Today you should read: 2 Peter 1:1-11
We kick off 2 Peter with a passage about showing the credibility of our faith in Christ. Second Peter is a three chapter letter that warns against false teachers and shows us that grace and grace alone gives the power to transform a sinner’s heart. Here in verses 1-11, Peter is calling Christians to live in such a way that proves your salvation is real.
Look at verses 5 through 7: supplement your faith with virtue, with knowledge, with self-control, with steadfastness, with godliness, with brotherly affection, and with love. Verse 8, “For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Many of these qualities are external, while faith itself is internal. Or is it? Peter is saying, “Don’t keep your faith to yourself, but live it out in such a way that you can be effective for the kingdom of God!” This is reiterated in James 2:17, “Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” Don’t confuse this! Peter and James are not saying that your good works will save you, but good works should exist if you’re saved.
It’s so important for us to realize this: we’re not saved because we do good works, but we should do good works because we’re saved. Peter is urging us to put ourselves in positions where we won’t be disregarded as we share the gospel! Trust me when I say you’re not going to be effective in sharing the gospel with the police officer who pulled you over for going 90 mph in a 55.
What are you doing to make your verbal witness real, tangible, and evident? Or is what you say and do causing your witness to be ineffective and unfruitful?
By: Tyler Monroe — Worship Ministries Intern
JumpstartCPC.com 