Monday, August 06, 2007
Verses 3 - 11
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.
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. 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.
This section lists several attributes of the life experiencing the indwelling Christ. They remind me a bit of the Fruits of the Spirit from Galations.
I am unclear whether these "fruits" from II Peter are to be somewhat progressive -- one leading to another. In my Bible, I see that I have previously marked them as being progressive but when I look at other translations, I am not sure that is what Peter intended. Actually, now that I re-read them, I don't think they were meant to be linear in that fashion but they still make for quite the list.
Faith ... goodness ... knowledge ... self-control ... perseverance ... godliness ... brotherly kindness ... love.
You know what ruins all of those though? Being judgmental and having a closed mind. And goodness knows I can fall into that trap. As soon as I close my mind and become judgmental, though, so many of these "fruits" fly out the window.
Unfortunately, an individual or a church that is caught up in religiosity and overt piousness becomes judgmental and (alluding to one of Todd Agnew's songs here) seeks to avoid stains on the carpet. But goodness, godliness, kindness and love ... those all, if practiced, will encourage stains on the carpet.
I pray that, at the end of my days on this earth, I will have very stained carpet.
(Okay, this is one really weird post but hopefully you get the gist of what I am attempting to say. If not, let me know and we can discuss it over a Diet Coke someday.)
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.
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. 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.
This section lists several attributes of the life experiencing the indwelling Christ. They remind me a bit of the Fruits of the Spirit from Galations.
I am unclear whether these "fruits" from II Peter are to be somewhat progressive -- one leading to another. In my Bible, I see that I have previously marked them as being progressive but when I look at other translations, I am not sure that is what Peter intended. Actually, now that I re-read them, I don't think they were meant to be linear in that fashion but they still make for quite the list.
Faith ... goodness ... knowledge ... self-control ... perseverance ... godliness ... brotherly kindness ... love.
You know what ruins all of those though? Being judgmental and having a closed mind. And goodness knows I can fall into that trap. As soon as I close my mind and become judgmental, though, so many of these "fruits" fly out the window.
Unfortunately, an individual or a church that is caught up in religiosity and overt piousness becomes judgmental and (alluding to one of Todd Agnew's songs here) seeks to avoid stains on the carpet. But goodness, godliness, kindness and love ... those all, if practiced, will encourage stains on the carpet.
I pray that, at the end of my days on this earth, I will have very stained carpet.
(Okay, this is one really weird post but hopefully you get the gist of what I am attempting to say. If not, let me know and we can discuss it over a Diet Coke someday.)
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