Day 21. Are You Lactose Intolerant?

1 Peter 2:1-3 So rid yourselves of all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all slander.² Like newborn infants, desire the pure spiritual milk, so that you may grow by it for your salvation,^[a] 3 since you have tasted that the Lord is good.

In Peter’s first epistle to Christians who were facing opposition for their faith while living scattered throughout The Roman Empire, he begins with encouragement. He reminds them of a “living hope” that they have by being “born again” through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:3-4). He also reminds them that they will one day see Jesus face to face because of these truths that the heavenly host eagerly waits to see God’s plan of redemption in Jesus unfold. Finally, Peter urges the scattered Christian’s to pursue holiness, because the “One who called you is holy” (1 Peter 1:15). Peter goes on to give some practical application that we can grab hold and apply today in our own lives as those who have been born again by obedience to the truth of the Gospel.

Peter says to COMPLETELY get rid of a few things. Let’s take an inventory.

Malice - a general evil intent or desire to hurt someone

This doesn’t mean you are actively hurting someone. Do you have evil thoughts toward another person? Are you happy when they experience harm?

Deceit - to conceal or misrepresent the truth

Are you willing to cause others to think something that is untrue for personal gain or to help your reputation? Are you willing to lie when necessary to save face?

Hypocrisy - insincerity or pretense, conflict between internal intent and outward actions

Do you listen but not care? Do you attend but really desire to be elsewhere? Do you obey because you love God or to look good?

Envy - painful or resentful awareness of another’s advantage along with the desire to possess the same advantage.

Do you always look at what other people have and long for their stuff, relationships, money, athletic ability, or looks? This is envy. Be thankful for what God you!

Slander - to criticize others with the intend to hurt

How do you speak about other people when they are not around? How do you speak about family, church family, friends, or enemies to others?

How did you do? Have you found any of these conditions or practices in your life that you need to COMPLETELY remove?

Peter gives an alternative for the born again believer to fill up the void left from abandoning these old practices. “Desire the pure spiritual milk,” which is an intake and obedience to God’s word. According to the Mayo Clinic, Lactose intolerance is a condition where a person has deficiency of lactase in their small intestine. Because of this, it is difficult for them to digest anything containing milk. It’s similar to someone who fails to remove malice, envy, slander, etc. because when we fail to do remove these practices we also fail to digest and grow from the nourishing truth we need to be more like Christ. No matter how good ice cream or cheese or anything else tastes it provides no nutritional benefit for a person who is lactose intolerant. And for someone who is holding on to malice, envy, slander, hypocrisy, or deceit the benefits of God's Word will become useless because of their refusal to grow in holiness.

Are you benefiting from the pure milk of obedience to God’s word?

Do you have any conditions (malice, envy, etc) that you need to completely remove so you can digest God’s word as you grow to be like Christ?

Do it today. Confess your shortcomings and sins. Trust that God is able to transform you. But be willing and continually intent on obeying Him. Don’t delay!