One Thing Leads to Another
2 Peter 1:5 In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone. 8 The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Our Christian walk is a process. That process is called Sanctification. It is what must happen in every believer's life to realize God's plan and purpose for their life. One Thing Leads to Another and in all of it, God is glorified in our lives and in our walk. The result of this ongoing process is what is listed above by Peter in this letter. We must respond to God's promises and that response is more faith in God and what He has promised. We realize through God's Word and need for us to become more and more like Jesus in our daily walk. Peter alludes to the extent of this growth process in his first letter in 1 Peter 1:16 where he says 16 For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.” We are compelled to live a moral life and it comes as a natural fruit from the leading of the Holy Spirit and our deepening in our walk with God.
As we gain more and more knowledge from God's Word wisdom deepens that knowledge to result in a changed life at our core. Endurance is the result of our growth in that walk and not just endurance, but patient endurance. The scripture Psalm 27:14 begins to make more and more sense when the psalmist says 14 Wait patiently for the Lord.
Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord. Yes, waiting is a part of our growth in our walk as a believer. I do not like to wait on anyone, but learning to wait on God translates into more trust in our walk and His perfect Will becomes our priority.
Of course, we have a result of this growth process and it is godliness. What follows as a result of this godliness is an affection for others who are walking and living this process of growth and that leads to a deeper fellowship with other believers. God is so good!! Peter seals the deal by saying this in verse 8 The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
If you are not progressing in your walk with the Lord, now is the time to get that process going and you will be amazed at how quickly God shows you the answers to the mysteries of life. Jeremiah 33:‘3 Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’
The Pilgrimage Continues...
David Warren