1 Peter 1:13-2:3 – October 3

The Bible is basically a compilation of love letters from our Father in heaven, His loving words breathed onto each page. Over the next several months, as we study the letters of the Bible, Galatians through Jude, I pray that You will experience His eternal love in new ways and that it will transform you. These letters were written by Christian leaders, most of them by Paul, to establish and grow the Christian Church. For us, they are filled with love and gold nuggets on living a Christian life. Join along in our study by reading today’s scripture, journaling on it using SOAP, then sharing how God spoke to you today. Below is the NIV version of today’s reading, then below that is a SOAP from one of our study leaders. The Comments section on our website is an open forum for sharing, requesting prayer, and asking questions.

1 Peter 1:13 – 2:3 – Be Holy

¹³ Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. ¹⁴ As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. ¹⁵ But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; ¹⁶ for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

¹⁷ Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear. ¹⁸ For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, ¹⁹ but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. ²⁰ He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. ²¹ Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.

²² Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. ²³ For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. ²⁴ For,

“All people are like grass,
    and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall,
²⁵     but the word of the Lord endures forever.”

And this is the word that was preached to you.

2 Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. ² Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, ³ now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

Yum!  | Becky Newman

Scripture

1 Peter 2:1-3

Observation

The preface to 1 Peter in my Bible says Peter was giving a pep talk to a group of Jews who were about to face persecution (this prediction came true and included the executions of both Peter and Paul). Chapters 1 and 2 seem to be laying some ground rules to get through this time that is coming: focus on God and live for eternity, be holy, love, and continue maturing faith. My Bible notes also state the original Greek from verse 1:13 suggests something like pulling up and tucking in your robe so you can run a race or do strenuous activity. Maybe this could be likened to the more modern-day phrase of pulling up your boot straps. They need to be spiritually ready for what’s coming in order to persevere through it. The list in verse 2:1 is hindrances to spiritual growth. Repentance and freedom from these sins is necessary in order to “grow up in your salvation” which helps us follow the ground rules.

Application

There will be yuck in life. We live in a sinful world, and that’s just the way it is. But I should strive to follow these ground rules all the time, so I’m ready for the yuck. I have tasted and seen that You are Good! And I crave spiritual nourishment from You. To continue letting You transform me, I have to keep guard to make sure malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, slander, and anything that holds me back from You does not get a foothold in me.

Prayer

Lord, I need to strengthen my perseverance muscle. Please help me to bind up and break free from anything that holds me back from running after You, especially envy and slander in this list. Help me to identify it as soon as it creeps in and cast it out. Grow me up, Lord!

The Discover One Thing main website continues to follow the Life Journal Reading Plan which covers the whole Bible in one year. Click HERE to check out today’s Discover One Thing post.