“Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,” (1 Peter 2:1 KJV)
Wherefore… The ESV uses “So…”. The end of the previous chapter tells us what is on the other side of that “wherefore”. It tells us that even though everything else fades like grass, the Lord’s Word will last, and it is that Word that is our gospel or good news. So, in this chapter, Peter outlines with examples what is not worth hanging onto. At the top of this list is a string of behaviors that will not help us any. More than just not being helpful to us, if we continue in them, it actually inhibits our growth in being able to trust the Lord. Just like a tree, as it grows, it becomes stronger and able to both literally hold it’s ground better, and to sustain in adverse climates and seasons. Peter also outlines in this chapter what some of these adversities may look like.
The big question is, why? We understand the general idea of the growing process. We understand that some behaviors are not going to be helpful and others are. We may have even lived long enough to see that there are some things in life which are so futile. They are here today and gone tomorrow. What is our real reason to want to grow, and even more specifically, in Christ? Verse three. If you have tasted that the Lord is good! And not just good, but better, kind, and gracious! In Christ, and not necessarily those around you that are still growing too, you see something that is much longer lasting. Something so clean that you see how dirty that you are. Something so good that it prepared a way for you before you ever even knew about Him. Something so precious that if you are going to hang onto one thing at the cost of everything else; that it needs to be Him. Once you have tasted the Lord’s goodness and graciousness, then everything else takes perspective. You then really know deep down the answer to that why.
“Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.” (1 Peter 2:6 KJV)