Love one another deeply

Read 1 Peter 1:22-25

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Holiness is a call to be like God our Father – as “obedient children” our aim is to be like him (1:14-16). We are saved by grace through faith so that we might be brought into “the obedience that comes by faith” (Eph.2:8-10; Rom.1:5). We are cleansed of our sin through the death of Jesus but this leads to an ongoing process of purification in our lives “by obeying the truth” (22; 1 Jn.3:3; Jas.4:8).

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Obedience and holiness have negative aspects to them e.g. “do not conform to evil desires” (1:14) but their primary focus and expression is love (22). It’s out of love for Jesus that we obey his commands (Jn.14:23; 15:10) and his command is that we love one another deeply and sincerely (Jn.13:34; 15:12; Rom.12:9-10). Love is the fulfilment of all God’s law (Rom.13:8-10). God is love, so that’s what his children must imitate (Eph.5:1-2; 1 Jn.4:16).

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The power to do that comes from new birth by his Spirit, which God does in us when we believe in his “living and enduring word” (23-25). It’s that same word of God which is the seed that produces new behaviour in us. By obeying the truth of God’s word our hearts are purified and we grow in love and holiness (Col.3:12-14; 1 Th.3:12-13).