Verse of the Day 10/20

Verse of the Day 10/20

 

2 Peter 3:17-18  (ESV) ¹⁷You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. ¹⁸But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

 

We've been considering the importance of studying God's word.  Today's verses are the final words given to us by the Apostle Peter in his second epistle.  Final words are important and Peter's words sure are important for us.  He is pointing out here that studying and knowing God's word will help us not to be carried away by the false teaching of those who twist and distort God's word for personal benefit.

 

In a sermon on this passage, John Piper points out that, " the letter begins and ends on the same note of grace and knowledge. I want you to see that again now and how it sums up the main point of the letter. Verse 18 says, "Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." Verse 2 of Chapter 1 says, "May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord." Though the language is somewhat different, it seems to me the point is the same. Peter's great desire for these people and for us is that we might experience lots and lots of God's grace; that we might suck it up through our roots and grow by it; that we might soak it in like sunshine through our leaves and grow by it."

 

Notice that the verse speaks of grace and knowledge.  It is not knowledge only, but knowledge that is put into practice through God's grace with God's grace showing in and being multiplied in our lives. 

 

Applying God's grace is an act of faith.  E. M. Bounds wrote, "Ask of God more faith. Beg of him morning, and noon and night, while you walk by the way, while you sit in the house, when you lie down and when you rise up; beg of him simply to impress divine things more deeply on your heart, to give you more and more of the substance of things hoped for and of the evidence of things not seen.

 

 Ask for more faith, more grace today,  suck it up through our roots and grow by it; that we might soak it in like sunshine through our leaves and grow by it."

 

In Christ,

Mike

 

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Eph 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace  NIV

2 Peter 3:14-18  New Living Translation (NLT)

 ¹⁴ And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in his sight.

 ¹⁵ And remember, the Lord's patience gives people time to be saved. This is what our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you with the wisdom God gave him—¹⁶ speaking of these things in all of his letters. Some of his comments are hard to understand, and those who are ignorant and unstable have twisted his letters to mean something quite different, just as they do with other parts of Scripture. And this will result in their destruction.

Peter's Final Words

 ¹⁷ I am warning you ahead of time, dear friends. Be on guard so that you will not be carried away by the errors of these wicked people and lose your own secure footing. ¹⁸ Rather, you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

   All glory to him, both now and forever! Amen.