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| Striving For Godliness |
| Tuesday, February 01, 2011 |
We live in the age of "cheap grace", and as a pastor I often hear Christians suggest that God doesn't really care if you still stumble around in sin -- it's all forgiven anyway. So, they not only make little effort to be godly, but they believe that God doesn't insist on it anymore ("cause it's legalistic!").
But the Apostle Peter puts the lie to that:
His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. (2 Peter 1:3-7)
We are not excused from a life of godliness just because we may fail in trying to carry it out. Jesus made it very clear that "a good tree will bear good fruit" (Matthew 7:17,18). He also made it clear that professing to be a Christian must be accompanied by "doing God's will" (Matthew 7:21-23). A heart that strives for godliness is a heart that has been transformed.
The popular notion that the only commands God expects us to carry out as Christians are to love Him and love one another, is false. Yes -- those are the primary commandments; but no -- they are not the only commandments. God still wants us to make every effort to supplement our faith with virtue, knowledge, godliness, and self-control. They may not earn us salvation, but God is very pleased when we make an effort to live like Him (Romans 12:1; 14:17-19)
The difference now is that we have the Holy Spirit to help us. Labels: faith, godliness |
posted by Alan Harstone @ 1:26 PM   |
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| About Me |
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Name: Alan Harstone
Home: Saskatoon, SK, Canada
About Me: Senior Pastor
Saskatoon Evangelical Free Church
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