Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Evening Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/ev/ev20110612.htm

THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION
1 Peter: Effective Christian Living In A Spiritually Hostile World
Part VI: Purifying Ourselves For Living In Powerful, Christian, Brotherly Love
(1 Peter 2:1-3)
  1. Introduction
    1. Since Jesus said the world would recognize His true followers by their genuine love for one another (John 13:35), it is imperative that we Christians demonstrate that brotherly love.
    2. However, such love is at times absent in believers as seen in church splits, denominational splintering and other divisions, so 1 Peter 1:22-25 directed believers how to live in powerful, Christian, brotherly love.
    3. Nevertheless, to get to that love expression after there has been lovelessness among brethren takes identifying and removing practical obstacles to love, a step Peter describes in 1 Peter 2:1-3 as follows:
  2. Purifying Ourselves For Living In Powerful, Christian, Brotherly Love, 1 Peter 2:1-3.
    1. The introductory word "Wherefore" (KJV) or "Therefore" (NIV) in 1 Peter 2:1a comes from the Greek Testament's postpositive (never appearing as the first word in a Greek sentence) inferential particle, oun, thus making 1 Peter 2:1-3 be based upon the 1 Peter 1:22-25 teaching on possessing brotherly love.
    2. 1 Peter 2:1-3 thus draws a conclusion, explaining what must THEN occur to attain brotherly love especially if there has been a FAILURE in the matter!
    3. A list of "five sins of attitude and speech" that sabotage brotherly love then follows, sins requiring repentance and confession to restore fervent brotherly love (Bible Know. Com., N. T ., p. 844):
      1. Believers must rid themselves of "malice" (KJV, NIV), of kakian, "wicked ill-will," Ibid. This word was used in the New Testament era to describe "the evil habit of mind" that produces other evils, Richard C. Trench, Synonyms of the New Testament, 1973, p. 38. Thus, to be loving, the believer must rid himself of the habit of thinking ill-will toward other believers!
      2. Believers must rid themselves of "guile" (KJV) or "deceit" (NIV), of dolon, willful dishonesty, Ibid. Intentional dishonesty in relating to fellow believers does great damage to the trust needed to relate.
      3. Believers must rid themselves of "hypocrisy" (KJV, NIV), of hypokriseis, false piety and love, Ibid. An hypocritical spirituality or love disappoints and causes other believers not to rely on one, and thus does great damage to brotherly love.
      4. Believers must rid themselves of "envy" (KJV, NIV), of phthonous, "resentful discontent," Ibid. Jealousy is a tougher vice to face from another believer than even anger or fury, for it devastates the inner man of the one envied, sabotaging his motivation to relate well to others, cf. Proverbs 27:4 NIV.
      5. Believers must rid themselves of "slander" (KJV, NIV), of katalalias, "backbiting lies," Ibid. Slander attacks the reputation of another person, making him defensive and tending to minimize his desire to relate to the slanderer out of self-protection of his inner man!
    4. Once believers rid themselves of such wicked ill-will, willful dishonesty, false piety and love, resentful discontent and backbiting lies that counter brotherly love among Christians, they are to fill the vacuum with the intake of Scripture, God's Word as babies are eager to ingest milk so they might grow in overcoming temptations to return to sins that sabotage brotherly love, 1 Peter 2:2 NIV; Ibid.
    5. [Obviously, for victory over these sins, one must confess them as sin to the Lord for forgiveness (1 John 1:9) and rely on the Holy Spirit to live in victory over them (Galatians 5:16-23)!]
    6. In thus growing, these believers would grow literally "unto salvation" (1 Peter 2:2b NIV), a phrase not translated in the King James Version, but appearing in the Greek Testament and referring to the salvation in 1 Peter 1: 5, 7, 9, and 13 when the believer attains the glory of Christ at His return, Ibid.
    7. The intake of the Word of God should not be a difficult chore for the believer. He has already "tasted" of the knowledge of Christ in believing the Gospel to find new life and new birth with justification wrapped up in Christ, so recalling the joy of his salvation should spur him to delve deeply into Scripture intake so as to mature in Christ in his walk, and retain a brotherly love toward fellow Christians, 1 Peter 2:3.
Lesson: Believers must rid themselves by God's grace of wicked ill-will, willful dishonesty, false piety, resentful discontent and backbiting lies and nurture brotherly love by growing in their use of Scripture.

Application: May we abandon such vices and grow in using Scripture to enhance brotherly love!