And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires. [2 Peter 1.4]
You know, it is so easy to read a passage like this and never meditate on what it is actually saying. And that is sad.
Here is what I take away from it today...
God's promises, in and through Jesus Christ, make it possible for us to enjoy a transcention out of the curses of the law otherwise rightly applied to our lives because of sin.
God's promises are not to be taken lightly!
God's promises are to be taken by faith.
After Peter makes the statement in the verse above, he goes on in his following dialog to explain how it takes place:
In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone. [2 Peter 1.5-7]
It starts with faith. But as all of us know, faith is a deep subject! Peter is gracious and thorough to share insight into the depths of how faith works best: with moral excellence!
But Peter does not leave us there. He goes on to explain then that moral excellence works best with, or in the presence of, knowledge.
Knowledge works best in the presence of self-control.
Self-control works best in the presence of patient endurance.
Patient endurance works best in the presence of godliness.
Godliness works best in the presence of brotherly affection.
And finally, brotherly affection works best in the presence of love for everyone.
Now, here is some information we can work with! It starts with love. Paul agreed with this in Galatians 5.6:
For when we place our faith in Christ Jesus, there is no benefit in being circumcised or being uncircumcised. What is important is faith expressing itself in love.
Love is the foundation for faith.
If indeed ”God so loved the world...” then we would be grossly decieved to think we should do any less! And, if we fail at the basest level of "love," it seems reasonable then that we can just forget about enjoying God's promises.
Father, You have spoken to my heart today... Thank You!
Here is what I take away from it today...
God's promises, in and through Jesus Christ, make it possible for us to enjoy a transcention out of the curses of the law otherwise rightly applied to our lives because of sin.
God's promises are not to be taken lightly!
God's promises are to be taken by faith.
After Peter makes the statement in the verse above, he goes on in his following dialog to explain how it takes place:
In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone. [2 Peter 1.5-7]
It starts with faith. But as all of us know, faith is a deep subject! Peter is gracious and thorough to share insight into the depths of how faith works best: with moral excellence!
But Peter does not leave us there. He goes on to explain then that moral excellence works best with, or in the presence of, knowledge.
Knowledge works best in the presence of self-control.
Self-control works best in the presence of patient endurance.
Patient endurance works best in the presence of godliness.
Godliness works best in the presence of brotherly affection.
And finally, brotherly affection works best in the presence of love for everyone.
Now, here is some information we can work with! It starts with love. Paul agreed with this in Galatians 5.6:
For when we place our faith in Christ Jesus, there is no benefit in being circumcised or being uncircumcised. What is important is faith expressing itself in love.
Love is the foundation for faith.
If indeed ”God so loved the world...” then we would be grossly decieved to think we should do any less! And, if we fail at the basest level of "love," it seems reasonable then that we can just forget about enjoying God's promises.
Father, You have spoken to my heart today... Thank You!
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