The First Epistle of Peter

by Richard St.James

The Sincere Milk

Bible 1611.Com / Old Paths Baptist Mission © 2011

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1 Peter 2:1 “Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,
2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.”

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1. Laying Aside
2. Taking Inside
3. Growing Thereby

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1. Laying Aside

Verse one: “Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,”

Let us look at these words malice, guile, hypocrisies, and envies for a moment.

• Malice = this is a disposition to injure others without cause.

• Guile = this is to use cunning artifice, duplicity, and deceit to fool others.

• Hypocrisy = This means primarily SIMULATION; which is a feigning to be what one is not; or dissimulation, a concealment of one's real character or motives. More generally, hypocrisy is simulation, or the assuming of a false appearance of virtue or religion; a deceitful show of a good character, in morals or religion; a counterfeiting of religion.

• Envy = To feel uneasiness, mortification or discontent, at the sight of superior excellence, reputation or happiness enjoyed by another; to repine at another's prosperity; to fret or grieve one's self at the real or supposed superiority of another, and to hate him on that account.

• Evil speakings = These are the corrupt; perverse; and wrong words.

When a person receives Jesus Christ, [which is by believing on his name] this is called believing in Jesus Christ. “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:” [John 1:12] Believing in Jesus Christ means putting your whole trust in Jesus Christ. You have literally become alive … spiritually. You have become a new creature. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” [2 Corinthians 5:17]

Now, a person who has been born again, and has been quickened [made alive spiritually] still has that old nature of his father … Adam. This person, now, has two natures. The Apostle Paul by the Holy Ghost lined it out this way to us … in Ephesians chapter four starting with verse twenty-two: “That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.” [Ephesians 4:22-25] Do you see where we are going in all this?

• We are to LAY ASIDE these things: “all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,” according to our verse in First Peter.

• We are to PUT OFF these things: “anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication” according to Colossians chapter three, verse eight and nine: “But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;” [Colossians 3:8-9]

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2. Taking Inside

The first part of verse two: “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word,”

We are to PUT ON “the new man” just as we just read about it in the book of Ephesians. And we are to PUT ON “the armour of light” just as the Holy Ghost tells us about it in Romans chapter thirteen, verse twelve: “The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.” [Romans 13:12]

Now, how can we PUT ON some things and PUT OFF other things? This is a good question?

To PUT ON some things and PUT OFF other things we need help. We need to cultivate a “desire the sincere milk of the word.”

Now, milk is both a PRIMARY and a BASIC food for us. I mean [by this] that milk is a critically important FOOD to the growth and to the maintenance of a man or woman. A new born baby needs milk … to grow. Milk is needed for children … to grow. Milk is needed by all of full age … in order to MAINTAIN health [with strong bones]. We need to have milk at the beginning our life. We need to have milk to maintain our life.

Now, this has all been said for this reason … to bring us to the place in the Bible of the first mention of milk [remember, the Law of First Mention]. The first instance of the word “milk” in the Bible occurs in the book of Genesis. [This is in Genesis chapter eighteen.] Now, we have here a strange scene. Let me say something. We need to take it in through our mind’s eye and then, store it in our hearts. Are you ready?

Here is the strange scene. Abraham is preparing a meal for the Son of God in one of His pre-incarnate appearances on this earth. This is verse eight: “And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.” [Genesis 18:8] Imagine that, a man meeting with God … prepares a meal for God … a meal with butter and milk.

Now, turn with me to Genesis chapter forty-nine. We have located here Jacob’s prophecy which foretells what will befall the twelve tribes of Israel in the last days. [This is still in the future.] Judah’s part is listed in verse ten, which is where we have this reference to Shiloh. “The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be. Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass's colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes: His eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk.” [Genesis 49:10-12]

Now, look at that. Milk is associated with one of the attributes in the appearance of the Son of God. This prophecy is fulfilled when Jesus Christ [Shiloh] comes with HIS saints at the end of the Great Tribulation. What will be seen? It will be this. HIS eyes will be “red with wine, and his teeth white with milk.” Milk is identified with God: “his teeth white with milk.” It does not say “as milk” but it says “with milk”. We need to see the importance of milk!

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3. Growing Thereby

The second part of verse two: “that ye may grow thereby:”

Remember what I said; we need to have milk … at the beginning our life. We need to have milk … to maintain our life. So it is true with spiritual growth in the believer in Jesus Christ. We need to take inside our minds and our hearts … the milk of God’s word [the Bible] in order to grow.

We need to deliberately:

1. Read God’s word, [Ephesians 3:4] “Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)”

2. Study God’s word, [2 Timothy 2:15] “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

3. Mediate God’s word, [Psalm 119:15] “I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.”

4. Memorize God’s word, [Psalm 119:11] “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”

… in order to grow in grace and the knowledge of Jesus Christ as the Bible says in Second Peter chapter three, verse eighteen: “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.” [2 Peter 3:18]

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Jesus Christ and the Church

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The First Epistle of Peter

1 Peter 2:1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,

1 Peter 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

1 Peter 2:3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

1 Peter 2:4 To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,

1 Peter 2:5 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.

1 Peter 2:6 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.

1 Peter 2:7 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,

1 Peter 2:8 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.

1 Peter 2:9 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 marvellous light:

1 Peter 2:10 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.

1 Peter 2:11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;

1 Peter 2:12 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.

1 Peter 2:13 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;

1 Peter 2:14 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.

1 Peter 2:15 For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:

1 Peter 2:16 As free, and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.

1 Peter 2:17 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.

1 Peter 2:18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.

1 Peter 2:19 For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.

1 Peter 2:20 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.

1 Peter 2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

1 Peter 2:22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:

1 Peter 2:23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:

1 Peter 2:24 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.

1 Peter 2:25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.