1 Peter 2:1-2. Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: Have we not constantly declared that our faith, if true, is always practical?
Here, again, we have the precepts of God's Word. Here we are told that there is much for us to lay aside, as if it were natural to us in every case, and must, therefore, be carefully laid aside. «Malice» we are all inclined to return evil for evil: the Christian must not do so. «All guile» everything like craft and cunning this is unbecoming in a Christian. «Hypocrisy» seeming to be what we are not; all sorts of mere seeming we must lay aside. «And envy» how easy it is for us to envy one man his wealth, or another his health, or another his talents; but «all envy» the Christian must have done with. «And evil speaking» it is painful to reflect how much of evil speaking there is among persons who we still hope are good people. They are very fond of repeating stories to the disadvantage of their fellow-Christians. Now, whether you are the author of it or not, do not be the retailer of it, for we are told here to lay aside all evil speaking. But then the religion of Jesus Christ does not consist in negatives: it is not merely what we are to lay aside; there is something to be taken up. We are told that as we are born again we are to consider ourselves as new-born babes, and are to desire the unadulterated milk of God's Word, that we may grow thereby. It is not enough to be alive: we should desire to grow. To be saved is a great blessing; we ought not, however, to be contented with being barely saved: we should seek after the graces of the Spirit and the excellent work of God within us.
1 Peter 2:3. If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
Have you tasted this? Oh! search yourselves and see, and, if ye have, then prove it by the laying aside of the evil, and the thirsting after the good.
1 Peter 2:4-5. To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, And precious. Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
The priesthood, among believers, does not belong to here and there one, but to the whole company of believers. As many as love the Saviour are priests and kings unto God, and they should regard their whole life as the exercise of this priesthood. When we assert that no platt is holy above another, we do not thereby desecrate any place, but rather consecrate all places. We believe every day to be holy, every hour to be holy, every place and occupation to be holy to holy men, and we should so live as evermore to exercise this consecrated priesthood.
1 Peter 2:6-8. 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: 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.
of which we can only say, with Augustine, «Oh! the depth,» and leave that mystery to be explained to us hereafter.
1 Peter 2:9-10. But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
How good it is to look back to the hole of the pit whence we were digged!
What if today the sovereign grace of God has made us royal priests, yet let us remember that in past times we were not a people, «But are now the people of God.» «Which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.» Yes, I think no exercise will be more profitable by way of expressing our gratitude than the remembering what we used to be before the hand of God was laid upon us in love; for if all of us did not run to an excess of riot in our outward lives, yet some of us did; and others who were kept from gross outward sins had, nevertheless, a very sink of corruption within our nature. We felt that when the Spirit of God convinced us of sin we could truly say:
«Depths of mercy, could there be,
Mercy yet reserved for me?»
And having obtained mercy, we will never cease to bless the name of God.
1 Peter 2:11-14. Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain frown fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king as supreme; or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.
Christians should be good citizens. Though in one respect they are not citizens of this world, yet as they find themselves in it they should seek the good of those among whom they dwell, and be patterns of order.
1 Peter 2:15-17. For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.
Even if they are beggars, they are men: honour them. There is God's image, though marred and defiled, in every man; and because he is a man, honour him pity him. Look down upon him never with contempt, but always feel that there is an immortal spark, even within that mass of filth. If the man be cast into all manner of beggary and wickedness, «Honour all men Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the King.» The same verse that says, «Honour the King,» however, says, «Honour all men,» and while we, therefore, have due respect to rank, yet a man is a man, and we «Honour all men.»
1 Peter 2:18-20. Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the forward. For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.
I have known some that could not do that, however. If they were only spoken to very gently, they were in a tiff directly. «But if, when ye do well, ye bear it patiently, this is acceptable with God.» Here is something more than human nature can bear. Now grace comes in to help. «This is acceptable with God.»
1 Peter 2:21. For even hereunto were ye called:
Called, you see, to be buffeted when you don't, deserve it.
1 Peter 2:21-23. Because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:
Herein is he a pattern of patience to all his people.
1 Peter 2:24-25. Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness; by whose stripes ye were healed, For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.