In 1 Peter, we discover a call to a genuine love for others, especially those who are part of the family of God. I think all of us would admit that to love like Jesus is not natural. It can be difficult. The world, the flesh, and the devil are always working against us. This makes it challenging to receive the love of Christ, as well as able to radiate His love to those around us.
Peter offers divine insights to unleash us to love others. He writes:
“Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; for ‘All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever.’ And this word is the good news that was preached to you” (1 Peter 1:22-25)
Peter is writing this compelling call to love to Christians because he knew the believers would be tempted to participate in one of two damaging behaviors. Some would be tempted to, after accepting Christ, go back to their old ways of doing life with old friends, even preferring their company and influence over that of their church family. Now, there is nothing wrong with having friends who are not Christian. In fact, we must if we are to love them into the kingdom. However, to do so in such a way as to abandon Christian fellowship and influence is destructive to one’s life in Christ. Also, like today, these new believers came from different social statuses (slaves and freepersons, rich and poor). The privileged were slow to take the underprivileged to themselves in Christlike family love. Peter declares that a Christ-follower is to radiate Christlike love to others.
Peter explains that since a believer has had their souls purified by obeying the truth of God’s Word through the power and leading of the Spirit, there ought to be fruit. The fruit is a genuine love for others. The believer is to love one another earnestly with pure and self-sacrificing love, having been given new life through the living and ever true Word of God that is unlike the stuff of earth that fades away. Therefore, it’s inconsistent and incomplete to claim Christ as Lord and Savior and not love others.
Peter then writes:
“So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good” (2 Peter 2:1-3).
Peter has just demonstrated our call to love empowered by the glory and eternal character of God’s Word. Now, in light of what God’s Word is to us, He shares with us the particular heart we must have to receive the truth of the Bible genuinely. We need to put away sin. To “put away” literally means to clean off or take off, as in clothing. Peter presents a list of unloving actions that are not intended to be exhaustive, but in keeping with the theme of love, addresses actions stemming from ill will towards others. A Christian has no part in malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, or slander. These things contradict what it means to “love one another earnestly from a pure heart.’
A believer also needs to desire God’s Word. God’s word is food for spiritual growth. Simply stated, the Word of God is necessary for Christian growth. We live in a culture where there is a belief and drive to develop an evolved gospel, but Peter makes it clear that the believer ought to know and walk in the teachings of the one true enduring Word of God. The short of it is that the believer has an obligation and the ability to love as Christ loves. This is made possible as we are cleansed of sin, filled with God’s Word, and empowered by the Spirit. A spiritually healthy believer is a loving Christian.
I have seen in my life that my love capacity grows when I am walking rightly with the Lord, and as I seek to master His Word. As I seek to master His word, by the power and leading of His Spirit, His Word masters me. When I drift from the Lord and become lax in dealing with sin and neglect His Word, my love capacity shrinks. I don’t just need Jesus as my Lord in Savior for eternities sake; I need Him every day for my own sake and that of those I encounter. As Christ’s Word abides in me, the truth of His Word, His love radiates from me. I am not perfect, but I am being perfected.
Imagine what it would look like for each of us to take seriously our obligation and trust in our God-given ability to love as Christ loves. Imagine what it would be like to believe that Christ can cleanse us, that we can be filled with His Word, that His Spirit has the power to transform us and make us conduits of His love. We and the world around us will never be the same. Have you received, and are you radiating God’s love?
It is a privilege to be a part of God’s family with each of you. Let us put off sin and get into His Word. As we seek to master the Bible, I pray it will master us. Let’s encourage one another onto Christlike love for others. Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)!