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I. That soul advancement is an EVOLUTION - "That ye may grow thereby." That is, the growth of the whole soul — all its faculties, forces, and germs of power. Growth implies —

1. Inner life. A dead thing cannot grow. Sometimes education is spoken of as if the mind were a vessel into which a certain amount of information is to be poured until the mind is filled. Sometimes, as if the mind were a stone, on which the instructor was to act as a lapidary, and polish it into some beautiful form. Hence we hear so much of accomplishments, painting, drawing, music, etc. Sometimes, as if the mind was arable land, to be ploughed and in which to plant seed to germinate and develop. Philosophically, nothing can grow in the soul. It is the soul itself that grows.

2. An inner life of latent power. A thing may have life, and nothing within for future development. Not so with the soul; it has boundless possibilities.

3. A life possessing developing conditions.

II. That soul evolution involves SOUL HUNGER. "As newborn babes desire [R.V., long for] the sincere [R.V., spiritual] milk." Vegetable life grows without a desire; so, indeed, with animal life. But if the soul is to grow, it must desire it intensely.

1. The hunger must be for natural nutriment.

2. The nutriment must be of the best kind — "Sincere [R.V., spiritual] milk." What is the best kind? The "truth as it is in Jesus."

(D. Thomas, D. D.)

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KJV: Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,

WEB: Putting away therefore all wickedness, all deceit, hypocrisies, envies, and all evil speaking,