Point Loma Wins! The NAIA National championship is tonight at 7pm. Go Katie.
Now, as I read and study the passage today, verses 5-9 stand out in a major way. Because of God’s great gift, our promised destiny - a home in heaven, believers must make every effort to apply the benefits of these promises to their lives by working toward a standard of high moral living.
While Christ gives the power and the divine nature, believers must make use of that power by making every effort to set aside their sinful desires and actively seek the qualities Peter describes in this passage. Believers are to use God’s power and every ounce of determination to produce the eight characteristics mentioned.
Faith is, of course, the first characteristic, for without it, Christians are no different from the pagans in the world around them. Without faith, we can not please God (Hebrews 11:6)
But Christians were not to stop at faith alone. Peter knew, like James, that faith without works is dead. The believers had work to do. Their faith was to produce a life of moral excellence. The word is also translated “virtue.” While the Greek philosophers discussed such excellence at length, Peter once again explained that true goodness could be found only in relationship with Christ. To their faith, believers were to add lifestyles that mirrored Christ’s. Their motive for such high standards? The shining moral quality of Christ’s life compels us to be our very best.
That life of moral excellence should lead to knowing God better. Knowing God leads to self-control. Self-control refers to mastery over sinful human desires in every aspect of life. This was another highly prized virtue for the Greeks. Their focus, of course, was entirely on self-effort, but the problem was that self-effort always fails in the long run because it may control the body but does not affect inward desires. We know from Romans 8:13 and Galatians 5:22-23 that Christians have the Holy Spirit’s help to gain self-control.
The quality of self-control must then lead to patient endurance, the ability to steadfastly endure suffering or evil without giving up one’s faith. Endurance is not a stoic indifference to whatever fate allows; rather, it springs from faith in God’s goodness and control over all that happens in believers’ lives.
Such endurance leads to godliness. This is another word that is unusual to the New Testament, but common to Greek ethics lists of that day. Paul emphasized godliness in the Pastoral Epistles as being the virtue that should characterize the life and conduct of the believers. Godliness was the primary word for “religion” and referred to a person’s correct attitudes toward God and people, usually referring to performing obligatory duties.
Peter describes an awareness of God in all of life—a lifestyle that exemplifies Christ and is empowered by him. Christians must have a right relationship with God and right relationships with fellow believers. The false teachers claimed such “godliness,” but were sadly lacking in reverence toward God and in good attitudes toward others.
If godliness includes right attitudes toward others, then godliness should lead to love for other Christians. It is an especially intense love (1 Peter 1:22; Hebrews 10:24) that considers others as brothers and sisters.
Showing love for other believers should translate into genuine love for everyone. While Christians must exhibit love for other believers, their love must also go deeper than mere affection. That affection should grow into the kind of love that always puts others first, seeking their highest good. The Greek word agape refers to self-sacrificial love. It is the kind of love God demonstrated in saving us. Such love among believers allows for weaknesses and imperfections, deals with problems, affirms others, and has a strong commitment and loyalty. Such a bond will hold the believers together no matter what persecutions and suffering they may face.
Believers who fail to develop these virtues, who are not growing in these qualities, are blind or, at least, very shortsighted. Peter had harsh words for believers who refused to grow. The word for shortsighted can mean “to blink” or “to shut the eyes.” Peter may also have meant that these believers were intentionally closing their eyes to Christ’s light, thus causing spiritual blindness. That they have forgotten that God has cleansed them from their old life of sin pictures those who deliberately put out of their mind all that Christ had done in erasing the sins they committed before they were saved. A believer who is “forgetful” of this and refuses to grow becomes unfruitful for God.
SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have read today?)
I don't know a single person who would say that they want their life called ineffective and unproductive. That is Homer Simpson - ineffective and unproductive. Who wants that? NO ONE! Yuk. Barf. Makes me want to throw up.
Yet, how many believers are having that epitaph written on the tombstone of their life right now - this very day? Why? They are failing to do what God commands us to do in this passage. ADD TO YOUR FAITH. Grow. Mature. Move. Develop faith.
Today, I dare you. I encourage you. I challenge you. Set up a game plan for spiritual growth for 2010. Failing to plan is planning to fail. Their are four areas of life and growth that I'd like you to consider.
The Bible says this about Jesus in Luke 2:52 "Jesus grew in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and with man." These are the four ways Jesus grew. Those are the same four ways you and I need to grow. As a parent, these are the ways we have to help our children to grow.
First it says Jesus grew in wisdom. That's mental or intellectual growth. How are you going to stretch yourselves here this next year? What books do you need to read? Maybe learn a foreign language in preparation for a missions trip. What will you do here?
Second, Jesus grew in stature. That's physical growth. Do you need to lose weight? (I DO) Do you need to eat better? (I DO) Do you need to start exercising? (I DO). What will your goals be in this area of life?
Third, Jesus in favor with God.That's spiritual growth. How does God want you to grow this year? Daily Quiet time? Develop your prayer life? Start tithing? Start serving? Get discipled? Start discipling someone? What? Where? How will you plan to grow and mature spiritually this next year?
Fourth, Jesus grew in favor with man. That's social growth. What are some ways you build relationships this year? What rough edged need to be smoothed out in your personality? Who do you need to make peace with? Who do you need to share Christ with?
That ought to be the goals you have for yourselves and in your family for each of your children, so that you help them have balanced growth -- mental, physical, spiritual and social. The Bible is very clear that the primary responsibility of raising children, helping them be prepared for life, is laid at the feet of parents. It's your responsibility. The moment you took part in a conception you got a job description. You took on a role. Ho will you choose to grow in 2010?
No comments:
Post a Comment