A New Family

January 13, 2026
1 Peter 1:22-25

Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; for
“All flesh is like grass
and all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers,
and the flower falls,
but the word of the Lord remains forever.”
And this word is the good news that was preached to you.
1 Peter 1:22–25

Peter does not just command love, he roots it in new birth. When we were born again, we joined a new family. Loving fellow believers is not optional; it is the evidence that we belong to Christ.

But notice the intensity: “earnestly, from a pure heart.” Not surface-level kindness or casual community. It is a deep, deliberate love. The kind that costs us time, comfort, and emotional energy. The kind that forgives first and serves second.

And it is all anchored in God’s unchanging Word. Flowers fade. Feelings fade. But the love that flows from God’s truth never runs dry.

Father, let Your Word plant deep roots in our hearts so we can love others well. Give us the courage to love earnestly, not just conveniently. Remind us that Your Word and Your love never fail.

Deliberately Demonstrating Love,

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