Passage: 2 Peter 1: 1-15
Text: Vv. 5-6 ‘For
this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to
goodness, knowledge; 6and to knowledge, self-control; and to
self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness’
Some helpful definitions:
**Add to your faith: or,
WBC: ... “by your faith to produce virtue” ... The meaning of the clause must
be: “by means of your faith supply virtue”. NIBC: ‘A more literal translation
of vv. 5–7 would run: “In (en) your faith richly provide goodness’.
**Make every effort:
NIBC: ‘be lavish in the time and effort … put into developing … Christian [life]
...
**Perseverance and godliness: EBC: Perseverance is the ability to continue in the faith and resist
the pressures of the world system (cf. Lk 8:15; Ro 5:3; Heb 12:2). ‘Godliness’ is piety or
devotion to the person of God. BST: Godliness is ‘a very practical awareness of
God in every aspect of life’.
Focus: Stories are legion and legendary of the loyalty
of dogs to their masters; i.e., Red Dog’s loyalty to Hamersley Iron bus driver
John Grant is a recent one – an example
of devotion to the person.
Perseverance and godliness:
1. Persevere
in faith – {in
order to trust in the Person} Heb 10: 35-36: ‘So do not throw
away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. 36You
need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive
what he has promised’; 12: 1-2: ‘Therefore,
since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off
everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run
with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2Let
us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the
joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the
right hand of the throne of God.’
a.
Example:
Faithfulness to marriage vow, so sincerely and
passionately made at the beginning, in light of later realities like ‘married
to job’, ‘to ministry’, ‘to car’ or ‘to computer’.
b.
Devotion to the person of God means ongoing
confidence and trust in him.
2.
Persevere in prayer – {in
order to commune with the Person} Eph 6: 18 {KJV}: ‘Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the
Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints’ (Col 4: 2: ‘Devote
yourselves to prayer, being watchful and
thankful’; 1 Thess 5: 17: ‘pray continually’; Luke 18: 1-8).
a.
Example:
Perseverance in marriage communication, especially in times of preoccupation,
conflict, actual offence and misunderstanding.
b.
Devotion
to the person of God means ongoing communication and communion with him.
3.
Persevere in praise – {in order to honour the Person}
– Heb 13: 15: ‘Through Jesus,
therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of
lips that confess [give thanks to] his name.’ Eph 5: 19-20: ‘Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.
Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, 20always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of
our Lord Jesus Christ.’ Col 3: 17: ‘And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it
all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks
to God the Father through him.’ 1 Thess 5: 16-18: ‘Be joyful always; 17pray
continually; 18give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for
you in Christ Jesus.’
a.
Example:
Faithfulness in thankfulness and praise of husband/wife, especially when,
through familiarity, irritations set in.
b.
Devotion
to the person of God means ongoing praise and honour of him.
i.
The
message of Psalm 50 especially vv. 14-15, 23: ‘“Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfil your vows to the Most
High, 15and call upon me in the day of trouble; I
will deliver you, and you will honour me” “… 23He
who sacrifices thank offerings honours me, and he prepares the way so that I
may show him the salvation of God.”’
No comments:
Post a Comment