After being saved (phase one) we must continue (phase two) in the same word that provided the knowledge and understanding that led us to salvation. At the same time, we must avoid the counterfeits and false teaching that can lead us away from the source of salvation. Losing salvation (phase one) is not possible, but failing to grow and produce the fruit of that salvation is a daily danger. Good deeds, godly character and the fruit of the Spirit are products of the seed of the Word of God, the same seed that produced the new birth.
For you have been born again (phase one), not of perishable seed,
but of imperishable through the living and enduring word of God….
And this is the word that was preached to you…. Like newborn babies,
crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation
(phase two).4 – 1 Peter 1:23-2:2
In this verse, Peter encourages the early Christians to realize their salvation is a result of the Word of God being planted in their lives. These believers had heard and believed “the word that was preached.” And now that they have been born into the kingdom of God (“newborn babies”) by the seed of the Word of God, he explains that they should “crave” more of that same Word. The Greek word for “crave” is epipothesate (in the aorist imperfect active tense) and means “to long for, to desire, to crave”. This preposition in compound indicates intense desire directed toward an object (Lingustic Key, p. 570). The active tense means that the subject does, or causes, the craving.
The word translated as “pure” in First Peter 1:23-2:2 is adolos which means “without deceit, unadulterated, uncontaminated”. This Greek word is used to describe the quality of grain, oil, wine. The term “may grow” is the Greek auxethete. It is rendered in the aorist subjunctive passive tense, and means “to cause to grow.” These words could be translated “in order that you might be nourished up.”
The verse from 1 Peter ends by assuring the readers that this craving for the pure spiritual milk of the Word of God will result in believers making progress in their salvation. It is helpful to note that it is the healthy baby who hungers, and even cries, for milk. So it is with the Christian. A spiritually healthy Christian hungers for the hearing, teaching and instruction that come from the Word of God. |
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Church treasurers embezzle $16 Billion out of church funds each year. This exceeds the entire cost of all foreign missions worldwide.
250 of the 300 largest international Christian organizations regularly mislead the Christian public by publishing demonstrably incorrect or falsified progress statistics.
40% of the church's entire global foreign mission resources are being deployed to just 10 over-saturated countries which already possess strong citizen-run home ministries.
(source: Gordon-Conwell Theo. Seminary here) |
