1 Peter 2:1 KJV
[1] “Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,”
To have victory in our Christian walk, we must be willing to let go of the sins that plague us. Peter begins by mentioning some sins that start on the inside and slowly work themselves to the outside. What is in our hearts will eventually be displayed outwardly. The words “laying aside” mean to “cast aside”. We must deal with our sins in this manner. Victory comes when we are willing to let go of those things that have a strong hold on our lives.
The first word, “malice,” means “hatred with the intent to harm,” but this text deals with depravity. The word “guile” means “to bait or snare”. The word “hypocrisies” conveys the idea of an actor putting on a show. The word “envies” refers to someone having an ill will upon hearing of someone else’s prosperity or promotion. Think about these sins that are listed! They are inward sins of the heart that can grow like cancer and rob a believer of all their joy and victory.
If we consider these sins in the order they are listed, we can identify with what Peter is saying. Think about individuals who neglect the Word of God and prayer on a daily basis. They are just as saved as you and me, but they allow the old, depraved nature to rule their lives. Since depravity rules rather than spirituality, they find it easy to bait, snare, or beguile others when needed. Perhaps they are good at asking loaded questions to get the information they want. They know how to set people up to make themselves look good. All the while, they have a personality that is attractive with an ability to win the admiration of others. The truth is that they are hypocrites. They are actors playing a role pretending to be right with God but are full of envy. Jealousy rules in their hearts, and they don’t like some people because they are jealous of how God has chosen to bless them.
You may wonder how to detect this behavior in an individual’s life. You will know by what they say about others. The last sin listed is evil speaking. It means to talk down about someone. When people have these other sins in their hearts, they will always come out. Beware of those who are always talking down about others. They have a heart issue, and if you don’t want to become like them, then you may need to let them go. And if it is in your heart, get right with God by letting it all go.