1) The document provides five commands for believers: have hope in God, keep holiness, always revere God, learn to love one another, and crave the Word of God. 2) It explains how to crave the Word of God by remembering it is our life source, getting rid of sin like malice and deceit, and admitting our need for nourishment like newborn babies need milk. 3) Believers are encouraged to pursue growth through regularly reading and studying the Bible, and to be thankful for God's grace by reflecting on the blessings of their salvation.

1. FIRST EPISTLE OF PETER 2:1-3
“ DO YOU HAVE A TASTE FOR THE WORD OF GOD?”
CHARLES e WHISNANT, PASTOR/ PREACHER/ TEACHER /
THEOLOGIAN
FIVE COMMANDS FOR THE BELIEVER:
1. Have hope in God.
2. Keep holiness in your life-style.
3. Always reverence God.
4. Learn to love one another as Christian brothers and sisters.
5. Crave that desire to get into the Word of God.
HOW CAN WE CRAVE THAT DESIRE TO LOVE THE WORD
1A REMEMBER YOUR LIFE SOURCE:
'WHEREFORE” (2:1) As a result of the Gospel being preached to you, you have been
born again. This is the single greatest miracle that has ever happened to you. Since this
abiding eternal word of God was the power that transformed your life, long for it, desire
it as you would milk. The Word is the seed that gives us life.
Philippians 2:16; Isaiah 55:10-11; Hebrews 4:12; John 15:3; Romans 10:17, John 20:31,
Psalms 19:7-9 and I Thessalonians 2:13.
The Word of God will perform in the Christian exactly that which is written.
2A GET RID OF YOUR SIN:
“HAVING LAID ASIDE: i.e. change life-style. Instead of giving expression to the
elements which characterize their carnal nature they should hunger for the Word.
“PUT OFF, THEN....” Free yourselves from, then get rid of the attitudes and habits
which are harmful to others as well as to yourself.
Here is Peter's command: Put off wrongful practices.
1B ALL MALICE: General wickedness, good-for-nothingness. Romans 1:29; Acts
8:22; I Corinthians 5:8; 14:2.
2B ALL GUILE: Deceit; “to catch with bait” Romans 1:29; 2 Corinthians 7:16, 1
Thess 2:3
3B ALL HYPOCRISIES: Insincerity. The masking of inward evil by an outward
show of righteousness. Mark 12:15; Galatians 2:23 and Matthew 23:28
4B ALL ENVIES: Envy. Hatred of others for what they have that you do not have

2. but wish you did. Romans 1:29
5B ALL EVIL SPEAKING: All slander, with intent to harm another person's status
or reputation
We are to lay aside whatever guile, insincerity, and false appearances we may
have, and to put on the simple honesty and openness of children.
3A ADMIT YOUR NEED: VS. 2
'LIKE NEWBORN BABES.” Like an infant. Like a just-now-born baby you are to
desire the milk. The baby desires the milk of his mother. Why? Because it is the
profoundest need it has -- Baby recognized needs. When the baby cries, you know what it
needs.
The term milk, does not speak of the elementary Christian teaching, but rather something
to be eagerly desired for nourishment.
Too many Christians have been stuffed with the world's pleasures so that the Word has no
room in their lives. They have lost or have little appetite for the Word of God.
Have you ever seen so many weak Christians today? It is just amazing how easily
Christians are lead astray by the pleasures of this world and life's struggles. Diseased
Christians: when the spirit becomes weak for a lack of nourishment, it will fall to the
disease.
We really need the pure spiritual milk of the Word, which is the nourishment of God.
You need to read the Bible, not only out of duty, for education, or for a lesson of God. It
shows up just how much you believe and obey what you read, and listen to the Holy
Spirit.
One can look at your lifestyle and see if you are really craving the Word of God. It
shows up.
4A PURSUE YOUR GROWTH:
“THAT YOU MAY GROW THEREBY.” The diet of a believer is the Word of God. It
fits the new life. The new life is spirit, and the diet of this new life must be without guile,
the unadulterated, pure word of God.
“GROWTH” the Word will cause you to grow. A Christian is to grow. Acts 2:32; First
Timothy 4:6; Second Peter 3:18.
Spiritual growth and development are required of us. You cannot be a genius if you do
not work at it, you can not be a genius if you do not discipline yourselves to learn. You
are not born a genius if you do not develop your giftedness as a Christian.

3. We are always hearing “watch your diet.” But in the spiritual sphere they are toothless,
flabby, milk-imbibing infants in their ideals. Lord, deliver me from ever being satisfied
with where I am spiritually. God help me never to be satisfied with my spiritual place.
First Corinthians 3:18
You are in real spiritual danger when you get content with your spiritual progress folks.
5A JUST SURVEY YOUR BLESSINGS: VS. 3
“IF SO BE YE HAVE TASTED THAT THE LORD IS GRACIOUS.” Psalms
34:8,
'I JUST DO NOT HAVE TIME' IS A FALSE IDEA . WE ALL HAVE THE SAME AMOUNT OF
TIME.