image source: http://forestry.about.com/b/2009/11/21/collect-and-plant-an-acorn-today-grow-an-oak-tree-for-the-future.htm
Continuing on in 2 Peter ...
His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness 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 and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
I usually try to link to some image that I think connects to the text at hand. We all have biological life, hence the plant image above. However, is there more to life than just biological existence?
Indeed, Saint Peter talks of godliness and participating in the divine nature.
God doesn't merely exist but has character. Likewise, we don't merely exist but have the potential to take after God's character or to take after "the corruption in the world caused by evil desires."
Are we left on our own to fend for ourselves?
We are provided promises and power from God!
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, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, 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.
Thus, we start with faith. Another word I like is trust. When we trust someone, we will do what they recommend. When we trust the pilot of the airplane, we give over our safety to the pilot. Thus, we start with trust in God.
On top of that:
goodness
When we speak of someone is good, what do we mean? I think of a person that seeks the well being of another. Someone who strives to do what is right.
knowledge
There is "book learning" but isn't there more to knowledge than that? There is also a sense of clarity of seeing things as they really are.
self-control
The ability to recognize the impulses we have and to deal with them. We have impulses to that aren't good and self-control is the ability to refuse them. We have impulses that are appropriate but must be regulated, i.e. too much of a good thing becomes bad.
perseverance
The ability to wait. The ability to plow ahead even if positive reinforcement isn't present.
godliness
What are the characteristics of God? Are we striving for those characteristics? What does God value? Do we hold the same values?
brother kindness
The picture in my head of this is meeting another person's need. We are family and we help each other out. We are part of the human family and we help each other out.
love
There is probably no better description of love than 1 Corinthians 13. Love is patient, love is kind ... It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres ...
Also, check out Eugene Petersen's interpretation of these virtues.
But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
There is a tension between God's part and our part in this journey. Without God reaching toward us through Jesus, we have no hope. Now that God has done this, we respond and we strive. But as mentioned at the top of the passage, even in our responding, we need to rely on God's promises and power in our lives, thus the final destination is sure ... a welcome into the eternal kingdom!
Lord, give me power to live for you. Help me call upon your promises for wisdom and strength. Please transform my mind from its tendencies toward selfishness and discouragement. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment