Revcort's Ramblings

Scripture Focus

“So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation.”— 1 Peter 2:1–2 (ESV)

Devotional Thought

I once had a very fleshly pastor tell me how to get things done in a local church. His solution wasn’t spiritual at all. It was purely of the flesh. I didn’t realize it at the time, though as a young believer who longed to trust the Lord, it didn’t sit well. His solution was to cozy up to the right men- the wealthiest man who gave the most, the most reputable or most influential man, the man who has been here the longest, and so on. You go get those men on your side privately and get them to defend your plan publicly and you’ll get things done. Does that sound right to you? Me, neither.

Peter begins this chapter with a sharp contrast: what must be put away and what must be desired.The first verse exposes a set of tools that belong not to the Spirit, but to fallen humanity—malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander.

These are not merely bad habits; they are relational weapons. They surface most clearly when people no longer trust God to work, but instead trust themselves to control outcomes.

When the Spirit is not trusted to bring unity, agreement is pursued by force. Malice takes root—anger allowed to remain and harden. Deceit soon follows, attempting to manipulate agreement rather than waiting for truth to persuade. Hypocrisy and flattery mask selfish aims. Envy resents the Spirit’s work in others. And when manipulation fails, slander attempts to discredit what cannot be controlled.

Peter warns believers to put these things away, not excuse them, spiritualize them, or tolerate them. They are the tools of the flesh, not the fruit of the Spirit.

Instead, Peter points to a radically different posture: “Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk.” Growth does not come through schemes or influence, but through dependence. Babies do not manipulate their nourishment—they cry for it. In the same way, spiritual maturity is formed by hunger for God’s Word and trust in God’s Spirit.

A healthy church is not unified by pressure, private alliances, or behind-the-scenes maneuvering. It is unified as believers submit themselves to the same Spirit, shaped by the same truth, and nourished by the same gospel. Agreement that is produced by the flesh may succeed temporarily—but only agreement formed by the Spirit leads to real growth and is reliable as God’s direction for the churxh.

Reflection Questions

Which of the sins listed in 1 Peter 2:1 most often surface when trust in God is replaced by trust in self?

How can subtle forms of manipulation or control appear “effective” while still grieving the Spirit?

What does it look like, practically, to hunger for spiritual nourishment rather than outcomes?

Are there areas where you need to put something away before true growth can continue?

Closing Prayer

Father, search my heart and expose anything that belongs to the flesh rather than to Your Spirit. Teach me to put away malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander—not just in word, but in motive. Give me the hunger of a newborn child for Your truth, and teach me to trust Your Spirit to work in Your people. Grow Your church by Your power, not ours. Amen.