Note from the Swindoll Study Bible
“You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart.” 1 Peter 1:22, NLT
A central command of the Bible is to love one another. As Peter turns to this command, he reminds his readers of some important factors that go into the deep love we should have for each other.
He knows that we need to develop unity and community in the midst of trials. What makes this possible? First, Peter speaks of purity of soul: “You were cleansed from your sins.” Second, me mentions obedience to the truth. Third, he calls us to a lack of hypocrisy: “Show sincere love to each other.” These things make it possible to pull together.
We are to obey the truth, not our inner urges or the counsel of others who would like to turn us against each other. We are to do away with ulterior motives and deal in integrity.