Make every Effort
(NRSV) 2 Peter 1:3 His divine power has given us everything needed for life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Thus he has given us, through these things, his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of lust and may become participants of the divine nature. 5 For this very reason, you must make every effort to support your faith with goodness, and goodness with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance with godliness, 7 and godliness with mutual affection, and mutual affection with love. 8 For if these things are yours and are increasing among you, they keep you from being ineffective and unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Today let’s look at Peter’s letter to the churches in Asia Minor who were under attack both from false teaching and dissension within the church. Peter encourages the churches to make every effort to build up their faith through goodness, knowledge, self-control, endurance, godliness, and love. It is no less important today to build ourselves up by seeking holiness.
How do we seek holiness? There is no better way to become strong in the faith than through Bible Study and Prayer. The more I am in the Bible, the more I want to stay in the Bible. There is something both mysterious and revelatory in these ancient texts, yet as truth after truth is opened up we find both the strength and the divine understanding to grow and to take others along with us.
Likewise, we should do a self-check on a regular basis to determine if we are behaving as true Christ followers. Responding in anger? No. Withholding forgiveness? No. Taking God’s name in vain? No.
May we always model Jesus in everything we do and say.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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Seeking Holiness 