A Demand For Holiness - A Holiness Expressed By The New Life Received From A Gracious God

1 Peter Series Part 7

Sub Series: A Demand for Holiness (1:13 – 2:3)

Title: A holiness expressed by the new life received from a gracious God

Text: 1 Peter 2:1-3

INTRO: The taste of a fresh baked pie. or mom or grandma’s home-made food and desserts? And when you put the treat in your mouth and have a taste? Oh my!

How about milk? When a baby is born the child requires Mother’s milk.

Milk is for what purpose? To provide the nutrition for the baby to grow healthy. Today we will discover how Apostle Peter uses an illustration of milk regarding growing toward spiritual maturity.

Transition: Previously we looked at:

1. First teaching section (1:3-12). The method and nature of salvation

a. A salvation based on the hope inspired by Christ’s resurrection (1:3-5)

b. A salvation secured through a faith deepened in trial (1:6-9)

c. A salvation reported by the prophets who described its grace and glory (1:10-12)

2. First preaching section (1:13-2:3). A demand for holiness

a. A holiness demanded by God’s own character (1:13-16)

b. A holiness demanded by the costly experience of Christ’s passion (1:17-21)

c. A holiness expressed in genuine love responding to the gospel (1:22-25)

d. A holiness expressed by the new life received from a gracious God (2:1-3)

TEXT:

1 Peter 2:1–3 (ESV)

1So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.

2Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—

3if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

I. Holiness is Expressed in New Approach to Spiritual Matters.

a. How is your holiness expressed in your life? How is your new life in Christ revealed to others?

b. Apostle Peter continues in his letter to the dispersed believers in the 5 provinces of Asia Minor, declaring a demand for holiness.

e. Previously, last Sunday, we discovered “A holiness expressed in genuine love responding to the gospel” (1:22-25)

f. The importance of the Word of God, that is living and abiding, is needed to purify the believers walk in obedience to God. The Word is like seed that never perishes, just as the kingdom of God is eternal.

2. Because of the holiness we receive from God, a new heart, a new mindset, there are predominant attributes or results of walking in holiness of our Sovereign God.

3. Apostle Peter provides a few important attributes of the flesh, the natural sinful desires that need to be removed out of our system.

4. A new approach regarding the new life and spiritual matters

a. Peter tells us in Verse 1:

b. 1So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.

5. Peter provides five negative carnal traits that need to go:

a. Malice – meanness, cruelness, hatred.

b. Deceit – deception, trickery.

c. Hypocrisy – pretense, two faced.

d. Envy – Jealousy, greed.

e. Slander – smear, defamation.

6. What does Peter tell these new believers to do?

a. “Put away all…” of these bad traits.

b. Why?

1. Because it does not allude to Christ-like behavior in the sanctification process. That is growing up in the faith in the relationship with Christ.

c. What is the solution to unchristian like mindset and behavior?

d. Jesus had something to say:

1. Matthew 18:3 (ESV)

2. 3and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

c. Illustration: God can bring the change in our traits; you and I can allow the Lord to make the adjustments in our lives. You and I cannot change others.

i. Be not angry that you cannot make others as you wish them to be, since you cannot make yourself as you wish to be. - Thomas a'Kempis.

d. Application:

i. We must have the mentality to “Become like children” Jesus tells us of the humility to follow Him.

ii. The Holy Spirit of God can lead us to make the adjustments, to make the changes not only in ourselves but others. Will you let Him in to your life and lead you?

II. Holiness is Feeding Our Souls Spiritually.

a. What if a newborn baby did not have Mom’s milk? What happens when a baby gets hungry?

b.

i. 2Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—

c. “Long” in Gk: “epipotheo”

i. to long for something, with the implication of recognizing a lack—‘to long for, to deeply desire, deep desire.’

d. Peter declares to these new believers to have a deep desire for spiritual things. To put off the fleshly desires and have a strong deep desire for true spiritual food!