1 Peter Chapter 2:
- 2:1-3 The Believers as Babes : The Secret of Personal Growth
- 2:4-8 The Believers as a Building: The Secret of Collective Growth
- 2:5-10 The Believers as Priests:
A Holy Priesthood :
Before God in the Temple – Priestly Service in the Sanctuary
A Royal Priesthood:
Before men in the world – Priestly Service in the Kingdom
2:11-3:17 The Believers as Strangers and Pilgrims : Living Heavenly Lives in an Unholy World
Living out the Royal Priesthood in the Every Day Relationships of Life:
Subjects and Sovereigns (2:13- )
Servants and Masters (2:18-25)
Wives and Husbands (3:1-7)
Brethren (3:8-11)
A Priesthood Sanctified
A “brand plucked out of the fire” (Zech3:2) cf. 1 Pet1:7.
Holy Priesthood Zech3:3-5 cf. 1Pet2:5
Royal Priesthood Zech3:5-7 cf. 1Pet2:9
A Temple Built
Personal Growth as a Babe (v1-3)
“As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby” (2:2) - for personal growth – I need Christ – the Word of God!
The milk comes from the Word and the Word comes from the Lord (v3,4).
“newborn babes” – an attitude of humility.
At the outset of chp2 we have the foundation / the pre-requisite of holiness (v1) – sincerity: ‘malice, guile, hypocrisy, envy, evil speaking’ – never to be found in the child of God.
If you want to find all of these together (Gen3) – they are features of Satan.
Must judge them radically in your life! Wishing ill of someone, under handed double dealings, half truths, subtle deception, hypocrisy – appearing to act the part appearing to be one thing when actually we are another.
To make spiritual progress we need to get over Eden! The idea that God is trying to catch us out, that God is insincere, that God doesn’t want the best for us, that we know better, the idea that when the Lord speaks and commands that obedience is optional.
Repentance is optional, baptism take it or leave it, “forsaking not the gathering of yourselves together,” an instruction only for others, consecration for those interested in a higher level of Christianity (Rom12:1) only, and actually in contradiction to the Word of God I can love the world and serve Christ, I can serve 2 masters and I am able to live as a believer whilst constantly putting myself first!
“sincere milk” = “guile free” – God does not deceive me with His Word, what He says, He means!
Do we believe that God sets standards just as an ideal but never really expects anyone ever to live by them?
Collective Growth as a Building (v4-8)
Note that personal growth comes first
If I’m faulty what I build in will be faulty
The Stone (Zech3:9) – the foundation of the Temple? Cf. 1Peter2:7-8, the stone is laid by God (Zech3:9; 1Pet2:6).
“chief corner stone” (1Peter2:6) – a lesson learnt by Peter from personal experience? “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matt16:18).
Built upon Christ, Christ at the heart, at the center of the building (2:4)
Need to be focused upon Christ.
A lamp of testimony (Zech4:2)
Building Gods House in the power of the Spirit: “not by might, not by power but by My Spirit saith the Lord of hosts”
1Pet2:5: “lively stones” – life in the stones, “are built up” – built up by the Spirit, “Holy Priesthood” – sanctifying work, “spiritual sacrifices.”
“To whom coming, as unto a living stone” (2:4) – is for collective growth of the Spiritual House - for collective growth of the Church, I must be founded upon Christ.
This is a Living Stone because it is the Stone that is building the house!
Not the builders building the house but the Stone is building the house!
He is the Corner Stone in the building (v6)
He is the High Priest in the House (v5)
Whatever stone have you heard say: “I will build my Church”?
Spiritual growth by spiritual means – there are no shortcuts!
Need to depend upon the Spirit of God (Zech4:6)
Spiritual Growth upon a Spiritual Foundation cf. 1Pet2:4; Zech3:9; Ps118:22.
Note the foundation / corner stone (Isa28:16) is laid in Zion ie. For the temple!
“no other foundation can any man lay than that which is laid…”
Not social – I like the people, not ecclesiastical foundations – come to the church – evangelism very quickly becomes about church growth! Rather than about the Glory of Christ and the Good of the Sinner!
If we get the foundation wrong devotion to Christ can be confounded with commitment to the assembly and Christianity can become synonymous with meetings!
The purpose of the building is to function as a church – the House of God.
What purpose has the Church?
A Place of Worship (v5) – offering up spiritual sacrifices, a House of Prayer (Matt21:13),
A Place of Testimony (v9) – “the pillar and ground of the truth.” – A Royal Priesthood, moving out, “ye shall show forth.”
v5 – What we are to God in the House: “A Holy Priesthood” – moral implications – separated to God.
A Holy Priesthood serving in the house cf. Zech3:4.
A Holy Priesthood
cf. Zech3:4-7 – Holiness a pre-requisite for service
The Holy Priesthood are offering up spiritual sacrifices in Gods House
A Royal Priesthood
Zech3:5 – the High Priest wore a “miter” – A Crown – it reminded men that the priest belonged to God – “Holiness to God” inscribed upon it
The Royal Priest is offering up the sacriice of a Holy Life
cf. Zech3:5-7 – going out and serving in the Kingdom, serving now in the precincts of the temple.
Is this a Priesthood of Kings? Believers are certainly priests but hardly Kings!
“And hath made us kings and priests unto God” (Rev1:6) – really a “kingdom of priests unto God”
Implies a King – God is our King
A Kingdom of God moving within the Kingdoms of men
A Kingdom of Pilgrims (v11)
A Kingdom of Priests
Its all in the smell!
Ex30:25 “And thou shalt make it an oil of holy ointment, an ointment compound after the art of the apothecary: it shall be an holy anointing oil” the tabernacle had a unique smell from the Holy Ointment.
The smell of the ointment was only to be found in the sanctuary, its use was forbidden any other place (Ex30:31ff).
As the High Priest moved out of the Holy Place he carried the fragrance of the sanctuary.
As Royal Priests, as we move out into the world we must carry the fragrance of the sanctuary, a fragrance we will gather nowhere else.
“that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light” carrying that fragrance of the sanctuary into the world is the essence of evangelism.
The Royal Priesthood works itself out on a daily basis through the every day events of life, through the relationships of life.
The next section of 1 Peter thus deals with Holiness in the relationships of life:
Subject to the King (2:13- )
Subject to our Masters (2:18-25)
Subject to our Husbands (3:1-7)
Subject to One Another (3:8-11)
Offering up the sacrifice of a Holy Life on the altar to God
“chosen generation” – out of all other generations
“Royal Priesthood” – Belonging to a King
“A Holy Nation” – Belonging to God
“A Peculiar People” – “a people purchased” / “a people for Himself” – belonging uniquely to Christ!
“Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD that sanctify them” (Ezek20:12) – ‘Jehovah Mekadeshahm’
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