Bible League: Living His Word Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.There are many ways to characterize and summarize the way of life disciples of Jesus Christ are called to follow. At one point, Jesus himself characterized the new life in terms of fruit. He said, '"You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide"' (John 15:16). In this passage, the whole point of the Christian life is characterized as a bearing of fruit, fruit that will last. In one of his letters, The Apostle Paul summarized the Christian way of life as a life of faith. He said, ". . . the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20). From this perspective, the whole point of the Christian life is to take the walk of faith. In our verse for today, the Apostle Peter gives us another way to summarize and characterize the Christian way of life. It is a life that should confirm our election and call by God. The life we live as disciples, in other words, should confirm the fact that we have been truly transformed by the blood of the lamb. How does Peter believe that we can confirm our election and call? He says that we need to practice certain qualities. What qualities are they? In the previous verses he lists them. He says, "For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love" (II Peter 1:5-7). If we analyze Peter's list, we see that most of the words on the list are attempts to capture the Christian way of life as a life of moral excellence. Take "virtue" for instance. A virtuous person is one who is righteous and good in every respect. "Steadfastness" indicates a person who is firm in his resolve to follow and obey the commands of God and Jesus Christ. And a person who exhibits "love" is a person who is obedient to the greatest commandment and to the second one that is like it. Our life of faith in Jesus Christ, our fruit-bearing life, is a life that reveals we have been elected and called. Although those diligent about living it may stumble, they will never fall (Psalm 37:24). Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingEzekiel 16 Ezekiel 16 -- Unfaithful Jerusalem and God's Grace NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Hebrews 12 Hebrews 12 -- Fatherly Discipline; A Kingdom that Cannot be Shaken NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion With all these things in mind, dear brothers and sisters, stand firm and keep a strong grip on the teaching we passed on to you both in person and by letter.Insight Paul knew that the Thessalonians would face pressure from persecutions, false teachers, worldliness, and apathy to waver from the truth and to leave the faith. So he urged them to “stand firm'' and hold on to the truth they had been taught through both his letters and in person. Challenge We also may face persecution, false teachings, worldliness, and apathy. We should hold on to the truth of Christ's teachings because our lives depend on it. Never forget the reality of Christ's life and love! Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Romans 11:36 To whom be glory forever. Amen"To whom be glory forever." This should be the single desire of the Christian. All other wishes must be subservient and tributary to this one. The Christian may wish for prosperity in his business, but only so far as it may help him to promote this--"To him be glory forever." He may desire to attain more gifts and more graces, but it should only be that "To him may be glory forever." You are not acting as you ought to do when you are moved by any other motive than a single eye to your Lord's glory. As a Christian, you are "of God, and through God," then live "to God." Let nothing ever set your heart beating so mightily as love to him. Let this ambition fire your soul; be this the foundation of every enterprise upon which you enter, and this your sustaining motive whenever your zeal would grow chill; make God your only object. Depend upon it, where self begins sorrow begins; but if God be my supreme delight and only object, "To me 'tis equal whether love ordain My life or death--appoint me ease or pain." Let your desire for God's glory be a growing desire. You blessed him in your youth, do not be content with such praises as you gave him then. Has God prospered you in business? Give him more as he has given you more. Has God given you experience? Praise him by stronger faith than you exercised at first. Does your knowledge grow? Then sing more sweetly. Do you enjoy happier times than you once had? Have you been restored from sickness, and has your sorrow been turned into peace and joy? Then give him more music; put more coals and more sweet frankincense into the censer of your praise. Practically in your life give him honor, putting the "Amen" to this doxology to your great and gracious Lord, by your own individual service and increasing holiness. Daily Light on the Daily Path Psalm 92:5 How great are Your works, O LORD! Your thoughts are very deep.Colossians 1:9 For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, Ephesians 3:17-19 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, • may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, • and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. Romans 11:33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! Isaiah 55:8,9 "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," declares the LORD. • "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts. Psalm 40:5 Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders which You have done, And Your thoughts toward us; There is none to compare with You. If I would declare and speak of them, They would be too numerous to count. New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. |
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