Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the Word of God which lives and abides forever (1 Peter 1:22-23).
In verses 2-5 of this first chapter of Peter's first epistle, Peter seems to recall Jesus' words recorded in John 14:1-6. And in our present text, do verses 22 and 23 recall the Lord at His last supper with the disciples, recorded in John 13:1-17?
Peter says to the sojourners of the dispersion, "You have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit." In John 13:10 Jesus said to Peter, "he who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean..."
Peter then says, "through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart..." So too Jesus, after washing the disciples feet says, "If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them." And in John 13:34-35 he says, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another."
Having been born again of incorruptible seed, that is of Jesus Christ, through the Word of God which lives and abides forever, let us, through the Holy Spirit, love one another with a sincere love. Let us who love the Lord, love one another self-sacrificially, so that Jesus is glorified in our lives and that we may please the Lord with our lives.
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