2 Peter 1:3-7

2Pe 1:3 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,
2Pe 1:4 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.
2Pe 1:5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge,
2Pe 1:6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness,
2Pe 1:7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.

…Peter bids his people to bend every energy to do this. That is to say, in the Christian life the supreme effort of man must co-operate with the grace of God.

Philippians 2:12,13

…It is quite true that everything is of faith…

…Faith is not only commitment to the promises of Christ; faith is also commitment to the demands of Christ.

…(i) Happiness is something which can come by training, by learning, and by the formation of right habits.

…(ii) Happiness is a matter of divine allotment; it is a gift of God.

…The truth is that, as the Christian sees it, happiness depends both on God’s gift and on our effort. We do not earn salvation, but at the same time we have to bend every energy towards our progress towards the Christian objective of a lovely life. Bengel, in commenting on this passage, asks us to compare the Parable of the Ten Virgins, five of whom were wise, and five of whom were foolish. He writes: “The flame is that which is imparted to us by God and from God without our own labour; but the oil is that which a man must pour into life by his own study and his own faithful effort, so that the flame may be fed and increased.”

…Faith does not exempt a man from works; the generosity of God does not absolve a man from effort. Life is at its noblest and its best when our effort co-operates with God’s grace, to produce the necessary loveliness.

— The Letters of Peter, William Barclay, pages 354,355

On this day...

• Deuteronomy 2 - 2023
• Deuteronomy 1 - 2023
• The Pleasure of God in His Son - 2011
• There Never Seems to Be Enough Time - 2011
• The bitterest ingredient in the 'cup of divine displeasure' - 2011
• Where am I bound for? For heaven--or for hell? - 2011
• RESTRAINING GRACE - 2011
• God the Father in the Holy Scriptures - 2011
• Edmund Clowney - 2011
• Arthur W Pink - 2011