2 Peter 1:9 But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.
We are a culture that likes to talk about prevention. We take vitamin supplements, have very high vehicle safety standards compared to other parts of the world, we allow lawyers to get enriched off the backs of some people who did stupid things. We talk weight control and environmental pollutant dangers. But….
There is so often a gap between what we say and what we do. We are all for honesty and integrity… in other people! We want other people to hold the line. What is it with us???
Peter sees the tendency for people to say one thing and do another, even in faith. He outlines all that the LORD has done for us, and then he pushes his readers, and us, to do something with the great promises we have been given. He has given us all we need to live a life of holiness and reverence, but we must respond to that great gift.
That is why Peter then tells us that we must add something to this great gift of God. It doesn’t change our position before God, but it does change our position in life. We must add things like goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, mutual affection and love. We must pick these up and do them.
The reason we do them is because we keep in focus the grace of God active in our lives and in history. We keep our eyes focused on what Jesus did for us and that motivates us to move forward in ever-increasing degrees of obedience and action. Our lives must reflect His nature, His character, His actions. If it doesn’t, then we aren’t looking at Christ. We aren’t focusing on the forgiveness we ourselves have received.
By focusing on what Jesus did for us, we keep a humility that is essential to our walk of faith. We recognize both the depth of our sin and the depth of His love. By looking at the Cross, we see both the mercy and grace extended and the impossible-to-bridge chasm that our sin caused. And it is out of this dual vision that we put forth effort to change our behavior and attitudes.
WE must never forget from where we have come spiritually. We will always be “sinners saved by grace.” We will never be anything else. It is His grace, His power, His glory that is being manifested in us as we obediently add our actions. It is out of His storehouse that we draw faith to say “No!” to our own selfish ambitions and “Yes!” to His designs.
The Arnold Journey 