1 Peter 2:1-12

1 Peter 2:1. Wherefore laying aside all malice,

This is one of the old corruptible things, so put it away from you

1 Peter 2:1. And all guile,

All crafty tricks, all falsehood, exaggeration, double meanings to your words, and the like,-

1. And hypocrisies, and envies,

All hatred of those who are either better or better off than you are,-

1 Peter 2:1. And all evil speaking,

Thus the tongue expresses what the heart feels. Laying all these evil things aside, you will prove that you have been born again, born of the incorruptible seed which liveth and abideth for ever.

1 Peter 2:2. As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

You are in the family of God, but you are only babes in it yet; you have to grow to the stature of men in Christ Jesus, so «desire the sincere (unadulterated) milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.» There is no other way of growing.

1 Peter 2:3. If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. To whom coming, as unto a living stone,-

So that «the Lord» here meant is the Lord Jesus Christ. He is truly «a living stone,»-

1 Peter 2:4. Disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,-

When men disallow Christ, it is a matter of small account to us, as for what they have to say, it is less than nothing and vanity. Like the wild bluster of the winds, let it bluster until it has blown itself out. Christ is «disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,»-

1 Peter 2:5. Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priest-hood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

See what Jesus Christ has made of you who believe in him; by the incorruptible blood and the incorruptible seed, he has brought you into a heavenly priesthood, and you are today to stand at the spiritual altar, and «to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.» Will you not pray, will you not praise, will you not love? These are sacrifices with which God is well pleased.

1 Peter 2:6. Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious.

Is he not? Then, enjoy his preciousness all of you who truly believe in him. Precious Christ, precious to all his people, precious to me!

1 Peter 2:7. But unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, and a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.

When Peter wrote these verses, he must have thought of his own name. He was called a stone or a rock; and once he was to his Master «a rock of offence» when he stumbled at Christ's word, and began even to rebuke his Lord, but he was forgiven and saved, so now he gives a warning to others lest they should still more grievously sin by making Christ himself to be to them «a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence.»

1 Peter 2:9. But ye are a chosen generation,-

Hear this, ye believers, drink in this precious truth. See God's election, making you to be a people born of the Holy Ghost: «a chosen generation,»-

1 Peter 2:9. A royal priesthood,-

This is a wonderful combination, kings and priests at the same time; all honours meet on you through divine grace: «a royal priesthood,»-

1 Peter 2:9. An holy nation, a peculiar people;-

You have national privileges. God reckons you not as a mob or a herd of men, but as a nation, and a nation with this peculiar hall-mark upon you, that you are «a holy nation.» This is the true token of your nationality that you are «holiness unto the Lord,» «a peculiar people» belonging to God alone, marked off from the rest of mankind as peculiarly his. You are not, and you are not to be as other men are, you are «a peculiar people.» Your road is not the broad one where the many go, it is the narrow one which the few find, your happiness is not worldly pleasure, but pleasures at the right hand of God which are for evermore, You are «a peculiar people»;-

1 Peter 2:9. That ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:-

You are to be advertisers of the praises or virtues of Christ, not only to know them, and to be glad to know them, but to make them known to others. Beloved, how far are you doing this? I put the question personally to each one of you, for you were chosen by God on purpose that you «should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light»:-

1 Peter 2:10. Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God:-

In time long past, who ever heard of the Britons, or of the Anglo-Saxons? We were not a people, but we «are now the people of God»:-

1 Peter 2:10. Which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

We may well leap for joy, we who once had not obtained mercy. We sinned against the Lord, but he was long-suffering, and now we have obtained mercy.

1 Peter 2:11. Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims,-

For you belong not to the corruptible world, you are of an incorruptible race: «I beseech you as strangers and pilgrim,»-

1 Peter 2:11. Abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul: having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers,-

Which they are sure to do. The better you are, the more will they censure you. This is the only homage that evil can pay to good, to fall foul of it, and misrepresent it: « that whereas they speak against you as evildoers,»-

1 Peter 2:12. They may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. through the efficacy of his great atoning sacrifice. God grant it, for Jesus' sake! Amen.

This exposition consisted of readings from 1 Peter 1:17; and 1 Peter 2:1.