Sermon Cloud

Biblical Growth Enhancement

I Peter 2:1-3

Our text opens with a warning against evil attitudes and practices. This warning has no point if nothing is provided to take their place in our lives. While urging believers to get rid of all kinds of malice and deceit, Peter offers them something significant and satisfying to take their place. Peter stirs in them a longing for God and His Word and encourages them to receive all that God has to give them. He uses the metaphor of mother’s milk (God’s Word) offered to a baby as the essential growth element that will inspire and nurture the child of God. Building upon the image of the “new birth” (1:23) Peter envisions believers as new born babies growing up in the salvation that they are “receiving” (1:9) from Jesus Christ. Salvation is presented here not as a last minute rescue operation that only saves us from sin, death and Hell but as a life giving process that God provides for those who “believe”, “receive”, and “desire” it. As we drink the “sincere milk of God’s Word” (v. 2) we enhance the growth process that takes place in our lives. We grow in our understanding and realization of God’s purpose for our lives and experience a fulfillment that comes from “participating” (II Peter 1:4) in the very life of Christ.