“Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart, for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God. 24 For,
“All flesh is like grass,
And all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers,
And the flower falls off,
25 But the word of the Lord endures forever.”
And this is the word which was preached to you.”-{ 1 Peter 1:22-25}
“Since you have in obedience to the truth… “ V22-23 Is one sentence and the heart of it is the COMMAND “Love one another.”
“Since you have…” Peter reminds them of what has taken place that their conversion is genuine and is lived out in loving other believers.
“Since you have in obedience to the truth” – is compatible, identical with, believing the truth.
It is not obedience to justify us, but because we have been justified, declared right by God through the LORD Jesus. It is lived out as a new creation in Christ, in trusting Him, growing in dependence upon Him and displaying that trust in their thinking, and doings. The fruit of obedience to the truth is growth in that obedience and love for the truth. “We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith…”- {1 Thess 1;3}
“OBEDIENCE” as a compound noun (hupo, “under,” and akoē, “the act of hearing“) conveys the thought of attentively listening to an authoritative pronouncement and then submitting to it in obedience.’-{preceptaustin}. It speaks of attentively listening to an authoritative announcement and then submitting to it in obedience. It involves a change of attitude, leading to a change of allegiance to Jesus Christ. SAVING FAITH IS EVIDENCED IN OBEDIENCE. The hearing and applying of His Word. It is the second time that obedience has been mentioned, “according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood:…”- {v2}
It is obedience that comes forth from hearing, applying by faith. And that hearing sets free from spiritual bondage and brings the heart into free and the conscience is pure, when the Word is applied. The conscience is not purified by false teaching or religions but by Obedience to the Truth! The Truth is “The Living and Enduring Word of God.” And that Word in v 25 is called the Gospel.“This word is the good news that was preached to you.” So obeying the truth in verse 22 is to hear and obey the gospel.
The believers have a new desire to obey, this is the inclination of the heart…to obey God. This does not mean believers always obey but to practice disobedience of the life is to deny you have ever submitted to “obedience of the truth…”
“PURIFIED“- We do not have the power to purify ourselves, but the Holy Spirit does and He works that into the believers life. Three of the four times the word “Hagnizo” is used is not to the literal purification, ceremonial cleaning where the emphasis is on the external but rather to the internal cleansing of the heart that is now devoted to the LORD, His Word, His will, His Ways…
The context in 1 Peter 1:22 is the internal, supernatural cleansing that the Holy Spirit does through the Living Word of God, in causing us to be born again to a living Hope through the Living Word. -{Read 1 Peter 1:3}. Peter says that we are purified when we initially obey the Word of truth, having listened attentively and submitted to the truth. The sin sick, polluted soul, has now been cleansed whiter than snow.” “Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the Lord, “Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool. “-{Isaiah 1:18}.The Truth when obeyed purifies the soul. “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.”-{John 17:17}
The truth when heard and submitted to, purifies, cleanses the soul and then loving one another is what is produced, evidenced, lived out. Not perfection but a new direction of a person whose life has been radically turned around by GOD!
Our Position- Purified
Our Practice- Loving one another!
When were you enabled to love? At the time of your new birth. From that moment on-wards you have the power to love others! You don’t have to pray for it, you have the power to! We can respond to the command to love one another because we are empowered by the indwelling Holy Spirit.- {Read Gal 5:22} “Now as to the love of the brethren you have no need for anyone to write you for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another.” -{1 Thess 4:9} We are taught by God to love others. “We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth. We will know by this that we are of the truth, and will assure our heart before Him.“-{1 John 3;16-19}.
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.”- {John 13:34}.
Love Testifies That We Are Genuine Christians!
” By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”-{John 13:35}
“To a Sincere Love of the brethren.” {anupokritos}. It comes from a word meaning without pretense. It is not a fake, hypocritical, play acting, sham, deceitful pretense, but a love that is genuine, authentic, the real deal, a love for others that comes forth from the work of God in the life! Paul uses the same word in Romans 12:9, “Let love be without hypocrisy {anupokritos}. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good.” Believers are not to be as someone playing someone else on a stage, a pretense, unhypocritical or pretense, but the real genuine deal! This love is modified in 2 Cor 6:6 -“in purity, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in genuine love,…”….’But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. “-{1 Tim 1:5}.
It is without Hypocrisy-{ Rom 12:9}
it is Genuine-{ 2 Cor 6:6}
It is from a Pure heart!-{ 1 Tim 1:5}
It is a Sincere Love-{1 Peter 1:22}
The Holy Spirit produces love in our hearts and when we are in submission to Him, living in compliance to His Word, listening with the intent to obey, then love is manifested, not something to be worked out but choices to be made in the power of the Spirit and it will be evidenced!
Genuine faith produces Genuine Love!
This is the LOVE OF AFFECTION- {Philadelphia}- Love of the brethren.
It is the Love that God he Father has for His Own. ” for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came forth from the Father. ” – {John 16:27}. This love of affection based on something in common, The LORD Jesus. The Father has a n affection for you because you have a affection for the LORD Jesu and because you believe He came froth from the Father. The word used here for “love” is love of affection, indeed we may say it is the love of to like. The Father Likes you because you like His Son and have affection for Him And so we too are to have an affection for one another! Indeed we are to be GROWING in our love for one another, the word “kindness” is the same word as “love” used in 1 Peter. “… and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love “-{ 2 Peter 1:7}. ” Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor;…”-{Rom 12:10}
Our love is not passive but active manifested in deeds of Kindness towards others in the family of God. This love is evidenced in kindness and is to be consistent and is not selfish but others orientated… and results from an obedient faith, a purified heart and now a fondness, a kindness of love towards other people who may or may not be related as blood family members but are now related through the BLOOD OF CHRIST and together in the family of GOD.
HOW ARE WE TO LOVE?
“FERVENTLY.” Peter uses the word in 1 Peter 4:8 “Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another.” Why? Because love covers a multitude of sins.” This is the love that God demonstrated on the cross, sacrificial, selfless love. Like a dam that breaks and floods over all below it, Love floods as it were over all sins, it dominates , covers as this is how love behaves. It is stronger than bitterness, it does not hold grudges {1 Cor 13:4-7}. It is more dominant than unforgiveness for Love forgives just as God in Christ has forgiven us. God wants us to love in such a dominant way that we cover the sins of others.
“Fervently love one another from the heart,”
“Fervently” Literally means stretching out to love others, an intense straining. It is used of a horse and a person. It means to stretch a muscle to it’s full capacity. It means to go all out with your love and in 1 Peter 4;8 that means covering sin! Peter asked how many times should I sin, and was told seventy times seven, unlimited, stretching to the limit and covering any sin with forgiveness! Stretched out and extended to the limit is what it is expressing. It speaks of zealously doing something, not half hearted but zealously pursuing something, in this case loving others. Earnest, intense, resolute, zealously. Love is not something that just happens but we have to be committed, thoughtful, and pursuing and something we have to work at. By His Spirit in dependence upon Him in compliance to His Word He will produce in and through us! Supernatural spiritual fruit is produced through spiritual people {Gal 5:22}.
Jesus used it when in The Garden, ” And being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground.”-{Luke 22:44}. He was extending in prayer and great drops of blood fell to the ground. It is said of the people praying for Peter when he was in prison. “So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to God. – {Acts 12:5}. They were praying with all they had. Stretching forth of their faith, to the limit!
The first and greatest commandment has to do with our love to GOD, “And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.”-{Luke 10:27}. And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.”
We are to use every part of our being in the stretching out in loving God. And our neighbor also, how? In the meeting of their NEEDS as though it was your own. Jesus goes on to tell the story of the Good Samaritan and meeting the one in need! Three people had the opportunity, two walked by and one walked towards the injured man and took care of him and when he got him to safety told the inn keeper that when he returned from his trip if the injured man had needed anything supply for him and he personally would take care of it. It is a love that is SELFLESS and SACRIFICIAL CONCERN FOR OTHERS!
The man as a Samaritan was considered as an outcast and he comes across a stranger someone he doesn’t know and takes care of him this is what it means to love! That’s love stretching out to meet the needs of another who is in need. Who is my neighbor? Anyone who has a need!
WE ARE TO LOVE TO THE FULL CAPACITY WE CAN AND HAVE BEEN GIVEN!
The objection by some is “I can’t meet every need in the world,” and that is right, but is not to be used as an excuse for selfishness when you know of someone who has a genuine need. It can be a widow in need, an orphan in genuine need, a person with a genuine need for food, clothing , financial dire need. A person in need of genuine encouragement in their faith. A person who having sinned and now in need of being restored less the evil one takes advantage of their sorrow by Christians withholding forgiveness and love to them. The person living alone and in need of some human companionship, they have a real need, the person who is ill and cannot take care of the grocery shopping or the cutting of grass… they have real needs and do you ever seek to find out and then actively love by helping. I remember when I was very ill for months with my muscle disease wondering how I would have our yard cut and our children were too young. One day i heard the sound of a lawn mower in our backyard and I would hear it for months, I never saw who it was thy had heard i was sick and came and knocked on the door and told my wife they were there to cut the grass and did so all the way up to the days leading up to his wife giving birth! Hebrews 6 10 describes the LORD’S view of such love! ” For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints.”
There are many, various types of needs and when you have the opportunity we are told to do good to all men especially those of the household of faith. -{Read Gal 6:9-10}.
It is not a stand off support sitting up in the stand looking down at the participants on a playing field. Love is not a spectator sport but a call to participation.
“LOVE”– {Agapao}= speaks of a sacrificial, selfless love for others. Seeking their highest good whether they deserve it or not. The issue is sacrificially loving others. This is not a love based on feelings, but a love that is sacrificial in pursuit of the highest good of others for Jesus sake. Paul put it this way, “…ourselves your servants FOR Jesus sake.”-{2 Cor 4;5}. It is a love that Acts on truth and not reacts to how one feels. such as “I will withdraw loving them…” it is not self centered but selfless.
The aorist tense and imperative mood speaks of the believer is COMMANDED TO DO THIS presently and continue to do so, effectively. continuously, thoughtfully, sacrificially! The active voice speaks of deciding in your mind to carry out this command to love. Think, Commit, Appropriate Continually, Consistently!
Like an Olympic Runner strains every nerve, sinew in stretching out their neck as they get to the finish line so we stretch our lives to the limit in giving our lives to serve others sacrificially…It has NOTHING to do how others respond to you whether you determine whether to love or withhold love from them. There is no one outside of you that can stop you from loving others. His Word reveals it, His Spirit empowers, He command it…
“FROM THE HEART”– The heart is the control center. Do it wholeheartedly, with all you have, trusting the HOLY SPIRIT to empower you, living on the promise that God has “given us everything pertaining to life and Godliness”-{2 Peter 1;3}. “God is at work IN you both to Desire and do for His good pleasure.”-{Phil 2:13}.
It is an unrelenting love that sacrificially stretch outs to meet others. It is not due to a legalistic thing but an inward “from the heart.” A heart of compassion, seeing a need and owning it as our own and acting to meet that need, sacrificially, selflessly, lovingly pouring out and into another!
Stretch to the limits, the very best you can in considering and sacrificially preferring in serving others. it is a call to self denial in order to selflessly serve and prefer others and this we do because He command us and because He is worthy of our loyalty in light of His love for us!