Saturday 16 September 2023
- Bible Book:
- 2 Peter
You must make every effort to support your faith with goodness, and goodness with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance with godliness, and godliness with mutual affection, and mutual affection with love. (vs 5-7)
Background
This letter was probably written not long before Peter’s martyrdom by the Emperor Nero in 68 AD. Peter begins it with his version of what we think was the most commonly used greeting in the Early Church: "Grace and peace to you".
Peter urges Christians to put their faith into practice and to appreciate that, through their experience of the risen Christ, they are fully equipped to lead the life God expects of them. This comes from a man who knew what it was like to have to face Jesus after failing to live up to his promises (see Luke 22:54-62) and who also knew Jesus’ capacity to forgive and use those who had failed him (John 21:15-17).
It is worth reflecting on the seven things that Peter identifies as strengthening faith (verses 5-7) because each of them is a much mentioned activity in the Bible. Goodness is behaviour that is holy, pure and righteous and it is seen not just in actions but in the intentions behind our actions. Knowledge is about acquiring understanding and wisdom (eg Proverbs 2:1-15). Self-control was shown to perfection by Jesus: the man who performed miracles chose to not use his power when faced with betrayal and crucifixion. Endurance in biblical terms is about getting through a trial without compromising or wavering. It is about having an inward fortitude, about recognising that life is sometimes difficult and painful, and that it is important not to give up in the face of adversity. Being godly is about being intimate with God and that relies on prayer. Mutual affection is about the support to be found within the Christian community. Paul wrote: "Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ" (Galatians 6:2). And, most important of all: love is the focus of Jesus’ two greatest commandments (Matthew 22:37-39).
To Ponder:
- Can you think of ways in which God has equipped you to deal with situations or undertake tasks?
- Have you, like Peter, had experience of Jesus asking you to do something even though you have failed him in the past?
- Of the seven things identified by Peter as strengthening faith, which do you most need to work on? And how can you best achieve that?
Prayer
Father, please help me to grow into the person you want me to be. Amen.