Doubt & Devotion

1 Peter 1:22-23 ²² Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, ²³ since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God;

Our justification is a divine act and does not require any contribution from us. We neither have the power to reverse our deadness nor to cleanse ourselves of sin. Our separation from the world, however, involves our active participation. The forgiveness of our sins is the work of God alone, and Christ is the only one who could complete the work. But the purification of our souls is our responsibility since God has already placed us in a position to pursue holiness.

As people who have obeyed the truth, we are expected to act as those who belong to the family of God. Being born into God’s family brings with it certain obligations, the most important being to have unhypocritical love toward our brothers and sisters. Notice that Peter doesn’t say we should love God as a result of being purified by Him. Instead, he says we should do the one thing that proves our love for God: loving those we can actually see and touch.

The love between siblings was a virtue highly celebrated in Greco-Roman society. It reflects the quality of the household, a sign of having a supportive family. Likewise, when Christians love one another with a genuine love, it shows the unbelieving world the quality of family they belong to. In the words of Jesus Himself, “they will know you are my disciples by your love.” 

We are called to love our enemies, those who do not follow Christ the way we do. But we are especially called to love those who belong to the family of God. The reason? We have been reborn, not to our old family, but to a new one. This new family is built not on bloodlines or human effort, but on the transforming work of Christ. And when we live out this love faithfully, we become witnesses to the world, a visible sign of the grace, unity, and hope found only in the family of God.

Father, teach me to love my brothers and sisters in Christ with sincerity and joy. Help my brotherly love reflect Your heart to those around me. Amen.

Eric James Estante

Eric has a deep passion for teaching God’s Word. He holds a degree in Theology from Central Philippine University and is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Guidance and Counseling. He served as an associate pastor in his local church in Iloilo City for four years. Eric currently volunteers with his wife, Joey, teaching biblical marriage principles at their church in Alabang. They have one son.