1 Peter 2: 1- 3

1 Peter 1 ended with a strong declaration that the Word of God is living and abiding and that it will remain forever. The value that God places on His Word cannot me missed in reading the Bible it is clear throughout the Old Testament, the longest Chapter in the Bible is about the Word of God.(Psalm 119) Jesus Christ Himself is called the Word of God. It is vitally clear that the Christian must have a regular scheduled time of Bible reading.

1 Peter 2:1 Tells us that we should put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Verse 2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation.  Verse 1 of 1 Peter 2 is referring back to 1 Peter 1:23 primarily and to other points made in chapter 1. We have been born again not of perishable seed (the seed of physical birth) but of imperishable (the life-giving power of God's Word) 1 Peter 18-19 says that we have been ransomed not by silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ and because of these things Peter states in 1 Peter 2:1 we should conduct ourselves differently putting away these things listed in verse 1.
 Verse 2 of 1 Peter 2 tells us that we should desire the pure spiritual milk like newborn infants, so that we van grow. This is a great example that the Holy Spirit uses to place this principle clearly before our eyes and minds. We all know how a baby longs for their bottle, when it is time to eat, they will wake the whole house demanding that they are fed, they want their bottle. We all have seen how greedily a baby will suck their bottle, you can see the intensity of their desire clearly - we all can identify with what the Holy Spirit is telling us with this expression.

Our longing for the things of Christ, leads us to the Word of God because the Holy Spirit is here to bring us to Christ and to lead us to Christ likeness in our character. He does it through the Word.
The Holy Spirit must create that desire for the Word like the hunger of a baby creates the desire for their bottle. One of the things that has always helped me in my Christian life, when I am frustrated, when I am down, when sin has clouded my thoughts and actions, reading the Word of God always helps me, I'm not talking about reading a favorite verse but a whole book like Ephesians, or 1 John, or Titus, I find that reading the Word of God does something to your heart which causes you to pray and revitalization always comes. Sometimes we don't keep our daily reading habits and if it is prolonged its effect will show. It is a discipline that we must maintain, because we learn more clearer about Christ, the Holy Spirit leads us that way, our hearts are kept in the direction of Christ likeness and God gets the Glory through our confession of sin and repentance and when we pray we are acknowledging that we truly need His help to walk this Christian life. Peter calls the Word "Pure" the pure spiritual milk is the Word, it is the only thing that can truly nourish the child of God. A newborn baby cannot be satisfied with a steak, a hamburger, it can only take milk. Also, with the Christian, the only food it can grow by is the Living and Pure Word of God. This is a vital point, because there are a lot of churches that do not preach the "Pure" Word of God. A Christian cannot grow by listening to a false gospel. The child of God needs that Pure Spiritual Milk, the Word of God. This point cannot be emphasized enough. The Holy Spirit will lead us to read the Word of God, to hear the Word preached and to walk in the doctrines of the Word. Peter says if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. A baby when they have their bottle are content, whereas before they were screaming, crying, they are now smiling and happy. Peter asks us have we tasted and found Christ to be good? Has the Word of God provide a taste of Christ that you have seen that He is Good?  The Holy Spirit utilizing the Word will lead us to that place where we know that Christ is good, the more we read His Word the more we see and taste that Christ is good. The more we experience life as a Christian living out our Christianity, we will find that Christ is good. He helps us, He protects us, He intercedes for us. He took on a human nature for us, He suffered under the assault of men and Satan for us, He bled and died for us, and He rose from the dead and was seated at the right hand of the Father for us, so that we would know that God has provision for our salvation was successful. He sent the Holy Spirit for us. Truly we have all tasted that Christ is good. If you have not tasted and found Christ to be good. He has provided open access to Him, His Spirit is in the earth to take you to Him, seek Him and you will find Him and He says He will never turn anyone away He comes to Him.

We will start at 1 Peter 2: 4 next time.

Blessings!