seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
2 Peter 1:3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8 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. 9 But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.
10 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
I used the commentary at Blue Letter Bible... as usual.Who called us: This knowledge of God comes to those who are called. It is knowledge, but it is not mere intellectual understanding or intuition. It is the knowledge that comes by experience — the experience God’s people have of God Himself.
Having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust: God is above and beyond the corruption of this world. It should also be that way with those who are the partakers of the divine nature. The corruption that is in the world expresses itself through lust — the ungodly desires of this world.
Add to your faith virtue: We begin our life with God with faith, but faith progresses into virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love — love being the capstone of all God’s work in us.
Of the word self-control, the Greek scholar Kenneth Wuest says the Greeks used this word self-control to describe someone who was not ruled by the desire for sex.
My Online Bible titled this one "confirming One's Calling and Election".The word "confirm" is bugging me this morning. I keep thinking of having to "confirm" that I want to delete a file. I keep thinking of having to "confirm" I want to make that purchase. I keep thinking of having to "confirm" when I leave a post without leaving a response. it's like having a second chance to back out.
It's almost as if Peter is saying "Are you sure you want to 'confirm' your membership in the Church?"
Confirm is defined as to:
- establish the truth or correctness of (something previously believed, suspected, or feared to be the case)
- state with assurance that a report or fact is true
- reinforce someone in (an opinion, belief, or feeling)
- administer the religious rite of confirmation to
If you are busy finding places for the homeless, feeding those who are hungry, drying the tears of those who need to "talk it out", hugging a friend or enemy, being kind, you won't have time to pick up a gun and shoot the next fifty people who smirk at you.
If you are busy being kind, you won't have time for a drink.
If you are busy being good to others as you wish they would be good to you, you won't have time to waste on pills or blow or needles.
Once you decide to join the Family of God... your chore is assigned. God already knows the choice or choices you had to make to get to the place where you could be adopted, now He would like for you to "confirm" your choices.
He wants you to "confirm" to Him that you really want to be part of the family.
Click to "confirm".
