2 Peter 1:12-15 Why I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though you know them… I. From this notion of putting off our bodies it will appear that — WE DO IN REALITY CONSIST OF BODY AND SOUL, which is the foundation of all religion. If we were all body, the pleasures and interests of the body would be our supreme happiness; but since we have a soul to govern the motions of the body, it must be our wisdom and our interest to take diligent heed of that soul, and not suffer the body to engross all our care. A creature that is made of two distinct parts cannot be completely happy by providing for one part only. Our care of the life of the soul will oblige us to take care of any hurt or mischief that may befall it, as we see it does in our bodies. Again, do we bestow much time and labour upon adorning our bodies, it is abundantly more for our interest that we spare a portion of them to the soul, in exalting that with wisdom and holiness. II. This observation that we are to put off our bodies will instruct us in THE DIGNITY AND SUPERIORITY OF THE SOUL ABOVE THE BODY. The soul herself suffers nothing by this separation, but is made more glorious by it. The soul is the seat of knowledge and sensation, and the body is very insignificant without it. The soul, therefore, is the best part of us. The body has no life without the soul, but the soul has life though it be stripped of body. How, then, can we justify our neglect of the soul and our unmeasurable, our most unreasonable affection for the body? III. Are we constantly apprehensive that we must leave our bodies? THIS SHOULD TEACH US NOT TO VALUE OURSELVES UPON ANY BODILY ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND QUALIFICATIONS, NOR TO ALLOW TOO LARGE A SNARE OF OUR PAINS AND TIME IN SEARCHING AFTER THEM, BUT TO PURIFY BOTH SOUL AND BODY, AND TO PREPARE THEM FOR A HAPPY RECEPTION INTO THE OTHER WORLD. It is absurd to boast or grow proud of things which we are soon to part with, or be very eager to obtain what we are sure we cannot hold for a long time. The ornaments of sobriety and temperance, humility and meekness, charity, wisdom, and holiness, will stand us in greatest stead when our bodies have left us. And nothing but they will do us service. (R. Warren, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth. |
    |