An exceedingly great and precious promise: "For if you do these things you will never stumble"...

2 Peter 1:1-11
"Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ: Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

This is a wonderful passage from God's Word and I am encouraged by it every time I hear it. God has provided the way through grace for believers to live a godly life in Christ Jesus. He has provided everything we need for life and godliness. First comes the eternal life; then the same divine power provides the means to live godly.

I found this from the Believer's Bible Commentary to be an interesting way to meditate on this passage with famous people in the History of God's Word:

"Add to your faith the virtue or courage of David; and to the courage of David the knowledge of Solomon; and to the knowledge of Solomon the patience of Job; and to the patience of Job the godliness of Daniel; and to the godliness of Daniel the brotherly kindness of Jonathan; and to the brotherly kindness of Jonathan the love of John."

In this passage, "add" means to include or furnish, not to stack one on the other. We must yield to God's Grace so that He will furnish all of these gifts of His Grace as He has promised to provide all of them to us. His Power saved our souls. His Power keeps our souls. We have this Power through "knowing" Him and by it Grace and Peace are multiplied not just added to our lives.

Some who lead others out there would rather you were shortsighted, even to blindness, so that you may forget that you were cleansed from your "old sins". Practicing bringing up other sins that were washed by The Blood of Christ is an offense to the Grace of God in Christ Jesus. Move on! Let those "old sins" that were long confessed and forgotten fester and magnify in the minds of your accusers, NOT in the Blood bought souls of the children of God. You are freed! The influence of the "accuser of the brethren" has no power over you. Take Joy in your Freedom and let Christ now use you for His Glory.

I want to encourage all of us not just to read and study God's Word for our minds only but rather ask for God's Grace and Peace to be multiplied as your eyes are opened to the intimate "knowing" of Him who has called you by His own Glory and Virtue. Don't just visit the secret place of the most high, dwell there. For this is what we were called to; to come and worship Him in Spirit and in Truth. For our lives to overflow with Him and be effective for Him we must draw near with a full assurance of faith as we are cleansed by His Blood and freed by His Grace and Mercy. Then we meditate day and night upon the Precious Words of God that He has supplied to us in the Holy Scriptures. "Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all. Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you." (1 Tim 4:15-16)

Amen!

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