Friday after the Twenty-Sixth Sunday after Trinity Sunday
Posted on November 20, 2020 by under
Scripture: 2 Peter 1:1-15 (NKJV)
1:1 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:
2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 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, 4 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.
5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.
10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; 11 for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
12 For this reason I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present truth. 13 Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you, 14 knowing that shortly I must put off my tent, just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me. 15 Moreover I will be careful to ensure that you always have a reminder of these things after my decease.
Devotion
In this second epistle of the apostle, the introduction to his audience leaves no doubt about from where their discipleship comes. The first two verses make it clear that the precious life-giving faith of all believers comes as a gift from their Lord and Redeemer purely by grace. Then verse nine points us back through the preceding list of Christian attributes and activities to verses one and two from where our ability to accomplish anything worthy comes. “For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins.” All that the believer needs for salvation and the sanctified life is what he has already received through faith and the Word. Throughout this text the Apostle Peter reminds you that Christ by “His divine power has granted” that “you may become partakers of the divine nature” and through that divine nature you are justified before God and able to pursue the sanctified life.
Presented in each verse of today’s text is the blessed confession of Jesus Christ and Him crucified for sins, and that His disciples, justified by grace through faith, may strive to live their sanctified life of discipleship to the fullest.
Prayer: Almighty God, grant that the tremendous gift of faith You have bestowed purely by grace may be ever strengthened in us by Your holy Means of Grace and daily repentance; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
