The Real Deal (1 Peter 2:2)

1 Peter 2:2 says, "...as newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word. that you may grow by it."

SINCERE

This is the only place in the scriptures, either NT, or the OT LXX, where this Greek word translated "sincere", by the KJV, is used. It is the same word as that translated as "guile", in verse one, with the alpha prefix in front, negating the meaning, or creating the opposite meaning to "guile".

The root word refers to the "bait" in a trap or snare. Not the trap itself, but 'what is used to attract the prey to the trap or snare'. In other words, it is the food or substance that lures the unsuspecting prey into the cage; snare; or trap, where they forfeit their life for the momentary pleasure of the bait. The bait offers the promise of one thing, but in reality it delivers something that is destructive to the animal that has been deceived by it.

GENUINE

What is "sincere", is 'the genuine article'. It does not present a resemblance of something, only to reveal a more insidious and sinister outcome, but it delivers exactly what it promotes itself to be. It is the real deal.

In classical Greek, the word was used of unadulterated grains; corn; and even wine, where there was no other foreign substance mixed in with the genuine article. It was all totally pure, in content, 100% of what it was supposed to be for those seeking to purchase or obtain the commodity. It was generally used of all farm produce, and liquids, that did not have any other substance intermingled or mixed in them, nor were they in any way "tainted" by something foreign. It was also used in some applications of silver, that was 100% pure.

APPLICATIONS

In reference to the text, there are various applications, but predominantly, we are to desire the pure; undefiled; untainted word of God, in the same way that a new-born babe is totally captivated with, and craves it's mother's breast milk for sustenance to produce satisfaction and natural growth. Further, God's "unmixed" word in our lives produces the exact results that it promises, meaning, life; blessing; abundance; freedom; etc.

PURE WORD - PURE RESULTS

By extension, on a corporate level, as leadership, if in a church setting, what is being preached is not producing numerical growth and strong spiritual growth, in the body, then check up on what you are preaching/teaching; because the pure; unadulterated word will produce a harvest of the type of seed that it is, and if there is a lack of harvest, or a different harvest, then there is mixed seed that is being planted in the garden of hearts. God's word ALWAYS causes increase on every level of our lives. The pure word produces pure results.

The anecdotal story is told of Kenneth E Hagin, who after 11 years of pastoring, finally began to see the revelation of who we are in Christ, and the authority of the Believer, at which point he is quoted as saying to his wife, "What have I been teaching? It's a wonder that one of the deacons hadn't told me to get in out of the rain." At which point he began changing what he taught, not tradition, but exactly what the word had said all the time, and experienced his congregation receiving permanent deliverance; permanent help; permanent victory in their lives. The pure word produces pure results.

You are God's Best and God's Best is Yours.