◄ What Does 1 Peter 2:3 Mean? ►

It is David who calls us to: "Taste and see that the Lord is good," and we who have trusted in Christ as Saviour have truly tasted of the goodness of God in our own lives, and have seen in abundance the loving-kindness and forgiveness of our gracious Heavenly Father. How blessed is the man who tastes of the goodness of the Lord and takes refuge in Him.

And since we have been born from above and have tasted of the goodness of God, we are entreated by Peter to live our lives in submission to Him so that we may grow in grace and increase in spiritual wisdom and knowledge.

And for a whole chapter, Peter reminds us of our glorious position in Christ and the privileges that accompany our new life in Him. He reminds us that in Him we have been born again to a living hope and have an inheritance that is kept for us in heaven.

And although we are reminded that we live in a fallen world and that trials and difficulties will accompany our earthly path, he also reminds us that our earthly trials are short-lived and exhorts us: "Be holy for God is holy." Peter calls us to rejoice in Christ and His sufficient grace, since we have tasted and seen that the Lord is good: "For the Word of the Lord endures forever," and we are His people and the sheep of his pasture.

But since we have been partakers of the goodness of God, and since we have been born into a living hope in Christ Jesus, we are called to earnestly desire the milk of the Word, to guard against the lust of the flesh, and to flee from selfish pride and a carnal life-style. We are not to harbour malice or deceit in our heart and are to refrain from hypocrisy, insincerity, envy, and evil speaking. To engage in such behaviour violates our Christian witness and discredits the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

If as born again believers we have indeed tasted and seen that the Lord is good, we should be motivated to live as unto the Lord, to thirst after the pure milk of the Word, to abstain for ungodly actions and attitudes, and to walk godly in Christ Jesus.

Heavenly Father, how I thank You for Your goodness and grace toward me and to all people. Thank You that I have been born again, united with Christ, have a living hope in Him, and an inheritance kept for me in heaven. Keep me, I pray, from all malice and evil speaking, hypocrisy, and ungodly attitudes. Give me a thirst for Your Word so that I may grow in grace and in a knowledge of my Saviour, Jesus Christ. In His name I pray, AMEN.