This discussion is based on 2Peter 1:3 11 and since it is rather long, I am going to summarize my thoughts. However I encourage you to take out your Bible and read it for yourself. As Peter is preaching to the early church, there was a concern about some of the leaders teaching about the saving grace of our Lord being through faith, which is true. But what is being left out (much as it is today) is that we need to add to this faith through our actions. Peter is very clear in this teaching, summarizing what our journey with Christ should be and the reward awaiting us. I hope you read through these verses carefully.
The first principle spelled out by Peter is we are given power over sin. In verses 3 4 he discusses God’s divine power we receive upon accepting Him as our Savior. He transforms us in His glory and through His great and precious promises we will be able to escape the corruption in the world. It is very interesting how he finishes verse 4. Through the wonderful promises of our Lord, we are able to escape the corruption of the world, “caused by evil desires”. What he is saying, yes there is evil in this world but it is our own desires to partake in it that causes temptation and sometimes sin. However, through the promises of Jesus Christ, we have the power to over come them.
Verses 5 9 really puts the pressure on us to use this power to transform our lives and add to the faith we have in Jesus Christ. Peter explains our journey to maturing faith and being fruitful in the Lord depends on our actions, or in other words, he says in verse 5, “make every effort”. Peter goes on to explain by saying, “Add to your faith goodness; to goodness, knowledge; to knowledge, self control; to self control, perseverance; to perseverance, godliness; to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.” Well as you read through this, it is easy to realize it is a lifetime of work Peter is calling us to and the process is not automatic. We must “make the effort” for these qualities to be a part of our life. Then immediately after telling us this, we are told if we possess these qualities, in ever increasing measure, you will be productive in producing fruit in the work the Lord has for you. He then proceeds to tell us in verse 9, if we are not making this effort to use the power we have to add to our faith, we are blind and have forgotten that the Lord has cleansed us from our past sins. In my mind, it does not get any more direct or powerful than this. Read this paragraph again.
Finally in verses 10 11, if we are eagerly doing the above, we will be sure of our place in heaven and will not fall. We will “receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ”. We choose the narrow path to travel because it leads to eternal glory with our Lord, but we also know all too often it is not an easy road that leads to heaven. However it will be well worth it, not only here on earth, but for eternity.
Author Resource:
Steve Childers is the author of Catholic or Protestant: What our Churches Should Be Teaching. Visit http://www.CatholicOrProtestant.com to learn more about the book and to register for FREE newsletters that include an article he sends out weekly.
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