1 Peter 2:1–3 (NKJV) — 1 Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, 2 as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
Christians are not made perfect when they accept Christ. There are things the believer is to put away, to get rid of in life.
The newborn Christian is to get rid of anything that defiles him. There are things brought from the past life into the new life that defile the new Christian. Peter in chapter one states Christians have been purified in their souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren. A major change in the new Christian is love. Peter says in chapter one we are to “love one another fervently with a pure heart.”
What is the Christian to “lay aside”?
- We are to “strip off malice.” Any wickedness or forms of evil must be stripped away. Take a moment and read Romans 1:29-32. Malice is deep-seated feelings against another person, Hatred that lasts, and long-lasting bitterness.
- We are to “strip off guile.” Deception and misleading people. Guile is being two-faced, using words of flattery, false promises, tales, and just outright lying.
- We are to “strip off hypocrisies.” Pretending to be something we are not.
- We are to “strip off envies.” That would mean coveting what someone else has. Coveting so much you would want to take it away from that person.
- We are to “Strip off evil speaking.” This is usually done behind another person’s back.
Believers, followers of Christ, Christians!!! are to love and care for one another not destroy each other. We are to support, encourage and build up the body of Christ.
The body of Christ is diverse, and the diversity is brought together in unity through Jesus Christ Himself. There are no identical twins in the body of Christ.