1 Peter 2:1-8

1 Peter 2:1-8

Peter is building for us, like a skilled contractor, an argument or description of the life we are to live. He begins in chapter one with the call that because God is holy, we are to be holy. Next, with God as our Judge and Father, we are to conduct ourselves with conscientious fear. It follows that we shall love one another because we are like the Father of our new birth. Now Peter tells us a little about growing in this holiness, conscientiousness, and love. He begins by telling us to lay aside certain things. The word “putting aside” in Greek text is placed first in the sentence for emphasis sake. The verb indicates a once-and-for-all kind of action. In other words, we are to be forever done with these kinds of things. The list of vices is rather short and lists nothing associated with sins of identity, greed, or sexuality. Rather, he is focusing on issues or vices that destroy the unity of love within the church. The church bound together is the theme he is about to develop. 

Before moving on, one ancient practice of the church that had powerful symbolic implications was how baptisms occurred. The candidate, upon arriving at the baptismal pool, took off all their clothes, entered the water, and was baptized by immersion. They came out of the water and were given a new and different set of clothing. While not appropriate in our culture, there is a profound meaning in this act.

Peter's emphasis on unity is expressed in the picture of the church in which each individual is a living stone that is growing. It is growing individually, but it is growing as part of the bigger whole. Growing in integration, connectedness, support, and service. Growing ought to be the goal of every disciple. But how do we grow into and in the church the kingdom of God? We grow by means of the pure milk of the Word. We need to note the contrast of Paul's use of milk as the basic beginning point of Christian doctrine with what Peter is saying. Paul was making a point about maturity. Peter is using the metaphor differently. Peter is talking about nourishment. The rapid healthy growth of a baby is a result of the mother's milk. A baby that is demanding to be fed will not accept distractions or entertainment. If we are going to grow in our faith and maturity as disciples, there is no substitute for the word of God. We need to be as demanding for the Word of God  as a baby is for mother’s milk. There is no doubt value in praise and worship, music, service, fellowship, etcetera. But the confrontation of the evil within us and the directions for maturity have to come from and through the word. The Word of God is an acquired taste, but it is naturally acquired in our new faith as we have a craving for a better understanding of all that we have in Christ.

“Help me, Lord, to love to feed on Your Word. AMEN”