THE ENDURING WORD OF GOD

Passage: 1 Peter 1:22-2:3

Key verse: 2:2-3

NIV

22 Now that you have purified(A) yourselves by obeying(B) the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply,(C) from the heart.[a] 23 For you have been born again,(D) not of perishable seed, but of imperishable,(E) through the living and enduring word of God.(F) 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.”[b](G)

And this is the word that was preached to you.

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

Footnotes
  1. 1 Peter 1:22 Some early manuscripts from a pure heart
  2. 1 Peter 1:25 Isaiah 40:6-8 (see Septuagint)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for (A)a sincere brotherly love, (B)love one another earnestly from a pure heart, 23 (C)since you have been born again, (D)not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through (E)the living and abiding word of God; 24 for

(F)“All flesh is like grass
    and all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers,
    and the flower falls,
25 (G)but the word of the Lord remains forever.”

And this word (H)is the good news that was preached to you.

A Living Stone and a Holy People

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

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

We have been born again, not through anything of ourselves, but through the living and enduring word of God. Obedience to the truth purifies us so that we may love each other deeply. Being born again gives us sincere love for each other. Jesus said, “A new command I give you: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you must love one another.” (John 13:34). Love is the greatest commandment.

All people are perishable like grass, which withers and soon dies. In fact, nothing in this life will remain except the word of God, which endures forever. Peter tells us to rid ourselves of all malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and every kind of evil. Instead, we should crave pure spiritual milk, His word, so that we may grow. To crave means to have a deep desire or longing. Instead of craving sinful pleasures and the temporal things of the world, let us have deep desire and thirst for the things of God and His word in this new year. Then we may continue to grow in our salvation and build our lives on what endures forever.

Prayer: Father, we have tasted that You are good. You have given us Your word, which has given us life. Forgive us for when we neglect Your word. In this new year, help me to meditate on Your word and crave spiritual milk so that I may grow up in my salvation and in deep love for others.

One Word: Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk