1 Peter 1:21-25 ESV(21) who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.(22) Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart,(23) since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding 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, (25) but the word of the Lord remains forever.” And this word is the good news that was preached to you.
After reading this passage the question I get is; How is having our souls purified by obeying the truth of Christ relate to sincere love?
“Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love…”
Our souls are purified for love (gr. philadelphia brotherly love when we are saved we are brought into the family of God as sons of God we are brothers) it was for this reason we are purified (saved) for love and its a sincere or unfeigned (real) love as you would have for your own family.
Since that has happened Peter says here then do it “love one another from a pure heart” what He has empowered us to do we should & will do.
since
this connects to the previous command to love one another.
you have been born again, we should, can & will love one another since we have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God
The new birth that is wrought by God is brought about by something real & ever abiding the word of God, so the love that is produced will be sincere and pure & uncorrupted.
1Jn 2:5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him:
1Jn 4:12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.
For; connecting to previous thought on a real & abiding love All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, A love that is a fleshly love does not abide is not a true sincere love as this passage speaks of. The love that comes from God is unfeigned not put on but sincere real, genuine because its based on the abiding word of God.
but the word of the Lord remains forever.
“But what’s the point of making such a big deal out of the Word’s permanence? The point is that when you are born by someone’s seed, you take on the character of that seed. It constitutes your nature. And what Peter wants us to see is that the seed that created us, that caused us to be born again, was the Word of God that is imperishable, living, abiding, and lasting forever. And therefore that is who we are. We are forever. And what is it to believe this? It is hope.” -John Piper
The theme of this chapter has been hope. v3 he caused us to be born again to a living hope… When our hope is in God & his sovereign work of salvation it sets us free to love with a genuine, sincere love!
And this word is the good news that was preached to you.
The word, the gospel that was preached brought about the faith that believed that belief brings about obedience to the truth and produces a truth and lasting love for Gods people.
This brotherly love is a great point of the assurance of our salvation.
1Jn 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.
1Jn 4:12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.
Joh 13:35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
True, sincere, unfeigned Love is a distinguishing mark of the children of God.
Love is the right response to what God has done for us.
1Jn 4:11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
I am seeing this over & over through scripture God does His work then we have our response. He serves us then we serve him in response.
This continues in the next chapter more response to all the glorious truth of Gods work in saving us. Chapter two starts out with Therefore… That’s where I’ll start tomorrow.
Father, in light of all you have done for me cause me to love as you have loved me. Though I am unlovable you chose to love me anyway. You sent Jesus to bleed & die and purchase my salvation. Oh let your perfect work continue. I confess that my love for self at times out weighs my love for you and others. Let your word grow in my heart. Break up the fallow ground of my heart so that you word will be as the good seed that will grow and produce the fruit of love. Help me to place my hope for all this in you & your work. I must considered myself dead indeed to sin but alive to you this day Lord. I need thee this day. May your name be glorified by the way I love this day.
