“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: 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. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity” (2 Peter 1:3-7).
The NIV Study Bible gives us some insights to today’s verses. “God has made available all that we need spiritually through our knowledge of him. Through God’s excellence—internal and external—he has given us great promises. Their nature is suggested in the words that follow: participation in the divine nature and escape from worldly corruption. To participate in the divine nature does not indicate that Christians become divine in any sense, but only that we are indwelt by God through His Holy Spirit.”
We read the following in The Living Bible for verses 5-7: “But to obtain these gifts (promises and blessings) you need more than faith; you must also work hard to be good, and even that is not enough. For then you must learn to know God better and discover what he wants you to do. Next, learn to put aside your own desires so that you will become patient and godly, gladly letting God have his way with you. This will make possible the next step, which is for you to enjoy other people and to like them, and finally you will grow to love them deeply.”
We could entitle today’s verses, “How to Grow a Fruitful Christian.”
Sue Winchester
Missouri
PRAY TOGETHER: Pray for Moms in Prayer groups as they enlist women in prayer ministry during this school year. Prayerfully consider joining one. www.momsinprayer.org
