1 Peter 1:22-2:3 Spiritual Dynamics of Holiness (part 2)

by Gary DeLashmutt

Holiness grows through loving community & God’s Word

Holiness begins with a new birth—but it doesn’t end there. Like new-born children who must grow gradually into physical and intellectual maturity, so reborn Christians must gradually grow and develop in holiness. Arrested growth and development is an aberration and tragedy with both physical and spiritual life. Just as young children require nurture and nourishment to thrive, so Christians require loving community and the nourishment of God’s Word to grow. But whereas parents bear the primary responsibility to give their children nurture and nourishment, Peter says that each Christian is primarily responsible to participate in these spiritual activities that are essential for growth in holiness.
The verbs “love each other” (1:22) and “crave pure spiritual milk” (2:2) are imperatives. These are not things that others are required to do for us; they are steps we are required to take for ourselves (see also Acts 2:42). If we are not growing in holiness, the first place we should look is right here. Let’s take a closer look at both of these so we’re clear about these spiritual dynamics.
What kind of involvement with other Christians must we have if we want to grow? Christians often answer this question inadequately—to the detriment of their spiritual development. Most American Christians answer: “Become a member of a church” and/or “Attend weekly worship.” We in Xenos often answer in a similarly inadequate way: “Come to Central Teaching and join a home group.” These steps are good starts—but they will not result in your growth in holiness beyond a very primitive level! Peter’s answer goes much deeper than this (re-read 1:22b)—we need to love one another “sincerely, deeply, and with all of our hearts.”
“Sincerely” means unhypocritical—not putting on a mask or being superficially nice, but being honest and open about what’s really going on in our lives. “Deeply” and “with all your heart” means with intense commitment—not just when it’s personally convenient and enjoyable, but when it’s costly in terms of time and emotional investment and forgiveness/apology/repentance (2:1). Peter is describing more than a large network of casual acquaintances; he is describing a much smaller band of close spiritual friendships.
If you want to grow in holiness, you must build and maintain close and committed spiritual friendships with other Christians. The best advice I ever received as a young Christian was: “Isolated Christians are defeated Christians.” Only in such friendships will you receive the kind of love and nurture that you need in order to grow. Only in such friendships will you learn how to give God’s love effectively to others—which is the very essence of holiness (1 Thess. 3:12,13).
How do you build these friendships? The place to start is by agreeing with God that you need this, and then by asking him to tutor you in learning how to be a good spiritual friend (1 Thess. 4:9). He will probably urge you to commit to meet regularly with a smaller group of Christians for Bible study and prayer. But then he will call on you to go deeper with one or more of these people—to talk share your fears and doubts and problems with one another, to gradually understand what makes each other tick, to encourage one another, to challenge one another, to pray for and with one another, to work through conflict, to serve others together, etc. Over time, these friendships will take up a significant portion of your time and mental and emotional energy—and they will become a precious avenue of spiritual insight and encouragement and stability and sanity. You will grow in holiness!
In order to grow in holiness, we also need the nourishment of God’s Word (re-read 2:2). For many Christians, this means listening to a weekly sermon, or attending a weekly Bible study, or even reading the Bible daily. Again, these are good starts, but they will not result in extensive growth in holiness. Peter says that in order to grow, we need to “crave” the milk of God’s Word like newborn babies crave their mother’s milk. Peter is not merely saying that we need regular exposure to the Bible; we need to become addicted to it![1] The point is not just that we learn biblical truths; it is that we delight in what God says (as in Ps. 119:16,47,70). I remember feeding my new-born daughter for the first time—she was anything but blasé about the milk! Newborn Christians have the same response to God’s Word. It is not just the stimulation of learning something new—it is the delight in receiving spiritual life! It is this craving for, this delight in God’s Word that enables us to receive his nourishment and grow in holiness. How can we get and keep this health-giving addiction? On the one hand, you can’t simply make yourself feel this desire or delight. On the other hand, you can do things to cultivate it. Here are some pointers:
Remember that the Bible is not first of all an owner’s manual or a rule book. It is first of all God’s love letter to you—written by One who loves you, and written to fill you with his love. This motivated me to read Bev’s letters—and it motivates me to read and reflect on God’s Word![2]
Because the Bible is God’s love letter, always pray before you read or listen to it like Ps. 119:18: “Open my eyes, that I may see wonderful things in your Word.” He will increase your understanding of his love and deepen your delight in his Word.
Sit under Bible teaching by people who are not only knowledgeable and gifted, but who also crave and delight in the Word. God speaks through them not only to inform you, but also to draw you into the joy of living in his Word!
Discuss what God is teaching you from his Word with your close spiritual friends (Col. 3:16). This deepens your spiritual friendships, and increases your delight in God’s Word! Consider these words from Ajith Fernando, which explain how craving truth and close spiritual friendship go together:
“One key to a deep friendship is time spent in long conversations . . . Many people do not seem to have time for long conversations. They have so many things to do! When they have free time, it is spent on entertainment . . . We can’t bear the thought of just sitting and discussing issues . . . (But such discussion) has a richness to it. It satisfies the deep desire in our hearts implanted by a God who is committed to truth. God’s understanding of truth includes more than facts. Christian truth has a qualitative and experiential aspect to it. So truth can be enjoyed only if we are willing to linger with it, to ask what its implications are, to ask how it should influence our thinking and acting . . . Those who set aside time for enriching discussions on issues, on the things of God, will rediscover the joy of truth. They will bring new depth of true personal fulfillment to their lives. We need to bring long chats back into our schedules, allowing significant slots of time for truth-related discussions . . . It is in such times that minds meet, that we experience together the joy of truth which is one of the most precious forms of joy. People who let long conversations eat into their schedules—and that is a sacrifice—will know the joy of minds meeting on a deep level. From such depths true friendships will be forged . . .”(Ajith Fernando, Reclaiming Friendship (Scottdale, Pennsylvania: Herald Press, 1993), pp. 28-35)
[1] Epipotheo means “earnestly desire,” “long for,” even to “lust.” This is the proper counterpart of epithumeia (idolatrous over-desires). Edmund Clowney says: “Christians must be addicted to the Bible.”
[2] “What quickens our desire for the life-giving word of God? . . . Those who read the word of God . . . must never forget why the word is given and whom it reveals. The word shows us that the Lord is good; his words are sweeter than honey to our taste because in them the Lord gives himself to us.” Clowney, The Message of 1 Peter.