Having been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, we strive to be holy. Our faith and our hope are fixed on God’s character and promises. We have obeyed the truth. Our souls have been purified. We have been born again of imperishable seed the Word of God. So, what comes next? A craving for God’s truth, a place in God’s spiritual house, a new identity, and an amazing mission!
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2:1-3 Hungry Babies, Crying for More
2:1 Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, 2 like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, 3 if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord.
Therefore … based on “born again” and the “Word of God” in ch. 1.
Getting rid of sin – an ongoing process. Declutter!
Define malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander.
Describe the attitude, behavior, and determination of new babies!
What is necessary for us to grow effectively? 2 Pet 3:16-18
What limits our appetite? What stimulates it? Ps 34:8
Ps 34:8 O taste and see that the Lord is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!
Heb 6:4 For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, …
How great is your craving for righteousness? Why? Matt 5:6
2:4-8 Living Stones, Building on THE Living Stone
2:4 And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For this is contained in Scripture: “Behold, I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious corner stone, And he who believes in Him will not be disappointed.”
As an engineer rates building stones. What man rejects, God selects.
God is building you and building his house with you! So …
All priests! Sacrifices: Rom 12:1; 15:16; Phil 2:17; 4:18; Heb 13:15.
Ro 12:1 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
Heb 13:15 Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name.
Is 28:16; Rom 9:32-33; 10:11. Eph 2:20
Is 28:16 Therefore thus says the Lord God, “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone, A costly cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed. He who believes in it will not be disturbed.
Ro 9:33 just as it is written, “Behold, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense, And he who believes in Him will not be disappointed.”
Ro 10:11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed.”
2:7 This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve, “The stone which the builders rejected, This became the very corner stone,” 8 and, “A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense”; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were also appointed.
We recognize – as God does – Jesus as having highest value.
The builders, esp. the Jews, cast him aside and stumbled over him.
Ps 118:22; Matt 21:42; Lk 20:17; Ac 4:11; Is 8:14.
Ps 118:22 The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief corner stone.
Mt 21:42 Jesus said to them, “Did you never read in the Scriptures, ‘The stone which the builders rejected, This became the chief corner stone; This came about from the Lord, And it is marvelous in our eyes’?
Lk 20:17 But Jesus looked at them and said, “What then is this that is written: ‘The stone which the builders rejected, This became the chief corner stone’?
Ac 4:11 “He is the stone which was rejected by you, the builders, but which became the chief corner stone.
Is 8:14 “Then He shall become a sanctuary; But to both the houses of Israel, a stone to strike and a rock to stumble over, And a snare and a trap for the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
God did not arbitrarily appoint some to sin and refuse to save them.
Rather, men who disbelieve and disobey were set (self-appointed) to stumble and fall. Man, not God, is the cause of the “appointing.”
2:9-10 His Special People, Proclaiming His Virtues
2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
But you – contrast with those unbelieving, disobedient builders.
Israel – the type. The church – the parallel antitype. God’s people.
A chosen race Dt 10:15; Is 43:20-21. A “select breed.” Open to all.
A royal priesthood Is 61:6; 66:21 Kings and priests.
A holy nation Ex 19:4-6 (read); Dt 7:6 Set apart.
A people for … possession Dt 4:20 His very own. Tit 2:14.
From darkness – to marvelous light – to proclamation. Col 1:12-13.
Dt 7:6 “For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.
Dt 10:15 “Yet on your fathers did the Lord set His affection to love them, and He chose their descendants after them, even you above all peoples, as it is this day.
Is 61:6 But you will be called the priests of the Lord; You will be spoken of as ministers of our God. You will eat the wealth of nations, And in their riches you will boast.
Re 1:6 and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Re 5:10 “You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.”
Re 20:6 Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years.
Ex 19:4 ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to Myself. 5 ‘Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; 6 and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel.”
Ex 34:9 He said, “If now I have found favor in Your sight, O Lord, I pray, let the Lord go along in our midst, even though the people are so obstinate, and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us as Your own possession.”
Dt 7:6 “For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.
Ps 33:12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, The people whom He has chosen for His own inheritance.
Dt 4:20 “But the Lord has taken you and brought you out of the iron furnace, from Egypt, to be a people for His own possession, as today.
Dt 7:6 “For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.
Ex 34:9 He said, “If now I have found favor in Your sight, O Lord, I pray, let the Lord go along in our midst, even though the people are so obstinate, and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us as Your own possession.”
Dt 7:6 “For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.
Ps 33:12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, The people whom He has chosen for His own inheritance.
Is 43:21 “The people whom I formed for Myself Will declare My praise.”
Tt 2:14 … who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.
2:10 for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
God said through Hosea that Israel was no longer his people, receiving his mercy, due to their disobedience. Hos 1:6, 9.
However, he promised to restore Israel, so that she would again be his people and receive his mercy. Hos 2:23.
Likewise, Peter’s Gentile readers were formerly not God’s people. But through Christ they have become God’s people, receiving his mercy.
These Gentiles are now part of the chosen race, holy nation, etc.!
Now they (and we) are to act and proclaim accordingly!
Note here the repeated use of OT principles for God’s NT church.
