Peter message 6
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Evidence of Spiritual Growth
Evidence of Spiritual Growth
1 Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking,
2 as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby,
3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
Intro:
Peter tells the believers that he is writing to (all of us) next week that we are to love one another. And to do so with a pure heart.
Look back at
22 Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart,
23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever,
24 because “All flesh is as grass, And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, And its flower falls away,
25 But the word of the Lord endures forever.” Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.
You have purified your soul in obeying the truth. Having been born again. The word of the Lord endures forever.
a. Peter wants them to grow in their faith, (Grow Spiritually). Now growing spiritually is a work in progress, we all should be growing in our faith. But some Christians never grow up.
2 as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby,
11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
Ealb on what Paul is saying, (just as I have grow mutually as an adult, you should also grow spiritually) It’s time to grow up spiritually.
a.
Lay Aside VS 1
Lay Aside VS 1
1 Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking,
First notice, “Therefore” KJV Wherefore” Going back to what he had just said. “You have purified your souls in obeying the truth. You are to love one another with a pure heart. Your were born again through the word of God, the word of God goes on forever”
a. So he is saying, since you are born into Gods’s family (VS 23 born again) it’s now time to grow spiritually. In order to do so, there are some things you need to lay aside.
Lay Aside: Is a picture of taking off souled garments. Elab Guy at Whitely. Elab when I get home from work.
b. Laying aside in this VS is a picture of laying aside sin in our lives. You will never grow spiritually with you hang on to sin. laying aside is not a suggestion, it is a command. Wuset: having put away once for all.
c. You take it off and you cast it away. All these sins that Peter has listed you are to lay aside. (GO OVER THEM)
d. Here is what we cannot do. Condone these sins, Excuse these sins, you don’t cover these sins. You take them off and lay them aside. “Put them off once and for all”
e. Everyone sins. But we should not want to sin, we need to lay aside sin, sin will hinder your spiritual growth.
f. Why does Peter list these 5 sins? Glad you asked. There signs of immaturity. If you are growing as a Christians, you will lay aside or take off these sins. If you are still a infant as Christian you are still practicing these sins.
g. If these sins are an ongoing issue in your life, then you are a spiritual baby or you may not even be a Christian.
h. Let’s look at these 5 sins that Peter says you need to take off if you are going to grow spiritually.
1. Notice the word ALL, 3 times.
Malice: Evil, wickedness, naughtiness, maliciousness or spite. It’s the desire to get people back, the spirit of un-forgiveness.
a. Old saying; I don’t get mad I get even. I don’t get even I get ahead.
b. Malice is the desire to hurt someone because they have hurt you. Not physical, it could be in words, or some kind of action.
15 See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.
c. If you are filled with malice, God is not going to use you. The thought may come across your mind, but you don’t have to take action.
All deceit: KJV guile.
a. The word GW Guile dolos, Decoy, trick, bait. Elab Fishing. Fishers are deceivers. You hid the bait on the hook. Artificial bait, lure.
b. In Peter using this word, he is speaking of people that are deceitful in the way that they deal with other.
21 providing honorable things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.
c. As Christians we are to be honest in all that we do. if we are going to grow spiritually we have to take of all deceit.
All hypocrisy: the practice of claiming to have moral standards or beliefs to which one's own behavior does not conform.
a. Be what you are. Be real. Act like a Christian.
All envy: jealousy.
a. Envy because some has something that you want. Or getting mad went someone has something good happen to them.
b. You take someone fishing and they caught more fish then you.
c. Someone gets a great deal shopping and the sale is over by the time you get there.
d. Growing spiritually means you put that envy aside. You are happy for others/
All evil speaking: Backing. It means to “speak down” someone—to defame or slander someone. There is no room for such behavior in a the life of a Christian.
a. It’s talking down someone. This mostly happens when they are not around. “Lets see who we can talk about”
29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.
b. Are the words that are coming out of our month about others true? loving? Is it something you really need to say? (Sometimes the best thing said is nothing)
Desire
Desire
2 as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby,
A desire to feed on the word.
a. We you want to grow spiritually, you have to lay aside sin, and feed on the word of God.
b. If you don’t lay aside sin, you are not going to want to feed on God’s word. Feeding on God’s word is more then hearing someone feed it to you. It is getting into God word yourself.
c. Look at VS 2 again: He is not calling them babes. he is saying that as a newborn babe desires milk. When you bring home a new born baby, the doesn't want a taco, Pizza, fired chicken. The baby, because of it’s nature desires milk.
d. Christians born into God’s family should desire God’s word so we can grow.
d. The only way you can grow spiritually is feeding on God’s word. You can’t grow by going just to church, being involved in ministry, listening to Christian music.
e. You grow by getting into and studying God’s word. Once you start studying the Bible, you’ll have out there is pretty awesome stuff in it. Study a book of the Bible. If you have a PC or smart phone, down load e-sword. Bible study tools. (Study a book of the Bible)
f. Christians should desire for God’s word, that is evidence of your growth.
g. Notice “Pure Milk” that is the pure word of God, from beginning to end.
h. The better you know God’s word, the stronger you will grow. The more likely you will be to share the grace of Jesus with the lost.
i. The more you know God’s word the more you will know God.
j. If you don’t have a desire for God’s word you be a sick Christian. I don’t want to eat, you know I’m sick.
k. The sad thing, most Christians know very little about the Bible. (Story from Johnny Hunt about deacon)
Reasons Christians don’t read the bible. Not enough time. It’s boring.
l. No desire for God’s word may be that there is no salvation.
m. God’s word will help you through everything in life.
16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
The only way to grow is spending time in God’s word.
Remember
Remember
3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
If is not questioning. It is saying “since you have tasted”
8 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!
1. have you ever tasted of the Lord? Through salvation. Why would you want anything else? Remember all that God has done for you.
a. My love for fried chicken. My taste for fried chicken caused me to go out of my way.
b. The Bible is a gift form God to you.