“Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation.”

1 Peter 2:1-2
Craving the right food is good. In fact, a strong appetite is a sign of robust life. If a baby doesn’t cry for food, we rush him to the pediatrician to find out what’s wrong. When a baby is healthy, his mother doesn’t need to coax or lecture him to eat.
Peter wants us all to continue enjoying God’s Word with the unspoiled appetite of a newborn. But sometimes our appetite fades; the Bible seems dull or even distasteful. Then He is ready with a diagnosis and cure. The sins noted in 1 Peter 2:1—malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander—are not only sins; they’re appetite spoilers. They must be addressed for our newborn hunger to be restored.
Look again at the story of Jesus washing His disciples’ feet. He is showing us what to do when we recognize those spoilers in ourselves. The gospel that first cleansed us from head to toe must now wash away the daily dirt that we accumulate. God’s Word will both convict and cauterize, leaving us clean, hungry, and thankful that we “have tasted that the Lord is good” (1 Peter 2:3).



Scripture Focus

John 13:1-11

Insight

Don’t be surprised by your sinful cravings— God isn’t. The same Word that saved you will cleanse you.

Bible In A Year

  • Deuteronomy 5-6
  • Psalm 82
  • Acts 3-4

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