Church in the exile
If you’re a believer, you know that God put us into a family made up of other adopted sons and daughters; our brothers and sisters in Christ also known as the church. But, how is the church to be the church as we are in the exile? Peter provides some insight in 1 Peter 1:22–2:12 on why and how we’re called to treat each other.
1. Love for God’s people is rooted in conversion (1:22-25)
22 Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. 23 For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.
From these verses, we learn that the Gospel is the imperishable seed that gives us the ability to love one another earnestly. Thankfully, we don’t have to manufacture something that’s not there (love) because your life is already rooted in the grace of God, good for all eternity. Without love, you end up with a church that looks like a battleground of the flesh. The church in the exile is supposed to be a place where everyone loves Jesus and one another.
2. When growing in our relationship with Jesus, we’re peacemakers within our church (2:1-2)
When growing in our relationship with Jesus, we will feel the call to be peacemakers within our church. Whether or not we agree with each other, we belong to each other.
Peter makes a list of sins in verse and these sins are all relational, impacting other people and damaging relationships ultimately destroying the church. So, Peter provides a solution. He paints a picture of new born infants that crave for spiritual milk, which is the Word of God. The Word produces the fruit of the Spirit instead of the opposite fruits of sin like deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and unkindness.
3. As we grow in church, we want to stay connected to Christ (12:4-5,9)
It’s interesting that Peter would use this metaphor as Jesus had earlier said to him,
“And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build my church.” (Matt.16:18).
Peter understood that the rock in question wasn’t him, but Jesus. However, Peter emphasised how he (like other church members) were living stones. While one stone can’t do much good, combined with others the living stones can create a grand structure. In addition, Peter calls us a holy priesthood as the Bible teaches. This means we all have equal access to God not needing a human intermediary in our relationship with him. We are even called to be the bridge builder for others to come to God. That is the strength of our connection.
4. As we connect to Christ, we want to bring others to Him (2:6-8 & 10-12)
From these verses, we are called to abstain from sinful desires. We are like a walking advertisement of God’s change in our lives. Peter is capturing that there's something amazing about the change that God brings about in our lives. It’s so important that we live honourably among our neighbours who don’t yet know how much God loves them and wants a relationship with them. But as we connect further with Christ and our church family, we only want to see the local (and global) church family grow and dutifully fulfill the Great Commission to achieve this.
Heavenly Father, I know that this world is not my home. Help me to be part of a church that is faithful. Help us to resist temptations of the flesh and the threats of the enemy. Help me to love others so that I could walk worthy before You all the days of my life.
In Jesus name I pray,
Amen