1 Peter 2
Pause:
Before you start reading this devotional, take a moment to stop what you’re doing, slow down and focus on Jesus.
Pray and ask him to open your eyes to see as you read the scriptures, and to open your ears to hear as you wait on the leading of the Spirit.
Read:
1 Peter 2 (CSB): “Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all slander. 2 Like newborn infants, desire the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow up into your salvation, 3 if you have tasted that the Lord is good. 4 As you come to him, a living stone—rejected by people but chosen and honored by God— 5 you yourselves, as living stones, a spiritual house, are being built to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For it stands in Scripture:
‘See, I lay a stone in Zion,
a chosen and honored cornerstone,
and the one who believes in him
will never be put to shame.’
7 So honor will come to you who believe; but for the unbelieving,
‘The stone that the builders rejected—
this one has become the cornerstone.’
8 and
‘A stone to stumble over,
and a rock to trip over.’
They stumble because they disobey the word; they were destined for this.
9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
11 Dear friends, I urge you as strangers and exiles to abstain from sinful desires that wage war against the soul. 12 Conduct yourselves honorably among the Gentiles, so that when they slander you as evildoers, they will observe your good works and will glorify God on the day he visits.
13 Submit to every human authority because of the Lord, whether to the emperor as the supreme authority 14 or to governors as those sent out by him to punish those who do what is evil and to praise those who do what is good. 15 For it is God’s will that you silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing good. 16 Submit as free people, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but as God’s slaves. 17 Honor everyone. Love the brothers and sisters. Fear God. Honor the emperor.
18 Household slaves, submit to your masters with all reverence not only to the good and gentle ones but also to the cruel. 19 For it brings favor if, because of a consciousness of God, someone endures grief from suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is there if when you do wrong and are beaten, you endure it? But when you do what is good and suffer, if you endure it, this brings favor with God.
21 For you were called to this, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. 22 He did not commit sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth; 23 when he was insulted, he did not insult in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten but entrusted himself to the one who judges justly. 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree; so that, having died to sins, we might live for righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 25 For you were like sheep going astray, but you have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.”
Note: For more clarity on ancient Biblical slavery, I recommend this resource.
Going Deeper:
I am struck by the way these Scriptures emphasize the goodness of God’s word in these first few verses. The positive command following ridding ourselves of evil and sinful actions is to “desire the pure milk of the word.” These verses say that we “grow up into” our salvation by God’s word. Tied to God’s word--the good news of who Jesus is as well as his instructions and story throughout Scripture--is tasting “that the Lord is good.”
God’s word is an incredible help in the battle against sin. Jesus uses God’s words when Satan tempts him in the wilderness. God’s words teach us about how to live as his people, reflecting his image to the world. His words help us to enter into the depths of our salvation with maturity. And, perhaps most beautifully, they show us the goodness of God!
Peter may not have known that his letter would be preserved as part of God’s words to us. Yet, God’s Spirit speaks incredible truths to us now through these verses. God reminds us, through these words in 1 Peter, of the following truths:
“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”
God has given us an absolutely humbling degree of honor and value. He calls us his children, his friends, co-heirs with Christ, and so much more. Here, he emphasizes that he has chosen us and made us a people of his own. “He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son he loves” (Colossians 1:13).
He has also given us a purpose: “that you may proclaim the praises of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” He sets us aside as his own people, reveals the depths of his character to us, and declares his greatest mystery and most amazing news to us. Our job is to now declare his praises--his goodness to us, his beauty through his creation, his infinite patience, and so much more--to a wanting world. He has given us such an incredible position of honor and power so that we can invite others into this new priesthood.
May we see new depths of our salvation and God’s goodness through his word. And when we do, may we declare it to one another and to the world!
Pray:
Respond to God in prayer by speaking to Him about what stood out to you from this passage this morning.
Listen:
What is the Holy Spirit saying to you this morning?
Apply:
What are you going to do in response to what God is saying to you from the text and by the Spirit?