December 15 Devotion

Life and Godliness

2 Peter 1:2-15

Peter is telling us that God has given us “everything we need for life and Godliness through our knowledge of him.” We receive this knowledge not only by our personal study of God's Word, but through our studies in a Sunday school Class, through other classes offered by the church, by our relationships with our Christian friends, and by our attendance in church.

What do we receive by applying ourselves? We “participate in the divine nature” of God, and “escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.” (V4) As Peter says in the fifth verse “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, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.” By using Jesus as our model, and with the Holy Spirit helping us we can do this.

Only a genuine reverence toward God will govern our attitude toward every aspect of life. We can show our love for Him by the way we treat other people. If we show love to all, others will know we are Christian, and that we are grateful to Him for sending His Son into the world to save us. Let us celebrate His birthday by vowing to study His Word in the coming years.
Our reward will be to “receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” (V 10)

Gloria Peek-Rosenblum