Everything We Need

Verses for reflection based on a conversation I had yesterday, about how in our salvation, God imparts to us everything we need.  

2 Peter 1:3-11 NIV:

[3] "His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. [4] Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires." 

[5] "For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; [6] and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; [7] and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. [8] For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. [9] But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins." 

[10] "Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, [11] and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

The first sentence is such a hopeful thought!  God, in His divine power, has given us everything we need to live unto Him!  In other words, we have no excuse that somehow we missed something, or in some way are lacking!  God, in His divine power, and in His divine knowledge, has delivered to us already, everything we need to participate in the divine nature!  

I imagine this like some sort of spiritual warehouse that we have access to, through salvation, that provides for every situation and circumstance.  An author I read a while back wrote about how we each receive the DNA of the Gospel when we receive Christ, and that this DNA is capable and empowers in any or all of us, growth, maturity, and the ability to reproduce (proclaim the Gospel and see others come to Christ)!  I like this imagery, and find it helpful in my own pursuit of the Lord!  This lines up with Paul's writings about us becoming a new creation (2 Cor 5:17), as new DNA means new being.

This idea differs from how many of us view the church and our place in the church.  We somehow think that there are those with gifts and callings, and those without the same.  We are all different, surely, but we are more alike than different.  Jesus, in giving the great commission (Matt 28:18-20),  wasn't speaking only to the elders or leaders, He was speaking to all his followers, and we receive the same commission today!  We are called, and empowered to proclaim the Gospel to all the world!  

Going back to the verses, we are also empowered to live a godly life!  When we receive Christ our spirit is empowered by Holy Spirit, the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead and preserved Him in sinless perfection!  This person and  power now lives within us, and we are given access to, and invited into unity with Him.   Our level of empowerment is, in many ways, our choice, which is why Peter writes about us adding our own effort.  He says to make every effort to add goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, mutual affection and love!  As I was copying this list, I was acutely aware that each of these requires us to make choices to turn towards God, to apply His word to our lives, to choose to turn away from fleshly or evil desires! 

Our pastor spoke this last week about the battle for our minds and thoughts, and it was a good word!  The enemy spends much of his time trying to convince us that we don't have the power to choose, that our lives aren't worthwhile, that we haven't been cleansed of our past sins, that God doesn't love us or accept us, or that someone else is called or gifted.  He tries t get us to walk away from what the Lord has deposited in us through Holy Spirit!  Here Peter is reminding us that we have everything we need!  In fact, we are so loved and accepted that we are invited to participate in the divine nature!

In summary, we can rejoice and hold onto the fact that God has provided us everything we need to live a godly life!  We can access that power to help us choose to pursue greater depth, and intimacy with Him, and greater love and unity with the Body of Christ.  Finally, each of us have everything we need to fulfill the great commission, in our own spheres of influence.

Thank You Lord for Your gracious gift!  Thank You Lord for Your help and encouragement!