Growing Up in Christ

Surviving Times of Suffering

1 Peter 2:1-3

“Our part is not production, but reception of our life in Christ. This entails Bible-based fact finding; explicit faith in Him and His purpose for us in Christ; and patient trust while He takes us through the necessary processing involved. No believer ever fell into maturity, even though he is complete in Christ. Spiritual growth necessitates heart-hunger for the Lord Jesus; determination, based upon assurance, to have that which is ours in Him, plus meditation and thought. We will never come into the knowledge of our spiritual possessions through a superficial understanding of the Word. How can we ever expect to have intimate fellowship with One of whom we know little?” -Miles J. Stanford, ”The Green Letters: Principles Of Spiritual Growth”

Peter has been writing to the Christians who were living in northern Turkey and reminding them of the glorious gospel of Christ. He has told them that they’ve been “born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God” (1:23). Now, in 2:1-3 he puts before them their need to grow up in their salvation.

Tense times require from believers.

Three ingredients that are essential to spiritual growth:

1.    The preaching of the (1 Peter 2:2)

In the Parable of the Sower (Mark 4) Jesus identified three unreceptive attitudes:

Hard soil – a closed mind
Shallow soil – a superficial mind
Soil with weeds – a distracted mind

Luke 8:18

God will speak to you through His Word if you listen to Him with a heart.

James 1:21

The way you know you’ve moved to more maturity is that it’s more about obedience to God and less about .

God wants you to be dependent on Him and not your .

“As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God.  I thirst for God, the living God. When can I go and stand before him?” Psalm 42:1, 2

Romans 10:17

“Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.” John 17:17

2.   It’s all about !  (1 Peter 2:3)

“Taste and see that the Lord is good.”  Psalm 34:8

3.    God the Holy Spirit (1 Peter 2:2)

Romans 8:9

If you are a Christian, you have the in your life.

“The Spirit-filled life is not a special, deluxe edition of Christianity. It is part and parcel of the total plan of God for His people.” -A.W. Tozer

The New Testament assumes membership in .

Ephesians 4:16

2 Corinthians 8:5

Matthew 16:23

·       Malice is a cold hard settled resentment / Kindness

·       Deceit is a desire to mislead / Honesty

·       Hypocrisy is claiming to have certain beliefs but not the behavior to match / Being genuine

·       Envy is resentment that someone else has something you don’t / Generosity

John 21:21, 22

·       Slander is speaking against someone that damages their reputation / Praise

Is it true?
Is it fair?
Is it necessary?

What do all these five behaviors have in common?  They’re all aimed at hurting others; they’re all in our lives that are easy to define but not so easy to set aside.

Daily Meditations

Memory verse:  “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,”                                                                                                                                             1 Peter 2:2

Monday
Read 1 Peter 2.  Of what did Peter urge us to rid ourselves in 1 Peter 2:1?

How can our priorities reflect the fact that our lives are temporary while God’s Word is eternal?

Tuesday
Read 1 Peter 2 in a paraphrase.  According to verse 2, what should we crave? Why?

What things in life do you crave?

Wednesday
Read 1 Peter 2:1-3.  What have believers tasted in verse 3?

How do we satisfy our spiritual longings?

Thursday
Read 1 Peter 2:1-3 in a different translation.  What sins (such as malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, slander, etc.) do you need to rid yourself of starting today?

How will you tangibly show love for another Christian this week?

Friday
Read 1 Peter 2:1-3 in a paraphrase.  What does the metaphor in verses 2 and 3 contribute to your understanding of how to nurture spiritual growth?

How do the terms “birth” and “growth” each help define salvation?

Saturday
Read 1 Peter 2:1-3.  Peter speaks here of two aspects of Christian growth: individual and corporate. How might the five inner sins of verse damage outer relationships with other believers?