{"id":1679,"date":"2024-09-22T15:28:36","date_gmt":"2024-09-22T15:28:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/drkenrpruitt.com\/KP2\/KP2\/?p=1679"},"modified":"2023-12-02T13:12:04","modified_gmt":"2023-12-02T13:12:04","slug":"september-22-authentic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/drkenrpruitt.com\/KP2\/september-22-authentic\/","title":{"rendered":"September 22, Authentic"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n

Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1 Peter 2:1  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Epistle of I Peter addressed the Christians of the diaspora<\/em> who suffered under Nero\u2019s campaign of persecution (I Peter 1:1).  Peter encouraged the persecuted church toward intentional authentic Christian living.  His overall message was that difficulties prove the authenticity of one\u2019s faith:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith\u2014of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire\u2014may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. (I Peter 1:6-7)<\/em>  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trials can bring opportunities to prove the authenticity of one’s life of faith. Therefore, in I Peter 2:1, Peter instructs members of the persecuted church to rid themselves of all that counters authentic Christian living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Consider the larger context.  Referencing I Peter 1:22, Christians are called to express genuine love within the community of faith.  This leads to a warning in I Peter 2:1 of certain attitudes that counter authentic expressions of love and potentially destroy community among believers. Therefore, Peter\u2019s audience was called to shed behavior inconsistent with Christian living. Because of the type of action called for (represented by the Greek participle), the phrase, \u201crid yourself\u201d could better be translated, \u2018having rid yourself,\u201d or \u201chaving put aside.\u201d  This indicates a direct connection to the changed heart referenced in I Peter 1:23-25, and the new birth mentioned in I Peter 1:3.  The specific items inconsistent with the new and changed life of the Christian were representative of relationships in the community of faith, and can be viewed from two simple perspectives:<\/p>\n\n\n\n