1 Peter Chapter 1 Pt. 7 Loving One Another With Pure Hearts

We are coming to the end of the first chapter in the book of First Peter.

1 Peter 1:22-23  Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: 23)  Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. 

I mentioned the atoning work of Jesus Christ is two fold. First, as the Lamb of God, He took away the sins of the world. This is expiation.

Second, The wrath of God for our sins, which He has every right to pour out upon all sinners, is turned away by the sacrificial work of Jesus Christ. 

The Father is pleased and satisfied with the atoning work of Christ on the cross. This is called propitiation.

It is because of Christ's atonement that our souls are purified before the Father. We obeyed the truth when we heard the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

We heard it preached and heeded its call. We believed on the Lord Jesus Christ and were saved.

The Spirit of God regenerated our heart, infused spiritual life into us that we never had before, and then He came to indwell us. 

He also shed abroad like a river flooding over its banks, the very love of God into our heart.

This is why a true Christian does not have to fake his or her love for others. It is a genuine, heavenly love in our hearts, that comes out in our relationships with other people.

Peter urges all of us to pursue Christian love toward one another, with pure hearts. The word "pure" means hearts that are purified by fire. 

The word also refers to a gardener pruning off dead wood and suckers, so that the tree is healthier, more productive. 

This word reminds us that we are branches grafted into Christ, the True Vine. The Father will always be doing His purifying work in us, until the day He calls us home. 

The reason loving one another with pure hearts is possible, is because of the new birth. Being born again is being born from above. 

Christian brotherhood flows from our new birth by the imperishable seed of the word of God. This is why Peter urges us to exercise brotherly love. 

As natural relationships gives rise to natural affections, so this new spiritual relationship gives rise to spiritual love for one another.  

This one another love, even as the seed from which it springs is abiding, not fleeting or changeable, as earthly things are.

Psalm 119:130  The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple. 

How can a person be born again into the family of God? Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.  

When God's word enters our heart, it drives out the darkness of our fallen nature, so that we can respond by believing. God's Word exposes the corrupt nature of our sin, and its light shows us the Savior, Jesus Christ.

James 1:21  Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. 

The apostle James reminds all who hear the word of God preached, or who are reading it, to receive the truth with meek and humble hearts. 

Salvation is the work of God and He will save those who sincerely believe His Word. 

Peter remember the Lord's parable about the seed and the sower (Matthew 13). The seed that was sown is the Word of God. 

There are four types of heart responses to the word. 

First, seed was sown by the wayside, but fowls came and devoured it. Jesus said this was a picture of Satan snatching the word away before that person could understand it.

Second, seed fell on stony places and it sprung up right away, but died, having no depth of soil. 

Jesus said this response was that of a person hearing the word, and receiving it with joy. However, as soon as tribulation or troubles were encountered, they dropped out. 

Third, seed fell on thorny ground and the thorns choked out the seed so that it could not germinate.

Jesus said that this was a person who heard the word, but gave himself to the cares of this world and the pursuit or wealth.

The last seed was cast on good soil, and it brought forth much fruit. This represents a true believer in Christ, regenerated by the Holy Spirit, and beginning to walk in newness of life with Christ. 

Therefore, salvation is of the Lord. It is His work and we must humbly, with repentant hearts read it and believe it, hear it and heed it. 

Spiritual life is in God and through God and is transmitted to us by faith, through the good seed of God's eternal word. 

1 Peter 1:24-25  For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: 25)  But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you. 

Peter ends this chapter by urging us to remember that our life on earth is fleeting and temporary. 

The spiritual implication is that we ought to diligently apply ourselves to being about Christ's kingdom work. 

Let us be focused upon the eternal things that matter, rather than being consumed with earthly things that will all perish. 

Thoughts to Ponder...

We do well to close with the words of the Psalmist. 

Psalm 90:12  So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. 

Let us learn to seek first the kingdom of God, and to have our affections set on the things of God above, where Jesus Christ is enthroned with the Father. 

It does no good for us to put our time and energy into buying more things, acquiring more wealth, or experiencing new things.

What matters is where will we go when we die? Will we be in heaven with the Lord Jesus Christ, or will we be in hell with the Devil?

If we are reading this and are born again, our eternal future is secure and blessing awaits us.

Why waste time on things that do not matter? 

Let us share the gospel with our families, the people we love the most. 

Let us witness to our friends and neighbors, so that they may be in heaven with us one day.

Bob

Psalm 39:4-5  LORD, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am. 5)  Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah. 

Psalm 103:13-18  Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him. 14)  For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust. 15)  As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. 16)  For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more. 17) But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children; 18)  To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.