Growing Up

1 Peter 2:1-3 Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. 2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, 3 now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.
 
PETER urges the church members to grow up to be a mature, pure Christian. This requires they continually work to remove any sin that hinders their spiritual life. His list of five sins, of course, is not inclusive. Perhaps these are the most visible sins. His point is clear: take action to become pure.
   This is our responsibility to live into God’s enduring word. As God calls and empowers us to faith in Jesus, we then have the opportunity to decide how to live into God’s eternal life gift. Old habits and mindsets do not readily leave us, even if they harm ourselves and keep us from others and Jesus. Unforgiveness, for example, is perhaps one of the most common sins that stains our hearts. Or we may have some habit that harms our bodies. We need to remove emotional and physical habits that infect our relationship with Jesus.
   How is your mind? Four of the five sins Peter lists in verse 1 are sins born in our thoughts. Unclean thoughts lead to impure acts. That’s why Jesus said even our thoughts can convict us: Matthew 5:27-28 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”
   It’s difficult to do what Peter says, isn’t it? That’s why he gives us a way to change. We must decide to have different minds. As a newborn needs nurturing milk, we can choose to feed our minds with God’s imperishable, living and enduring word.
   Reading the Bible, participating in a Bible study, listening to Christian music and hearing sermons are essential mind-nurturing food. Jesus offers us this food: “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. 36 But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe.” (John 6:35-37) The Lord longed for his people to flush away impure thoughts. A cleansed mind is ready to be nurtured. Feed it well, so you will grow up with the imperishable, living and enduring word.