Morning Bible reading

November 26th

2 Peter, 1

1: Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: 2: Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, 3: According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 4: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 5: And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6: And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 7: And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 8: For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9: But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. 10: Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: 11: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Here we have Peters second letter, written to those who have faith in Christ. Peter points out right from the beginning that this salvation is a righteousness of God and not the righteousness of the Law. Peter describes the salvation they have received as coming through the promises of God which the believer receives by faith. But he then says this is just the beginning. Add to your faith virtue and to virtue knowledge – and then temperance and then patience etc, etc. Peter sees the Christian life as a progressive thing moving ever forward. From patience he adds godliness and then brotherly kindness and then charity – love. So he has come from faith to love. Peter says that if these things are in you then you will not be unfruitful or barren. Those who lack these things are short sighted. They have forgotten that they were forgiven. So says Peter make your calling and election sure. In other words be established in the faith. If you are established then you will not backslide.

Steve