Confirming Our Calling
2 Peter 1:3-11 (NIV) 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.
Do we understand that God has given us everything we need to live a godly life? What is a godly life? Quite simply, a godly life is the way we are expected to live. But how? How can mortal man live such a life? Allow me to share with you something it took me a lifetime to learn—if God calls us, He also enables us.
Peter reminds us of the stepping stones by which we can live as those who have escaped the allure of anything this world has to offer. The foundation is faith—did you know we are each given a measure of faith? (Rom 12:3) To our faith we are to add 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.
I have sought after holiness for the better part of my life. Why? Because God says, “I am holy, be thou holy likewise.” I like to remind myself and others that this is not a suggestion, it is an expectation. Have I failed in my endeavors? More times than I can count. Yet, I keep trying to walk on the pathway of holiness. It is a pathway that is sometimes rocky, sometimes full of twists and turns. But there are no dead ends!
May we purpose today to remain on the pathway that leads to holiness, knowing, understanding and believing that we are called and empowered to live in a way that reflects Jesus, only Jesus.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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Seeking Holiness 