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. 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.
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 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. But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.
2 Peter 1: 3-9
I don't know about you, but when I read this, I already feel hopeless, ha.
Goodness? Maybe a little i guess.
Knowledge? Sure, I've been trained well growing up.
Self-Control? I'm out!
I haven't even made it to perseverence, Godliness, mutual affection and love.
It's amazing how much information is in these few verses. In this passage, God talks through the steps that we need to take in order to live a Godly, effective and productive life. We start with goodness, and then knowledge. I know many to don't get much past that.
What I find amazing here is that there are 2 full steps between knowledge and Godliness. I know many people who feel like they already have it all together, and are better than others around them, because they have some knowledge of the Bible and of God, yet they still lack true Godliness. How do we get from knowledge to Godliness? Self-control and perseverence.
Today, let's read through and this passage a few times, and let it speak to us each individually. Then let's ask God where we are in these steps, and where we need Him to help work on us.
Finally, let's ask him for the strength to work on the specific area today that is needed in our lives, so that one day, we can get all the way to the end, and learn how to love the way God does.
