Christian Monthly Standard

What Christian Love Looks Like (1 Peter 2:1-3)

2:1 So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. 2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation– 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. (ESV)

Since we have purified our souls in obedience to the truth and since we are commanded to love one another fervently, deeply, with genuine love, then these are the things that must already be set aside from our lives. We will put away all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all slander. These things interrupt godly relationships with one another. These things destroy the unity we are to have with each other. These things destroy love. We are to be a family, a community, and therefore must put these things away. Talk right and act right toward each other.

Further, we must crave the pure spiritual milk like newborn infants crave it. All of our children craved milk as infants. They would make an audible groaning sound once they finally received the milk for which they were crying so loudly. Nothing could be substituted. A pacifier would quickly be spit out. Water was unacceptable. It must be the milk and nothing else. We need to have the same kind of focus upon the word of God and life it will generate in us. Once you taste it, you will see that the life of a disciple that comes from the word of God is good. You will see that it will give you growth. It will make your life better. You will see that the Lord is good even in the face of suffering and distress.