July 2, 2020
Brothers and Sisters,
Bro. Ray was talking about “A Recommitment to the Lord” in the video yesterday evening for our mid-week Bible study. As a follow up this morning, I would like to share the following verses of scripture with you for our morning devotions.
(2 Peter 1:3) According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
(v. 4) Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
(v. 5) And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
(v. 6) And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
(v. 7) And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
(v. 8) For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
(v. 9) But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
(v. 10) Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
(v. 11) For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
(v. 12) 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.
(v. 13) Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance;
(v. 14) Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me.
(v. 15) Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance.
I would like to direct your attention especially to v. 9. After we have been saved for a few years, how easy it is to forget how we were purged (cleansed) from our old sins. If we are not careful, we will start looking down on others for their indiscretions while we forget how we were prior to Jesus rescuing us from destroying our own lives.
The first phrase in v. 9 says, “But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off”. What things? The things mentioned in the previous verses. Things like faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness and charity. These are the building blocks of a successful Christian life.
Our new life in Christ all begins with faith. (Ephesians 2:8) For by grace are ye saved through faith… Faith is a gift of God and is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1). Once we are saved, we are instructed to add to our faith, virtue (high moral standards); knowledge (discernment); temperance (self-control); patience (cheerful or hopeful endurance); godliness (holiness); brotherly kindness (love of the brethren) and charity (love that is benevolent). Now draw your attention to v. 8, “For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” So, ask yourself the question this morning, “Are these things in you?”
In v. 10, Peter instructs us to give diligence (to make an earnest effort, endeavor) to make our calling and election sure, for if we do these things we shall never fall. Peter gives us preachers a good example in v. 11-15 to not be negligent to keep you in remembrance of these things. Even though you probably already know these things, it is still our responsibility to keep you in remembrance so that we never are forgetful how that we were once purged (cleansed) from our old sins. May the Lord help us to always be in remembrance.
Bro. Rick
