Saturday, December 19, 2009
Beside This
(II Peter 1:5-8)
Peter places the onus for appropriating the good things of Christ squarely on the shoulder of the believer. In other words, the best things of the Christian life are not just handed over automatically; Christians must grow in Christ to experience His grace more abundantly. Peter not only states that such growth is our responsibility, but he also states that it is hard work (5). In short, you only get from your relationship with Christ what you are willing to put into it. If you’re a shallow, disinterested Christian, much of Christianity won’t work for you.
Serious minded saints, however, rejoice in knowing exactly what to “add” to their burgeoning faith in order to make their experience with Christ even better. Peter suggests several elements that maturing saints will incorporate into their walk with God. First, he encourages virtue. Simply put, “virtue” means “moral excellence.” The maturing saint is never content to rise only to the standard of so-called community morality. Rather, he sets his sights on the holiness of God. He seeks to be a reflection, not of the accepted norm, but of God Himself.
Secondly, growing Christians add knowledge to their faith. It’s one thing to know that you believe; it’s another to know what you believe. Christianity is a substantive, doctrinal belief system. Yes, Christians should know doctrine. They should know the Bible. Propositional truth, revealed line upon line in the Bible, must captivate the heart and mind of the earnest believer.
Stay tuned…tomorrow we’ll examine more elements that growing believers enthusiastically add to their faith.
