Greater Hope: Growth

Grow through the Word of God.

1 Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all ^bslander, 2 like newborn babies, long for the ^bpure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, 3  if you have tasted ^bthe kindness of the Lord.

           Leave the words against God’s people behind you. 

            Long for the Word of God to satisfy you.                

           Let the Word of God mature you.

Grow as the House of God.

4 And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

6 For this is contained in Scripture: “Behold, I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious cornerstone,

And he who believes in Him will not be disappointed.” 7 This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve, “The stone which the builders rejected, This became the very cornerstone,” 8 and, “A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense”; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were also appointed.

            Jesus is the rejected living stone. 

            You are the redeemed living stone.

Grow as the People of God.

9But you are a chosen race, aroyal priesthood, aholy nation, a people forGod’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

            Your position is the people of God. 

            Your purpose to proclaim the excellencies (the Gospel) of God. 

22Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a ^csincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart, 23for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.

24For,“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.

The last verses of chapter 1 lay the foundation for this next section of Scripture.  It speaks first of all to the fact that we love others out of purified heart and a regenerated heart.  First of all our hearts are regenerated by the seed of God’s word that is living and enduring.  Then our hearts are being purified by the word of God that is living and enduring.

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