This is one of Peter's concerns for Christians in 1 Peter 2:1-3. He greatly desires that Christians "grow up in their salvation," for if they are not growing they are in great danger. (2:2) As in the physical so it is in the spiritual, growth is not automatic. There are essentials necessary for us to grow. Two of the essentials for Christian growth are revealed to us in this passage.

We are first told to remove the poisons to Christian growth; "rid yourselves of all malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind." The word "rid" can also be translated "strip off," as one strips off soiled clothing. It denotes a conscious and concerted effort to be done with these poisons. Note that this is our responsibility. We cannot rid ourselves of these sins in the heart. Only God in Christ can do this. Only He can make a clean heart. But once He has made it clean we are responsible to keep it clean. In Christ we must not allow these poisons in our life and we must keep ourselves away from areas of temptation. By the power of His abiding Spirit we can and must fulfill our responsibility to rid ourselves of all that is unhealthy to our growth and development in Christ Jesus.

We can not grow by only removing the poisons. Doing so would leave us malnourished and empty. We must take in proper nourishment. Indeed, we need to "crave the pure spiritual milk." Milk is used several times in the New Testament to refer to Scripture and to sound biblical doctrine, the nourishment for growing Christians. We need to develop an appetite for the God's Word and the things of God. Appetites are as much, if not more, a matter of learned behavior as they are natural likes and dislikes. I have had many people tell me that there was a particular food or drink that when first tried they didn't like it. But they developed a taste for it. We never have an appetite for what we have never tasted. God gives us the desire for His Word but we must develop the appetite for it.

It is more than having an appetite, we are to "crave" it. When our oldest child was an infant my wife needed some time alone, away from house and child . I therefore came home early from my study to watch our daughter so my wife could go out shopping for a while. She wife promised she would be home for the next feeding time. Enjoying her time out my wife lost track of time. I on the other hand was fully aware she was late for my daughter was crying, very loudly, for mom. She was nursing and was not bottle trained, so there wasn't a thing I could do. Only mom's pure milk would satisfy. No substitutes or attempts to soothe would do. I learned a lesson about craving pure milk that day. My daughter taught me very loudly what is means! Its no wonder Peter says, "like newborn babies crave the pure spiritual milk! "

Note also the emphasis on "pure." Not skim, but the whole unadulterated milk. We cannot grow on skimming through the Word and on bit and pieces of godly instruction. We need the whole council of God and to feast upon His Word. We need to come to the table; places where God's Word is being rightly proclaimed and taught. Sadly the Church today is filled with anorexic Christians, malnourished from lack of eating.

If we are not growing we are decaying. There is not middle road here. Therefore beloved let us rid ourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, let us crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it we may grow up in your salvation, now that we have tasted that the Lord is good. (paraphrase of 1 Peter 2:1-3)

Keep Close To Jesus
Pastor Gerry