SHBYB - 21Sep17 Faith's Actions

SETIAP HARI BERSAMA YESUS BAPAKU
The Year of Encountering Christ in His Word

Kamis, 21Sep17
Jkt

FAITH'S ACTIONS
2Pe 1:3 — 2Pe 1:9 (LASB NIV - Bible Text)
Confirming One’s Calling and Election
3   His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.
4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
5   For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;
6   and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness;
7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.
8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9   But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.

LASB NIV :
Faith must be more than belief in certain facts; it must result in action, growth in Christian character, and the practice of moral discipline, or it will die away (James 2:14–17). Peter lists several of faith’s actions:
- Learning to know God better,
- Developing perseverance,
- Doing God’s will,
- Loving others.

These actions do not come automatically; they require hard work. They are not optional; all of them must be a continual part of the Christian life. We don’t finish one and start on the next, but we work on them all together. God empowers and enables us, but he also gives us the responsibility to learn and to grow.

MASB (Mac Arthur Study Bible) :
For this very reason. Because of all the God-given blessings in vv. 3, 4, the believer cannot be indifferent or self-satisfied. Such an abundance of divine grace calls for total dedication. make every effort. The Christian life is not lived to the honor of God without effort. Even though God has poured His divine power into the believer, the Christian himself is required to make every disciplined effort alongside of what God has done (cf. Php 2:12, 13; Col 1:28, 29). add to your faith. “Add” is to give lavishly and generously. In Greek culture, the word was used for a choirmaster who was responsible for supplying everything that was needed for his choir. The word never meant to equip sparingly, but to supply lavishly for a noble performance. God has given us faith and all the graces necessary for godliness (vv. 3, 4). We add to those by our diligent devotion to personal righteousness.

Goodness.
First in Peter’s list of virtues is a word that, in classical Gr., meant the God-given ability to perform heroic deeds. It also came to mean the quality of life that made someone stand out as good. It never meant cloistered goodness, or goodness of attitude, but goodness that is demonstrated in life. Peter is here writing of moral energy, the power that performs deeds of excellence.

Knowledge.
This means understanding, correct insight, truth properly comprehended and applied. This virtue involves a diligent study and pursuit of truth in the Word of God.

Self-control.
Lit. “holding oneself in.” In Peter’s day, self-control was used of athletes who were to be self-restrained and self-disciplined. Thus, a Christian is to control the flesh, the passions, and the bodily desires, rather than allowing himself to be controlled by them (cf. 1Co 9:27; Gal 5:23). Goodness, guided by knowledge, disciplines desire and makes it the servant, not the master, of one’s life.

Perseverance.
That is, patience or endurance in doing what is right, never giving in to temptation or trial. Perseverance is that spiritual staying power that will die before it gives in. It is the virtue that can endure, not simply with resignation, but with a vibrant hope. godliness. See note on v. 3.

Mutual affection.
I.e., brotherly affection, mutual sacrifice for one another (cf. 1Jn 4:20).

Love.
See 1Co 13; 1Pe 4:8.