Peter begins the second chapter of his letter with some practical application of what he has instructed in the previous verses. This is directly connected to the previous section with the word “therefore,” and provides sort of a summary of all that has gone before.

Take a look at this week’s passage for yourself in 1 Peter 2:1-3.

In these three verses, Peter gives some instruction on how we are to “love one another deeply,” as he instructed in verse 22 of the first chapter. One of the best ways to do this is by removing those attitudes and actions that destroy relationships.

Peter’s argument is based on the thought that, since we are born again, due to the living and enduring word of God, then we should live as such, and remove anything that gets in the way of living holy lives. In doing so, he gives us five examples of what kinds of things we should strive to avoid.

Malice – This is a general term, usually denoting wickedness, but is probably used as a more specific concept here, such as ill will towards another.

Deceit – No explanation is necessary for this term, which describes dishonesty and lying.

Hypocrisy – This is the opposite of sincerity or genuineness. We are not to pretend to be something we are not, or hide our true natures.

Envy – This is another term that requires little in the way of explanation. Envy is covetousness, desiring that which we do not have, because it belongs to someone else.

Slander – As those redeemed by the love of Christ, we are called to love others. This means that we cannot speak negatively of them, and cause harm by our words.

We should certainly avoid all of these kinds of things all the time, but Peter specifically applies them to our relationships in this passage. As we live and interact with one another, these are the kinds of things that will not help keep our relationships strong.

Next, Peter adds one final instruction. We are to crave pure spiritual milk. Peter began the metaphor of a new birth in the previous chapter, and continues it here, encouraging his readers to stay focused on the Word of God. The image is clear: just as a baby requires the nourishing milk of his mother, we too require the nourishment we gain from being in the Word regularly. We should long for that, because it brings growth with it.

We have already tasted how good God is, and that will only increase as we continue to grow in our relationship with him. Once we have sampled the taste of that goodness, how can we resist going back for more? Peter’s phrase here reminds us of Psalm 34:8:

Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.

Peter knows his initial readers have tasted that goodness, those in Asia Minor to which he initially writes. Have you?

Question: Have you tasted and found the Lord to be good? What do you find to be the most satisfying thing about your relationship with him? You can leave a comment by clicking here.