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1 Peter 1:22
22 Seeing ye have purified [hagnizo] your [humon] souls [psuche] in [en] obeying [hupakoe] the truth [aletheia] through [dia] the Spirit [pneuma] unto [eis] unfeigned [anupokritos] love of the brethren [philadelphia], see that ye love [agapao] one another [allelon] with [ek] a pure [katharos] heart [kardia] fervently [ektenos]: KJV-Interlinear
22 Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart, NASB
This is a complicated verse if you do not know what the meaning of truth, or love, or purified, or obedience means.
First, truth is the content of the Word of God. Love is the content of the Word of God. Doctrine is the content of the Word of God. Do you see a pattern? We studied this in detail in 1, 2, and 3rd Jn.
Love is not the emotional feelings of intimacy or hugging or just simply emoting concern or care for someone. Love is the content of the Word of God. Therefore, love equals truth equals doctrine. All three give the Word of God, certain attributes.
The Word of God is the content of words from Genesis to Revelation. Truth is the nature of those words. Love is the relationship that those words provide. In all, these three attributes provide us all a level playing field and consistent framework for conduct between ourselves and God and each other.
In this universe, there is cleanliness and there is filth. Bible doctrine is cleanliness. Everything else is filth. So, when you wash yourself with doctrine, you in effect purify your soul from the filth of everything that is non-spiritual.
When you are obedient to the truth, that simply means that you are obedient to the mandates of God. Which mandates are, having a positive attitude toward God, Christ, doctrine and your spiritual life. Obedience means to study with interest and desire to learn. Obedience means to study daily, learn daily, utilize daily, understand daily and in other words, grow up in your spiritual life.
The heart, is often used in the Bible to describe the function of Bible doctrine within your soul. In the physical body, the heart is a pump, which circulates the blood throughout the body. That is the same function referred to in the soul, whereby you are circulating doctrine throughout your soul as you think doctrine and use doctrine in your life.
And so, Peter reminds us that the best possible relationship that we can have with God and people, is through doctrine.
You must have doctrine resident in your soul and you must be in fellowship in order to use it properly. And with doctrine functioning properly (heart action) within your soul, then your relationship is not only maximized with God, but also with people.
Believers in fellowship are in the same game, so to speak, which maximizes harmony, consistency, orientation, discernment, understanding and so forth.
Believers out of fellowship are not participating in the same game, therefore there is confusion and dis-harmony.
Unbelievers aren’t even on the same field.
