b) Preach the Word: (1:23-25): Before we came to Christ, we had the perishable seed. We lived in the ways of the world. We were hopeless people, like the flower of grass which fades away by evening. Everything in this life viz. possessions, accomplishments, people will eventually fade away and disappear. Only God’s Word and work are permanent.
But when we came to Christ, we have tasted the born again experience with the imperishable seed, i.e. the Word of God. Therefore we have imperishable seed in us. With the Word of God and the Holy Spirit with us, we must exercise the love of God in our day-to-day life. We must show the love of God to others through our life by preaching the Gospel. This Gospel produces fruit. So our life must be fruitful by bringing as many people as possible to Christ. For this we have a wonderful key: Jesus said: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing (Jn.15:5). Further Jesus said: “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you” (Jn.15:12). When we have the “fruit of Spirit” the first one being ‘Love’ (Gal.5:22), we manifest the love of God, then our life itself would become a sermon to others. The Gospel we preach would change their lives. Therefore Apostle Peter exhorts, that every believer must be filled with the Word of God: “Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts”
(Col.3:16) and the Spirit of God: “be filled with the Spirit” (Eph.5:18b), in order to manifest the love God to others. So finally the Apostle says: this is the Word, he was preaching to the scattered churches throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia (1 Pet.1:1). It is time that we reflect our lives based on Peter’s exhortation.
c) Repentance from sin: (2:1): Peter asks us to rid ourselves from all malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy and slander. Take a U-turn from the former way of live and live for God. Apostle John says: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 Jn.1:9). That’s why Apostle Paul says: “If anyone is in Christ he is a new creation” (2 Cor.5:17a). We can start a completely new life, a life in Christ by faith because He is the author of our faith.
d) Desire for spiritual growth: (2:2). One natural characteristic all children share is that they want to grow up, to be like big brother or sister or like their parents. When we are born again, we become spiritual new born babies. If we are healthy, we will yearn to grow. How sad it is that some people never grow up. The need for milk is a natural instinct for a baby, and its signals the desire for nourishment that will lead to growth. We can see many Christians in the churches with stunted spiritual growth. It looks ugly in the natural sense and so also in the spiritual sense. As we grow, we can continue to work out our salvation through the nourishment God gives us.
e) Taste and see that the Lord is good: (2:3): Begin to find nourishment with the Word of God, our spiritual appetite will increase. We can experience that our Lord is good. His Word will satisfy the hungry and thirsty people. As David says: “Taste and see that the Lord is good, blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him” (Ps.34:8). We can check out God’s credentials. It is a warm invitation to all people of the earth. When we begin our Christian life, we know partially the goodness of God, but as we trust Him daily, we experience how good He is.