“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.” 2 Peter 1:8
The Captivity of Idleness
Part Two
Yesterday I wrote about the captivity of ease and laziness, the bondage of thinking about our own comfort while not being affected by the afflictions of others.
How do we take off those comfy pajamas, and put on the overalls? The Bible outlines the process for us in 2 Peter 1:6-8. “For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 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.”
The hardest part for me is step one: “make every effort.” I don’t know about you, but for me, just getting up out of my easy chair and starting the work takes tremendous effort. I like sitting. I like relaxing. I like just thinking, daydreaming, staring out the window. So I must make every effort—not half-hearted, not making excuses, not thinking of reasons why I should relax a little longer—and stand to my feet.
The remainder of the exortation results in caring for others more than ourselves. First, this word is for believers—those with faith. We start with faith—and then add in goodness. Goodness isthe deliberate preference of right over wrong*. You probably remember as a new believer how, once you believed, you began to see the difference between right and wrong. You began to see morality as God did, and you saw the need to choose right over wrong.
To goodness is added knowledge. This means to come to know, recognize, and understand. You begin to read the Bible more, listen more closely to sermons, perhaps takes notes or look up the meanings of words. You study the life of Christ. You take new interest in learning God’s attributes.
Then we realize our need for self-control, which is necessary to living a godly life. This is all about our choices, because we have already added knowledge so we know what is right. As we make God-pleasing choices, we strengthen self-control.
To self-control, we make every effort to add perseverence—the quality that keeps us moving forward in all these qualities that are being developed. Persevere in faith, goodness, knowledge, self-control—in all things.
Add godliness (practical piety—living out our faith.) Then, add mutual affection (brotherly kindness), which leads to love (affection, goodwill, benevolence.)
This is Character-Building 101. God does the work in us by His Holy Spirit. He gives us the desire for His character to be developed within us, and He knows how to bring it about. What we have to do is make every effort. Cooperate with Him. Don’t fight against His work in us. The result will be that we are productive and effective in His kingdom. We will leave a legacy of a life well-lived.
Father, develop Your character within us, that we may not be lazy, but productive and effective in the years You give us on this earth. Amen.
A very good word, thank you.
As I get OLDER, forcing myself to put one foot in front of the other is an exercise I have to practice more and more. But Thank God His burden is light and His yoke is easy.
I have COPD and I have to rest a lot to get my breathing and heart rate back to normal,But, I think I have bean useing it to set a little more then I should . Thank you for today’s lesson I needed it.