picture here is not just to change clothing so it can be washed, but to take filthy stained torn clothing off to go into the fire or a garbage heap because it cannot be cleaned or mended.

Our evil desires toward others are like that - and Peter says - take those stained rags off so that there is no obstacle to your desire for God and His Word.

The second grouping that we need to remove/strip off

All guile, hypocrisy, and envy

Peter groups all three of these together as a single idea “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.”

Thomas R. Schreiner, 1, 2 Peter, Jude, vol. 37, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2003), 98.

All Evil Speakings

This carries the idea of slander - any type of speech that tears other people down. We must avoid speaking against others in ways that either hurt them directly or hurt them indirectly by damaging their reputation and standing among other people

These three groups of sins are not the complete listing of sins - but these are all relationship sins that destroy the love within the church among believers. And once that love and unity is destroyed, the desire for God’s Word will not be existent either.

Concentrate on Craving God’s Word

1 Peter 2:2 KJV 1900

As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

Peter uses the term as newborn babes - but it is unlikely that everyone he is writing to is a new Christian. So it seems that the verse here is simply using the image of an infant to describe the longing we ought to have for God’s Word.

Unlike when Paul uses the imagery of infants and telling the believers to grow up - here Peter is using simply an image of a baby who craves that milk that allows the baby to survive.

There is no condemnation here - but simply a picture of Peter telling them to eagerly desire the milk -

further described as the sincere or pure milk - it has no mixture of that deceitfulness that Peter has just urged them to lay aside.

Instead, it is truth that can enable them to grow in Christ.

Remain Motivated for Craving God’s Word

1 Peter 2:3 KJV 1900

If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

The phrase “if so be” can be simplified to the word “if”

In other words, if they have tasted of God’s grace, they will then crave the Word of God

The idea behind taste is not simply a nibble or a partial partaking, but rather of the fact that you have previously eaten - and therefore you know it is good.

A rough example would be going to Mom or Grandma’s house where she has made her famous Apple or Pumpkin or Cherry pie. You have enjoyed it on many previous occasions and you know that it is going to be “oh so good”

Peter reminds them - you have tasted of God’s grace and good ness - and continue to crave that food of God’s Word.

In closing, let’s begin with the last point and move to the first one:

Have I tasted of God’s grace in salvation?

Have I forgotten what God’s grace ‘tastes’ like?

Do I crave God’s Word like an infant craves milk?

Am I harboring sin that is blocking that craving?

What can I do this week to renew my craving for God’s Word?