Memorize and meditate on 1 Peter 1:22 today…
Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart… (NAS)
Peter teaches us several key points about our salvation in this verse.
What is salvation? A purification of the soul. Through the Spirit, God makes us clean. He removes the defilement of sin. He washes away our sin. He takes the stains of our soul and washes them white as snow. Woohoo! When God sees us, He sees the righteousness of Christ…not all the junk, mistakes, stupid decisions, failures, sins, stubborn pride, foolishness, and impure thoughts.
How are we saved? By obeying the truth. We hear the message of Christ and we listen. We respond. We repent. We receive. The truth is clear. God is perfect. He is holy. I fall short of this standard. I cannot match His holiness. I deserve His punishment. God, in love, reaches out to us in the person of Christ and offers grace. He takes our place. He removes the hindrance to relationship. He holds out His hand and says “will you come back?”. When we humble ourselves and say “yes,” God’s Spirit works to purify us, regenerate us, and adopt us into His family.
Why are we saved? The Bible gives several answers…to bring glory to God…to show forth God’s grace…to restore the image of God in man…to defeat Satan, etc. In this passage, another reason is given. We are saved and our souls are purified for a sincere love of the brethren. We are saved to learn how to love…not only how to love God but also how to love one another. And not just a sentimental, superficial love but a “sincere” love…or literally an “unhypocritical love.” God saves us so that we can begin to truly love another person, to sacrifice our own agenda for the benefit of someone else, to really care about another’s well-being, to actually go through the day not thinking about “how can I be happy?” but rather “how can I make someone else’s day today?”
Since this is one of the main reasons God saved us, Peter says fervently love another from the heart. Work on a better love toward others. Love one another from the heart…not just in outward actions but in true compassion and concern. And love one another fervently. The word literally means “to stretch out,” to extend yourself in order to love another person. Don’t go halfway. Don’t make it something to consider if the opportunity presents itself. Rather go all out. Find the opportunity. Be proactive. Take the initiative. Do something to stretch yourself in love.
Sitting here this morning, I wonder what all this means. Good stuff but I wonder how seriously I take it. I can feel the coldness of my heart. Sometimes I feel like I have to insulate myself from all the concerns that are out there because otherwise they would overwhelm me. In an age of communication, we are bombarded with needs from around the world every moment of every day. But then I can hear the quiet voice of the Spirit….”Just pray for someone fervently today…care for someone today…encourage someone today…don’t take on the whole world…just listen to My voice…and be open to My leading today.”
Lord, change my heart. Keep it from becoming cold, insensitive, insulated. Give me ears to hear Your voice today. Fill me with Your Spirit. Teach me how to love.