1 Peter Chapter 1, Verse 22
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22: τας ψυχας υμων ηγνικοτες εν τη υπακοη της αληθειας δια πνευματος εις φιλαδελφιαν ανυποκριτον εκ καθαρας καρδιας αλληλους αγαπησατε εκτενως
22: Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth
through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see
that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
22: Purifying your souls in the obedience of charity, with a brotherly
love, from a sincere heart love one another earnestly:
Seeing ye have purified your souls. Greek, "Having purified your souls." The apostles were never afraid of referring to human agency as having an important part in saving the soul. Comp. 1Cor 4:15. No one is made pure without personal intention or effort -- any more than one becomes accomplished or learned without personal exertion. One of the leading effects of the agency of the Holy Spirit is to excite us to make efforts for our own salvation; and there is no true piety which is not the fair result of culture, as really as the learning of a Porson or a Parr, or the harvest of the farmer. The amount of effort which we make "in purifying our souls" is usually also the measure of our attainments in religion. No one can expect to have any true piety beyond the amount of effort which he makes to be conformed to God, any more than one can expect wealth, or fame, or learning, without exertion.
In obeying the truth. That is, your yielding to the requirements of truth, and to its fair influence on your minds, has been the means of your becoming pure. The truth here referred to is, undoubtedly, that which is revealed in the gospel -- the great system of truth respecting the redemption of the world.
Through the Spirit. By the agency of the Holy Spirit. It is his office to apply truth to the mind; and however precious the truth may be, and however adapted to secure certain results on the soul, it will never produce those effects without the influences of the Holy Spirit. compare Tit 3:5, Tit 3:6. see "Jn 3:5".
Unto unfeigned love of the brethren. The effect of the influence of the Holy Spirit in applying the truth has been to produce sincere love to all who are true Christians. Comp. see "Jn 13:34"; see "1Thess 4:9".
See that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently. Comp. see "Heb 13:1"; see "Jn 13:34"; see "Jn 13:35"; see "Eph 5:2".
