"Like Newborn Infants"

“So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.”( 1 Peter 2:1-3 ESV)

As a non-believer, we are inclined to all the evils Peter describes in the opening of today’s verse. Malice, deceit, hypocrisy, evil, and slander were our actions towards our brethren. However, as believers, we are born again. (John 3) Christ told the apostles, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:3-4). We become children of God by His grace.

In that we are children of God, we must be nurtured like children in what it means to be a child of God. In being reborn, we long to know God more, what is expected of us, and the wonders of God's power and nature. It is in this, as Peter wrote, that we begin to grow up, to mature in Christ. Our desire for the world is replaced with a desire to be more like our Savior.

What is essential in Peter’s writing is that this only happens if one truly receives salvation. The “pretender” or the one unwittingly deceived by a false teacher, by what salvation entails, does not experience the longing to know Christ in this deeper way. In our fellowship, we will find others who have this compelling desire to know Christ, and it becomes their focus because the more we come to know Him, the deeper we become in love with Him and see Him as the true treasure He is, not only to us but to the world. The meaning of the parables of the man who found the hidden treasure ( Matt 13:14), or the merchant seeking fine pearls (Matt 13:45-46), comes to take on meaning in our lives.

For these reasons, reading scripture is necessary. It is only through the scriptures that Christ is revealed to us. For those whose pastors do not expound the Word of God, there is no way for them to hear and be edified by the Holy Spirit regarding the meaning of Scripture, the understanding of how we learn about our God, and how writings thousands of years old are truly applicable to our lives today. Exposition is how we come to understand the power of God in all things, our place in creation, and why God is to be continually glorified by our day-to-day actions and during worship. As John Piper provided this summary of his thoughts and beliefs on worship:

“The inner essence of worship is to know God truly and then respond from the heart to that knowledge by valuing God, treasuring God, prizing God, enjoying God, being satisfied with God above all earthly things. And then that deep, restful, joyful satisfaction in God overflows in demonstrable acts of praise from the lips and demonstrable acts of love in serving others for the sake of Christ.” 1

I must agree with Pastor John. Jesus is my treasure, He is my prize, and my treasure in life. In Him, I am satisfied in Him alone above all things. Are you? Seek the treasure that is Christ Jesus. By grace, you may find faith, just ask Him. He will fulfill every desire, every need, and an eternal love and peace found nowhere else. Seek Him now, I pray you.

Grace and Peace.

1 John Piper, Desiring God, What is Worship, Episode 848, August 29, 2016