“DIVINE POWER … HAS GRANTED TO US …”.” Thoughts from today’s Bible readings -Dec. 14th

The final letter of Peter contains many points that apply to our days, he writes “to those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours …” [1 v.1]  What quality of faith Peter now had, the opposite to his state of mind after the arrest his Master.  What quality of faith are we in the process of developing?   That is a question it is vital that we each ask ourselves.

Peter writes to those who have been “granted …all things that pertain to life and godliness” [v.3]  What else has been granted to us – in comparison to what we see the godless have been granted – and take for granted!  

Peter says “the divine power … has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature” [v.4]   This will be because our lives now show we have “escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.”  But our ‘escape’ must have led to a new way of life; of new priorities in thinking, reading and talking.

Peter tells believers they must “make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. [v.5-7]

What a wonderful picture of growth these words portray – growth in developing a character so that we become more and more like Jesus.  Is our growth progressing well?

But then Peter has still more challenging words!  “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.” [v.8]

Let us to live each day in ways which help these qualities to increase. The Scriptures provide us with the foundation for “all things that pertain to life and godliness”  Let us build on that foundation every day, truly taking hold of that which “divine power … has granted to us” – these inspired and inspiring Scriptures – for by this means, as Paul told Timothy we are “storing up treasure for (our)selves as a good foundation for the future, so that (we) may take hold of that which is truly life.”   [1 Tim.6 v.19]