1Peter 2:1 Therefore, putting aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisy and envy and all slander,
Look back to 1 Peter 1:22-25. 1 Peter 2:1-10 is a continuation of the exhortation in the previous chapter meant to encourage the converted Christians. They were surrounded by the world yet no longer of the world. The enticement to fall into sin was apparent however, their faith in following God was to be their strength and focus. We can relate. Because we have been redeemed by Christ, because the Holy Spirit is working in our life, we are changed, and that change should be displayed in our character. We are weak and wanting in moral strength, purpose, and courage, and our time on earth is short. God’s word is our strength, not lacking in anything, perfect and lasting forever. Therefore, we are to …
Put aside the behavior that was once ours. This means to cast off the thinking and actions that were consistent with our old self.
Ephesians 4:22-31
Romans 13:12 The night is almost gone, and the day is at hand. Let us therefore lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.
Ephesians 5:11 And do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them;
Because the power of God’s hand has changed us, we should no longer practice or participate in the sin that once ruled our life. Christ has redeemed us, the Spirit is renewing us, therefore we are to be different, think different, and act different from the world around us. This is only possible through God’s power. Without God, we are unable to fight sin. The power to put off sin is a gift of our salvation.
Ephesians 3:16, “that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man”.
Refer again to 1 Peter 1:22, “Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart”. There was difficulty amongst those who had chosen to follow Jesus. The witness through their actions to those who opposed them was extremely important. Were others drawn towards God by their changed lives?
How about us? Do our lives point toward the holiness of God? Do we act in a consistent manner of God’s calling?
If our faith has been placed solely in Christ, we have blessings and privileges in Him to help us live in accordance with His truths in obedience. Peter specifically calls out the worldly behaviors he has seen among those he is addressing.
Malice <kakia> badness, depravity, malignity, trouble, evil, naughtiness, wickedness. This is to threaten evil, actively seeking to see others suffer, having a disposition to injure others without cause, from mere personal gratification, or from a spirit of revenge, -- Webster.
This is a general term for all sorts of evil, be careful to address it. We can quickly brush something off as not being a part of our life, yet we have all seen threats of evil against another and many of us are guilty, at least in thought, of the same. We cannot lay aside an error if we are unable to admit our fault.
Consider, have you ever been spiteful toward someone? One commentary says, “Malice delights in another’s hurt”, (JFB). This is in direct contradiction with the actions of a saved soul. Titus 3:3 addresses this sin, For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another.
Guile <dolos> trickery, craftiness, deceit, subtilty. Unfortunately, most of us understand manipulation. This is presenting something just a bit different than it truly is, in order to get someone to respond in a way that you desire. The use of the word guile here is to be shrewd or skilled in deception.
The familiar phrase ‘sly as a fox’ pertains to someone who is particularly crafty or tricky. According to Idioms by The Free Dictionary, this term means you are ‘especially devious or underhanded’. These actions are almost always for one’s own advantage. Something that is meant to deceive is fraudulent, an imposter, and purposes to hedge around the truth. Think of guile as the small print in a contract, or the part of a spoken commercial at the end where the words are so fast it is impossible to hear their meaning. Psalm 34:13 says, “Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit”.
Hypocrisy <hupokrisis> acting under a feigned part. Deceit or dissimulation, to act falsely. This is pretending to be something you are not, in other words, saying one thing while doing the opposite. When your words are not supported by your actions you are a hypocrite. Someone who is insincere might give lip service, but their words are not supported by real conviction. This action may include flattery as someone might share positive words and actions yet think differently in their heart. Being a hypocrite is the opposite of being genuine.
Matthew 22:15-18 is an example, “Then the Pharisees went and counseled together how they might trap Him in what He said. And they *sent their disciples to Him, along with the Herodians, saying, "Teacher, we know that You are truthful and teach the way of God in truth, and defer to no one; for You are not partial to any. "Tell us therefore, what do You think? Is it lawful to give a poll-tax to Caesar, or not?" But Jesus perceived their malice, and said, "Why are you testing Me, you hypocrites?”
Envy <phthonos> ill-will, jealousy, spite. We see this often, especially in politics. Maliciously attacking another in order to bring them down. The source of this behavior is strong jealousy which leads to a desire to see others suffer by causing them emotional pain or offence. Jealousy has a nickname, the green-eyed monster. According to Wikipedia, jealousy is often brought on by ‘feelings of insecurity, fear, and concern over a relative lack of possessions or safety’.
Read the instruction given in 1 Corinthians13:4, “Love is patient, love is kind, [and] is not jealous; love does not brag [and] is not arrogant”.
Do you have ill-feelings towards another’s welfare? A good question to ask ourselves may be ‘Am I able to rejoice with other’s accomplishments and blessings’?
How do you respond when your importance or position are threatened? Often you will see envy in the family structure, among children vying for attention, wanting to be the one who gets noticed. You may see this when extended family enters the picture through marriage. If you have grown children with spouses, are you able to be thankful for the attention given and time spent with another family?
Slander <katalalia> defamation, backbiting, evil speaking. Consider – have you been guilty of talking bad about another? Slander can be words that are falsely spoken that damage the reputation of someone. It can also be a purposeful attack on someone’s character or name. To slander someone is to falsely charge with malicious intent.
Are we careful with the words we use? Do we check our true motivation? Do we interpret someone’s actions without having all the facts? Do we check the source of our information or do we carelessly repeat what someone has said without thinking of the consequence? Do we readily listen to and believe gossip?
Slandering someone is the opposite of encouragement. It causes deep hurt and breaks trust between individuals. Read the exhortation in James 4:11, “Do not speak against one another, brethren. He who speaks against a brother, or judges his brother, speaks against the law, and judges the law; but if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law, but a judge [of it]”.
If we are busy judging others, we are prideful. A heart of humility is most concerned about its own actions and purpose honoring God.
Each of the actions listed above are the rule of a life untouched by God’s grace. They are products of a life controlled by sin. They begin in the heart and are reflected in speech. We are to put away, cast off these behaviors.
Recall Ephesians 4:21-24, “if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in [the likeness of] God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth”.
Matthew Henry’s Commentary says the advice is to “lay aside or put off what is evil, as one would do an old rotten garment: ‘Cast it away with indignation, never put it on more’.
Colossians 3:8-10 But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, [and] abusive speech from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its [evil] practices, and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him.
In Hebrews 12:1, we are told to put away sin – “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us”.
The book of James gives us the same instruction, “Therefore putting aside all filthiness and [all] that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls, James 1:21”.
Are we aware of our sin?
Do we ask God to show us the subtilty of it so that we can address it?
Do we actively seek to turn away from sin and turn towards God?
1 Peter 2:1 connects to the chapter that precedes it. Because you are in Christ, for this reason, you are to put aside the former self which is dominated by sin. This is important because the only way we are able to fight the pattern of sin in our lives is through Christ. On our own we are weak and ill-equipped for the battle. By God’s grace, when we understand and appreciate the truths of the gospel, we will cease to live in sin and will instead live according to His word. Living in sin is inconsistent with living in Christ. A changed heart will seek to live in holiness.
Consider the symbolism of baptism. It is a picture of being cleansed from our old way of life, having the power of sin washed away and replaced by the power of grace.
Romans 12:1 I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, [which is] your spiritual service of worship.
