"To whom shall we go?" was once asked of Jesus. Peter probably remembered that day clearly when he wrote, "As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious..." We, as 'living stones' come to the "Living Stone" to find our foundation and our bearing.

"To whom shall we go?" was once asked of Jesus. Peter probably remembered that day clearly when he wrote, "As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious..." We, as 'living stones' come to the "Living Stone" to find our foundation and our bearing.

If you are not growing, you are dying! Peter begins with a 'therefore' (or 'So...' in the ESV); based on what we have been told in 1 Peter 1:3-25, there are things we need to do!

He begins with a list of five factors that will kill growth: malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy and slander. He then encourages us to long for the "pure spiritual milk" that will enable us to grow.

Because of vv. 1-12, "Therefore..." Imperative #3 is to "conduct yourselves with fear." What does that mean? What do we know? 1) That we are redeemed/ransomed; 2) that 'as believers' our faith and hope are in God; and 3) that we are to be "obedient to the truth"!

How valuable is salvation to you? Peter tells us that the prophets searched and inquired concerning who would bring it about, the apostles couldn't help but proclaim it, and the angels longed to look into it. How valuable is salvation to you? Enough to strive for holiness?

In 1 Peter 1:3-5, Peter uses the prepositon 'into' (eis) three times. Our newbirth has resulted in our movement 1) into a living hope, 2) into an inheritance, and 3) into a salvation that is ready to be revealed.

Why do we praise God? Why do we not faint in times of persecution? Because we have a living hope; an inheritance imperishable, undefiled, and unfading; and by our faithfulness we have salvation!

Peter begins his letter by stating three foundational facts that should give us encouragement to face the world in which we live: 1) We can be a part of God's chosen people; 2) If so, we will be cleansed from our sin by the blood of Christ; and, 3) The Holy Spirit well sanctify us ('set us apart').