Diligent to Live by the Gospel

 

READ 2 Peter 1–3

Some suppose that to be a Christian means ‘walk the aisle’ or ‘pray the prayer’ and they are in. However, the NT teaches that could begin the Christian life that way, but a verbal commitment may not be evidence that such life exists. The Bible teaches that Christians are people in whom the Spirit of God dwells and “Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.” (Romans 8:9–10) Obviously, it if the Son of God lives in us, there will be evidence of His presence. Today’s reading puts it this way:

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. (2 Peter 1:3–4)

I’ve been blessed reading and saying prayers from a book by Scotty Smith. Here is part of what he prayed today, affirming how faith in Christ changes lives:

Apart from the gospel, I’ll whine more than I’ll worship. Apart from the gospel, I’ll judge people more than I’ll seek to understand them. Apart from the gospel, I’ll get my feelings hurt quicker than being careful not to offend others. Apart from the gospel, I’ll avoid people who want more from me than I want to give them.

Apart from the gospel, I’ll react selfishly to irritants rather than responding graciously. Apart from the gospel, I’ll talk more than I listen. Apart from the gospel, I’ll think about me much more than I think about you. Apart from the gospel, I won’t risk anything; I’ll do just enough to get by. Apart from the banquet of the gospel, I’ll be reaching for junk food all day long, literally and figuratively.

Father, because of your unfailing love for me in Jesus, I have put my trust in you. I do lift my soul up to you, right now. Show me the way I should go this very day. Show me what thinking, feeling, and choosing in line with the truth of the gospel requires of me, and then give me that supply. I pray in Jesus’ beautiful and bountiful name. Amen. (Smith, Scotty. Everyday Prayers: 365 Days to a Gospel-Centered Faith. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 2011.)

I can relate to every statement. Without Christ in me, I cannot live a godly life. Even with Christ in me, I must choose who I will serve: my Lord Jesus Christ or my old nature. Like Smith suggests, the power to worship is there, but so is the inclination to whine, to unfairly judge, to offend and live for myself and not for Jesus.

Today’s reading says I have a responsibility to make the right choices and “make every effort to supplement my faith with virtue” rather than choose sin. The virtues are listed, then the author says:

For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. (2 Peter 1:8–10)

Jesus is my Savior; I am not. He entrusted me with His righteousness and charges me to be diligent to live by that, not by my old nature, my flesh in all its selfishness and making choices that glorify or pamper me. Yet He is my Savior and He “knows how to rescue the godly from trials (temptations), and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment.” (2 Peter 2:9)

Today, His voice to me is like most days. He says, “What sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.” (2 Peter 3:11–13)

Whether it is by ‘global warming’ (and we think we can stop it) or by some other way, by His Word, “the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.” (2 Peter 3:7)

The old will pass away and He will create a new heaven and a new earth! So it makes sense to live for God and make godly choices, to be “diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace . . . . growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 3:14; 18) To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.