1 Peter 2:3 Commentary and Bible Study

You cannot really take any pleasure from God’s word, if you are unconverted. Technical pleasure you may derive; literary pleasure, you may find, particularly in the King James Version, wonderful phrases, wonderful reflections and thoughts, but you only derive spiritual pleasure – that very special warmth and delight – if you have tasted grace, that is, the favour of God in salvation, his converting love, and you must go on experiencing that to really appreciate the word. The sense of it is more: ‘Since ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.’ It is not a question, but a piece of reasoning. We need to lay aside all those things that will spoil fellowship. The word translated ‘if so be’ or ‘if indeed’ is not intended to cast doubt on the reality of his reader’s conversion, but to emphasise the need for care in coming to the conclusion that they possess new life. It is right for a Christian to have very strong assurance which excludes all doubt, and this is something which every believer should aim at, but to carelessly arrive at this conclusion without due evidence that God has worked in the life is highly dangerous. It is therefore out of concern for our welfare that Scripture urges us to reach this conclusion about ourselves through careful self-examination and with prayer. Assurance should not be considered some rare height that only a few ever attain to, and it is not so hard to be convinced about that it takes years of scrutiny, but it is should certainly not be taken for granted. ‘If indeed you have tasted …’. The Christian life starts with an experience, a life changing experience. It is not simply a matter of adopting certain ideas, or choosing to belong to a certain organisation, but it involves a conscious new birth by which we joyfully receive new life, eternal life, and understand the basis on which this has been given to us by God. Much that the Christian is given is in the future and the full glory of what lies ahead is hidden from us, but it is not so hidden that we have no inkling of it. If someone tastes the food set before him, then it is in expectation of presently enjoying the full meal. At conversion the Christian tastes that the Lord is good, and he goes on tasting during the remainder of this life. He will enjoy the full meal when he enters into glory at the end of life for then he will see the Lord face to face and will be enabled to enjoy the Lord without restraint. But Peter emphasises that salvation involves us in true knowledge of God, true experience of his goodness, so that we do no proceed along the Christian path without even a glimpse of where we are going.