2 Peter 1:5-8
“For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Much of my early life on planet earth I was a guy with no plan or goals, just took what was coming my way, I responded by allowing my emotions and circumstances to rule my life. I was still that guy when Jan married me, set out on a trip to discover what was down the short cut; most often, it was a dead-end street. One might call it living a spontaneous life, no plan, no purpose, and a lot of messes.
Let me explain with this example, after seeing an octangular structure in a person’s yard, I decided to build one, no plan, no skills, and I did not know how to make the eight angles come together. For years it stood in our back yard in Odem, Texas as an example of my life. Habits are not easy things to change! I was still living this way for years after asking Jesus Christ into my heart.
God has a plan for each of our lives, but many will never attain them unless they understand and apply these truths, so shall we go back to “For this very reason,” for without reason where do you get the discipline to accomplish these goals?
“His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by His own glory and goodness. Through these, he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.” (2 Peter 1:3-4)
The first thing one must understand, you have been given everything you will need for a godly life, but the problem is many who call themselves followers of Christ do not believe that. A man who taught me this truth was Major Ian Thomas with this little quote: “I can’t, He never said I could, He can, and He promised He would.” Once you and I understand that it is God living His life through us, all we must be is willing and ready to submit to His authority.
So as you and I participate in the divine nature, these areas enhance our walk with God. We must add to our faith, goodness. But many a person who goes by the title of Christian lives as if something other than Christ is the object of their faith. Let me quote John Piper, “God has given all Christians varying measures of faith. This is the faith with which we receive and use our varying gifts. It is the ordinary daily faith by which we live and minister.” (Romans 12:3-8) It is impossible to please God without faith, look at Hebrews 11:6. So we need faith in Christ, and it requires allowing Him to do it all through us, but we also need goodness, to be willing to love those who despise us and want to bring harm to our nation and way of life.
Yes, we need knowledge for it is required to understand the truths of Scripture and our life on planet earth. But one must add self-control to that knowledge, for knowledge without self-control can be used to harm and not built-up a weaker brother or sister in Christ. So I turned to the dictionary for an understanding of this word. Self–control: the ability to control oneself, in particular, one's emotions and desires or the expression of them in one's behavior, especially in difficult situations: (Dictionary) The enemy knows not what you are thinking but where you are weak in your character and self-control is a must to be an effective witness for Jesus Christ.
We are to add perseverance to self-control, and in sales, one must have that trait. I was often referred to by one of my bosses as his bull-dog, the dictionary gives this definition of perseverance; “steadfastness in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success.” But one must add godliness to perseverance, and without godliness, you’re just a persistent person who may do more harm than good. So how can one add godliness? I believe the answer is found in John 15:5, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” Every quality or requirement listed above in 2 Peter 1:5-8 are ineffective if one is not abiding in Christ, so as we abide in Jesus His Spirit guides us into godliness.
And the last part of this ladder is “mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.” To have mutual-affection for another person, one must first not see self as better than the other person. One must have respect and want to serve others as Christ has done for us. And to add love to the rung in your ladder is to add God for only God is love.
From the Back Porch,
Bob Rice
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