And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1:5-11.
Salvation is free, but to get to heven is not as free as you may be thinking because it’s requiring some serious spiritual and personal issues of growth and developement you must deal with in your life. The wise shall inherit glory, heaven is for the wise, and not the fools. It is for the faithful triumphant fighters who plays according to the rules, and not the spiritual cheaters and cowards. It is for those who are called to be saints and lived up to their expectetions as becomes saints in the sight of God, walking through the highway of holiness, but not those who are having the form of godliness, but denying the power thereof.
Just as any professional football player should improve in his skills each day to possess speed and endurance by training and discipline to earn his position, jersey and place in the team which ranging from twenty to forty players, of which the best eleven players from the whole recruited players are selected to play any match, even so must you strive to enter in through the straight gate to enter heaven, – so must you beat under your body to bring it under subjection, so that after you have preached to others, you should not be cast away.
Heaven is not a fantasy nor a place for the delusion souls. Those who want to get to heaven among the many who are called should prepares themselves to live daily in anticipation to get to the holy city having eternal foundation, whose builder and maker is God himself.
Christ is now in heaven to prepare a place for you; but there is no room for any fruitless branch, unholy and rebellious believer in heaven. Apostle Paul lived his life so much as willing to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. He lived so much that whether by life or death, sure he’s the Lord’s. Worked for the Lord, and lived his life for the Lord’s purposes and glory in such a way of knowing personally what is awaiting him in heaven after his death on earth, – henceforth, there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. 2 Timothy 4:8.
The Verses 5 made reference to the importance to give dilligent as a way of encouragement while verse 10 made another reference to give dilligent as a necessity and warning against the dangers and implications of ignoring the warning to give all dilligence to work out on those things which accompany your salvation concerning the spiritual qualities within you to cultivate continually and grow abundantly in those fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ. Otherwise, it implies that you are living contrary, by portraying yourself as one whose sins has not been forgiven by God before him, positioning and rendering yourself unworthy of the calling of God into his kingdom, not walking of the Lord unto all pleasing. By not giving all dilligence, it shows that, though you are in Christ, you are still in ignorance, spiritually blinded and short-sighted to the purpose of your salvation and regeneration which is Christlikeness. You are called to become increasingly like Christ, who has once in all things, made himself to become like us. Christ must be formed in you. You must keep learning and growing to walk even as he has walked – this is the abiding life in Christ. Though the outward man perishes, the inward man must be fed to be renewed day by day, nurturing and growing the fructifying graces of the spirit of God in you, so you can be seen and known by the Lord, not as a barren or unfruitful believer, but as a fruitful and productive Christian in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus.
You cannot forever remain a spiritual babe who is being fed always with milk; you must desire strong meat; otherwise, you will die along the way because you will not have the strenght or capacity which only comes by eating the strong meat to take the kingdom by force. You need to know how to build your faith stronger or add to your faith. It is dangerous to remain a man or woman of a little or weak faith because you need to increase your faith (2 Corinthians 10:15), lest you thinks that your leaders in the Lord are impostors over you or having dominion over your faith, but as fellow helpers over your joy as it is increansing, for by faith you stand. 2 Corinthians 1:24.
For now, you must work on yourself by improving those things you received from the Lord by growing your faith: growing your virtue: growing in knowledge of God’s word: growing in temperance: growing in patience: growing in godliness: growing in brotherly kindness: growing in charity. For if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Is God not the God of all grace, and are we not saved by grace? We should seek for increasing grace to grow in faith, tokeep growing in virtue, to keep growing in knowledge, to keep growing in temperance, to keep growing in patience, to keep growing in godliness, to keep growing in brotherly kindness and charity on daily basis as he demands of us.
2 Peter 1 verse 5a. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith in the Lord
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. Ephesians 2:8. It is impotant not to mistake the gift of faith for salvation with the gift of faith given to exercises your spiritual gifts, they are not the same. Romans 12:3, 6. 1 Corinthians 12:9. You can have faith to exercise spiritual gifts for signs and wonders, while your obedience to the faith – word of God is misssing: but what eternal good is such faith for you? Romans 1:5. The good news is that both gift of faith for salvation and the gift of faith to exercise your spiritual gift can grow for your establishment in the Lord. Romans 1:11-12.
Lord increase our faith. Christ is the author and finisher of your faith, ready and willing to give more faith if you ask, but be ready of going through experiences that will increase your faith because it is not automatic.
Yes, faith grown through fasting and prayer, though is as small as the grain of mustard seed, it can remove mountain, – it can also cast out demons out of the oppressed to set the captive free (Matthew 17:20); but the small or weak faith cannot make you spiritually strong in your weakness in the time of adversity – physical, mental and moral discouragements. Why do people complaint or murmured against the Lord, instead of waiting in quieteness, is it not because of a weak faith? It is only by strong and great faith comes such grace to stand and not to fail in the evil days, with strenght to firmly holding the shield of faith. But with what strenght do you hold the shield of faith (Proverbs 24:10) if your hand is weak, and you can’t hold on to faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck? 1 Timothy 1:19. Note: when the Son of man shall come back, will he find faith on earth? It is a question which requires personal response from those who are called to growing their faith from weak and small to strong and great and those who are not growing their faith at all!
Only the growing faith can make you waxed valiant in fight, and to turn to flight the armies of the enemies against you. Hebrews 11:34. Only a big faith that can calm your fear, give you the courage to rebuke the raging of the sea before you, and to command it to calm calm down and it should obey you. Matthew 8:23-27.
Faith should be exercised and worked upon to grow. There are challenges and storms in life which your small and weak faith cannot withstand or command to calm down, which cancuse you to draw back unto perdition – now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul. Hebrews 10:38-39.
Faith should grow and believers should wax increasingly stronger in faith like the father Abraham who against hope believed in hope; that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, so shall thy seed be. And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah’s womb: he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; and being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. Hebrews 4:18-21.
By faith you stand. A weak faith will only produce a lame feet which will soon be turned out of the way when it ought to be healed by an increasing growth in faith. Hebrews 12:12.
What does this means to looking unto Jesus, who is the author and the finisher of your faith ? Christ will lead his sheep as he calls them by their individual’s name. It is only the people with a growing obedient faith able to growing personal faith through different experiences in the Lord as they’re following after the Lord wholeheartedly in obedient faith even as Abraham obeyed God without knowing his destination. Hebrews 11:8.
David grew and developed his faith in God through different experiences in the wilderness where he kept his faher’s sheep, this was the reason he was able to fight and defeat the Goliath whuch no one was able to confront – a small and ruddy boy with a great and strong faith in God. 1 Samuel 17:37.
David always alone in the field as a young sherpherd boy, but faith in God moved him to pursue after any bear or lion to deliver any of the sheep under his care taken away by any of those ferocious beasts. Faith in God made him to stand up against Goliath when others were afraid and reluctant for lack of trust in God’s power to deliver and give victory to his people.
Faith made David to run and hide from king Saul, hiding under rocks and caves. Faith in divine time made him to spare king Saul from killing him when God delivered his enemy into his hand until he was established by the hand of God, not by the sword of personal vengeance. 1 Samuel 26:10.
Each trial of faith you triumphed over increases it level to another measure of faith. God will not allows you to be tempted beyond the actual level of your present faith in him. Sometimes, faith can be painful when you choose not to give up pursuing after God’s will and purposes :but by going through the process, you will be increasing the enduring strenght of your faith, – streching its muscles: and others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: they were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; of whom the world was not worthy: they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect. Hebrews 11:36-40.
Though you pray in tongues Twenty Four Seven to build up your most holy faith (Jude 1:20), but without practical obedient life from what you’ve study or heard, and the word heard is not mixed with faith to live by it in you, you cannot have or come into experiences of growing your faith in the Lord.
Why did God called the Israelis as children of whom there is no faith in the wildereness? Because their faith was not increasing in him. They asked, can God furnish a tabke in the wildreness? Yes he did. Yet, they tempted him more and more, instead of them to believe him more and more. In the daytime also he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire, yet they doubted and complaint against his presence. He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great depths. He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers. And they sinned yet more against him by provoking the most High in the wilderness. Finally, God was fed up by their faithless words and actions caused by their stunted growth in faith, moved to swear that they shall not enter into his rest. Psalms 78:9-22.
You should not only hold fast on what you have, but you should be able, by grace, increases in what you received from the Lord. Prayerful, conscientious and persistence obedient faith willl grow and increase your divine deposits and investments abundantly in you as required by the Lord: otherwise, you are playing with your place in heaven for another person to replace you and receive your crown for their dilligent growth and increasing in faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness and charity to wear in heaven.
Though these things are not in you, but are not abounding in you, how can you be an epistle of Christ, read and known by all men? This is a call to a personal spiritual striving to augment those spiritual graces which constitutes and contributes to the beauties of the new man in you for daily renewal of the inward man (2 Corinthians 4:16. 2 Corinthians 5:17) which should be seen or reflecting outside in an upward and progressive walk toward the entrance door of the everlasting kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ expected to be widely kept opened for you to enter heaven at death. 2 Peter 1:11. Note: as the elects of God, holy and beloved, you must keep alive the hope of eternal life promised before the foundation of the world (Titus 1:2) as you putting off all the old garments from the world of sin, and wearing the new garments in the Lord: by doing so, you are making your heavenly calling and election sure: in order word, you are keeping your place reserved for you in heaven.
Believers in Christ Jesus should grow spiritually by increasing in their faith: to progress from the faith to faith in the salvation and righteousness brought and given by our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Romans 1:17.
Speak what you believe. We, having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak; knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you. 2 Corinthians 4:13-14.
Some people will say they cannot deny their reality, for that will make them a liar. Really? Faith ignores the existence of the present reality and considers it as non existing even as Abraham considered not the deadness of Sarah’s womb, neither the oldness of his age while declaring what the word of God says to re -create its new and expected future.
You cannot be growing in faith as long as you are snared continually by the word of your mouth, – negative words: through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. Hebrews 11:3.
There is endless possibilities with God and in his kingdom for exploits of faith. Be it unto you according to your faith. What is the quality, kind and strenght of your faith? Are you rich in faith? Rich faith cannot be a weak, little or dead, but very active and fruitful unto God in all things. Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? James 2:5.
Is your faith little, weak or poor? Little and weak faith can grow, but a poor faith is under the curse and condemnation of the Lord because such believers are living and operating their faith after the manner or mentality of the Ladecian church. Their’s was a faith and assurance in what is seen; a miserable faith (Revelation 3:17) though we ought not to look at the things which are seen to qualify our acceptance and walk of faith before God, but to look at the things which are not seen by laying hold on eternal life: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:18.
Are you strong in faith? Is your faith dead or alive? What is the measure of it? Are you a man or woman full of faith and Holy Spirit like Stephen once did? Acts 6: 5.
As Abraham grow older in age, his faith also increase in his God, an old age should not be the reason for declining in God because the righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing; to shew that the Lord is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him. Psalms 92:12-15.
Abraham’s experience of delayed about Isaac birth was the trial to prove his obedient faith in God after he hearkend to Sarah for the birth of Ishmael (Genesis 16): afterward, God appeared to him to walk before him and be perfect in obedient until Isaach was born. Genesis 17:1.
Faith is like gold which can only shine brighter after its gone through fire. The faith given unto us by God is very precious, but how bright is your faith shinning? Note: the glory and preciousness of your faith is known and seen through its action and strenght of endurance which a weak or little faith lacks in quality (Mark 2:1-5); that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perishes, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. 1Peter1:7-9.
Your faith cannot grow beyond your personal experiences in your relationship with God. It can also grows by what you are hearing, but what kind of gospel and doctrines you’ve been fed with, so that you can be growing while you earnestly contend for the faith once delivered unto the old saints? Faith comes also from hearing of the goodness of God from other’s lips – the testimoniy of faith. The testimonies from others may help prepares your heart to build and to increase your faith, but the increase of your faith is in your own encounter with God.
You can judge the measure of your faith by the success achieved by bringing every thoughts in you into captivity into the obedience of Christ. The level of growing your faith until the unity of faith with Christ depends on the totality of the word of God you are able to live for, and what you can bear in the word as it is in truth, the word of God which works efectivelly in them that believes.
Faith is personal – it must be unto you according to your faith. You must personally build your faith with God as you walk obediently with him, even as Enoch, by faith, walked and pleased God until he was taken up alive to heaven without seeing death. Without faith we cannot please God. Yes, but you must know that it is with an obedient faith you can please God. Show me your increasing obedient life towards God, and you will hear the approval and acceptance from the witness of the spirit of God in you that you also is pleasing to God. Was God not sworn by himself to bless Abraham’s obedient action of faith by saying, because you have obeyed my voice? Genesis 22:18.
God further reiterate the importance of obedient faith before Isaac, saying, go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of: sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father; and I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws. And Isaac dwelt in Gerar. Genesis 26: 1-6.
We are called to grow in obedience until it is completed or fulfilled in us. The measure of your submission – obedient to the word of God reveals the measure of your faith. Partial or little obedient is equal to partial or little faith. Total rebellion to his word is equal to faithless heart. Instant obedience is equal to active faith of a reverential worshipper who trembles before the word of God. Complete obedience is equal to an increasing and pleasing faith in God.
2 Peter 1 Verses 5b: and beside this add virtue (good character) to your faith in God.
Virtue is defines as (a) the goodness of God which leads us to repentance and salvation. 1 Peter 1:3: (b) again, virtue is the good character or behaviour, showing higher moral standards. As a born again child of God, we are called to add virtue to our faith. Has God not raised up a higher standard for believers by his higher calling in Christ Jesus? Higher calling requires higher standard and not less. Are believers not called unto holiness, called to be saints, and to live as becomes saints in all manner of conversations, even as he which has called them is holy? If this standard of virtue is maintained, good character and intergrity cannot be missing from anyone called unto glory and virtue in Christ Jesus.
If you remove good character and integrity from Christianity, the answer or outcome should be unpricipled, nonsense, hypocrisy, manipulation and deception. Sadly to say that the church is full of many unprincipled, idiotic, irrational, nonsensical, deceptive, manipulative, foolish and unrully characters whose foolishness and wickedness sometimes surpasses the foolishness and evil doings of the ungodly men in the world and they made others to blaspheme the name of God.
Believer’s should be answerable to one another by providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men. 2 Corinthians 8:21. If there is any virtue in Christ, it is found in the nine fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23); for the fruit of the Spirit is in all righteousness, truth and goodness, proving what is that good and acceptable unto God. Ephesians 5:9.
The unbroken parts in us is a character flaw which should be seriously and prayerfully address before God to obtain personal deliverance and progressive victory. If the unbelievers are better than the believer in moral conducts of civility, then there are so many questions to answer before God in judgement by those who have received divine power to live a life of divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lusts.
There is no greater virtue in Christ Jesus than to do unto men as you expects them to do unto you. The testimony and commendation of God should be preferred and sought after above the praises and approval of men. Your virteousness is from God. You don’t have to be politically correct, seeking to earn the approval of the world to be seen by them as a good man, but not good in God’s sight: that which is highly esteem before men is abomination before God. What made up the believer’s good character before God is to stand up for truth, and to walk in the light of God’s word against all ungodliness in the world. Acts 11:24.
Warn the unruly, and expecting a change, but avoid the company of the deliberate and persistent undisciplined toxic people. Don’t get pissed off to throw temper tantrums like a child when others willingly chose to treat you unjustly without respect: be courteous; not rendering evil for evil or railing for railing unto any man. 1 Peter 3:9.
The most important thing is whether if what you are about to do is acceptable and approved and commnedable before God: consider if such action will be edifying to others: let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. Romans 14:19.
Walk in humility and learn to say sorry if you are wrong than to keep arguing, showing the foolishness of your prideful heart. Listen to others with the intent to understand and to reason amicably with the use of positive- soft word or tongue to turn away anger or dispute. Proverbs 15:1.
Believer should work on themselves, growing in good behavioiurs by displaying respectability; not abusive and distasteful, but honorable, proper, noble, commendable, exemplary, legitimate, esteemed, law-abiding, reputable, upstanding and of worthy character. Believers must walk wisely as David once walked before King Saul and before all Israelis: walking and living in a good manner in every rapport with all men – good or bad. Has the Lord not commanded us to be wise as serpent? This is to teach you how to manoeuvre your ways and doings in the midst of crooked and perverse nations without rebuke, among whom you should shine as lights in the world. 1 Samuel 18:14. Philippians 2:15.
The divne nature in us is the salvation we received by faith in Christ Jesus to be seen through a changing character, manners and courtesy that could not be found in the world. Has God not chosen the foolish things of this world to confound the wise? A born again believer on his way to heaven should not only learn how to behave himself the best he could be for the Lord at home, world and in the church, but should increase daily, striving to be more and more like his Saviour Jesus Christ. If you are misrepresenting Christ in the world by the way you are living your Christian life, giving occcassions for anyone to blaspheme his name, or you are causing others to go astray by your false way of life in Christ Jesus, do you think you will be received up to eternal glory you are called to inherit afterward?
Let us not forget our spiritual title as the ambassadors of Christ that we represents the Lord in the world as his delegates. If we are the Lord’s, we should manifest his nature – traits to walk daily in the newness of life by representing his values and everything Jesus Christ stands for in the world: we are the carriers of Christ truth, life and character.
Spiritual gifts is not the sign that we’ve been with Christ, but true humility and lowliness of mind to be an imitator of Christ in any situation, to react as he would in the face of any pressure, then shall it be said of us that we have also been with Christ: but if any lack these things: he is blind, and cannot see afar off, and has forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Acts 4:13.
Who or what you are as a person is portrayed by what comes out of your mouth: let no corrupt communication proceeds out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, not jesting which is not convenient, but rather giving of thanks! Where then shall the comedians, jokers, humorists and the comic in the church today appears in the kingdom of heaven? Ephesians 4:24. Ephesians 5:4. 1Timothy 3:7.
No one shoud be allowed to piss you off to misbehave by their misbehaviours: let no one one becomes a pain in your ass. Believer should increase in coutersy and politeness. Respect should be reciprocal, the virteous man or woman should retain honour, they should be honoured and respected. Proverbs 11:16.
Beware of dogs. Virteousness is an honour not befitting showing or giving to an unreasonable, arrogant or disrespectful fools. Respect is a behavioural seed we sow daily into the life of other people by the way we approach, relate and talk with them or response to them; but when we can’t reap what we’ve sown in them, we should stop giving honour to a fool – it s not fitting for them – as snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honour is not seemly for a fool, – like one who binds the stone in the sling is one who gives honour to a fool. Proverbs 26:1, 8.
To give honour or respect to the fool doesn’t make them respectful or wise, just as the children of Ammon lose total respect David had for their father by their undignified comportments and treatments of David’s servants sent to comfort and mourn with them for the death of their father (2 Samuel 10:1-6): though thou should bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle, yet will not his foolishness depart from him. Proverbs 27:22.
Honour all men. 1 Peter 2:17.
Because Nabal, the foolish rich man lacks moral excellent (virteuousness) towards David in his suffering, God slain him, but the courtesy of the wife won the heart of David to become his wife as soon as God took away the foolish man – Nabal. 1 Samuel 25.
Everyone deserves respect, except the fool who thinks he’s wise in his own sight or the fool who continues to act foolishly, and will not receive instructions for correction. Proverbs 26:8 and 12. The poor man should not be disrespected because of his empty or weak purse – he who mocks the poor reproaches his Maker. Proverbs 17:5.
God makes rich and makes poor; he has established Zion, and in her his poor people will find refuge. Nobody should be looked down upon, maltreated or disrespected because they are poor: do not despises nor oppresses the poor man because he is poor; for the Lord will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them. Isaiah 14:32. Proverbs 22:22-23.
As this is the last days, we are in a generation where moral principles of divine respect is rapidly dwindling and fading away. Husbands lacks proper respect for their wives and some treats their wife as inferior to them. Wife lacks respect due unto her husband, dominate and controls him. How many of the Christian women can publickly and happily address their husband as lord, even as Sarah did called Abraham? Sarah is the mother Christian women are called to follow as example of respect, not the arrogant queen Vashti who was replaced for disrespecting her husband the king. 1 Peter 3:6-7. Esther 1:19-20.
In my culture, if you don’t respect my parents, you equally disrespect me, and I am ready to fight you for been disrespectful to any of my parents. I’ve seen where many pastors speaks and beahaves before the church as if they are the lords over the heritage of God, they lacks respect for God, and by so doing, they are also disrespecting the children of God. Some of them speaks and behaves as if God works for them; as one hired by them; and not sent by him, – they have no fear neither show any respect for him. Some pastors wife behaves to church members as if they slaves bought with their money.
Some of those pastors wife’s also have the titles of been address as pastor by answering pastor Mrs with no respect for the five fold ministry estblished by God by their false and rebellious intrusion against divine order. I keep wandering how gulible are the believers who are sitting down listening to those rebellious women who are parading themselves as pasors, bishops, apostles, evangelist etc to take up authority to preach as men does in the church/ as for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths . Isaiah 3:12.
This is the arrogant and disrespectful generation where everyone is blindly equal to rub shoulder to shoulder with anyone. Children speaks foolishly without correction from the parents. Respect for the elders are dissapearing. People speak any how against their leaders in government authorities. They speak arrogantly to others, thinking that they are free to say anything rudely or mockery to bring others down, so they can feel great in themselves in the name of the freedom of speech: there is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! And their eyelids are lifted up. There is a generation, whose teeth are as swords, and their jaw teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men. Proverbs 30:13-14.
2 Peter 1 Verses 5c: and beside this add to your knowledge of the word of God.
Please for now, try eat as much as you can eat and disgest the word of God, the bread of life. While it may last, seek to profit from it now; behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord God, when I will send a famine on the land, — not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord. Amos 8:11.
Those who are without genuine love for the truth, cannot be said to be growing in the true knowledge of the word of God. You must be rooted and grounded in the word of God, lest you be led into captivity and destruction, either by your ignorance of the word of God, which will made it easy for the multitudes of parading liars in church as pastors to deceive you by twisting it.
The eyes of the Lord preserve knowledge, and he overthroweth the words of the transgressor. Proverbs 22:12.
The increasing fullness of the word of God in you determines the quality of expression of outpouring of words from your mouth, for the tongue of the wise uses knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools pours out foolishness. Proverbs 15:2.
We should give ourselves to the meditation of the word of God every day and night (a) for spiritual growth and fruitfulness. Psalms 1:1-3.
Advancing from receiving milk as spiritual babe to being fed with strong spiritual meat, growing unto spiritual adult, – whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. Isaiah 28:9.
Growing from being spiritually unskilful to becoming skilful in the word of righteousness by growing in the word of God. Hebrews 5:11-14. You must build your spiritual strenght in the Lord by growing in your personal knowledge of the word of God; a wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength (Proverbs 24:5): I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one. 1 John 2:14.
Having a mental knowledge of the word of God is good and very important (Proverbs 2:3); but the revelatory knowledge and understanding of the word of God is better for you to be able to escape the deception of the corrupt and deceitful teachers of the word of God in these last days. Psalms 119:99.
Prayer should be made for increasing revelatory knowledge and understanding of the word of God – deep must call unto deep: that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints. Ephesians 1:17-18.
The word of Christ should dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Colossians 3:16.
Either by discipline devotional study of the word of God (Jeremiah 15:16) or by listening to the preaching and teaching of the sound doctrine in the church from the ministers who are faithful to speaking the truth as it shoud be told in love (1 Corinthians 4:17) or through the edifying ministering from other believers to one another (Romans 15:14), the goal before us is to attain (succeed in achieving- something that one has to work for and increase in it) to the fullness of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a complete man, to the measure of the fullness of the measure of Christ. Ephesians 4:13.
Many do err, as Christ says, not knowing the scriptures nor the power of God. Matthew 22:29.
Many in the end time church are serving God, but seeking after idols for power from darkness at the same time. If we are not grounded and rooted in the word of God, we cannot be grounded and rooted in the faith of Christ which is the source of the power of God.
Sadly enough, some believers speaks and acts today as if Satan is more powerful than the Omnipotent God, but power belongs to God. Sometimes, foolish believers misinterprete the word of Christ which says all power in heaven and on earth has been given unto him as an excuse to seek after diabolical powers to perform miracles or consult after witch doctor to obtain spiritual helps and guidance, which we are warned against, the pollution of idol, a very damnable sin. 1John 5:21.
What the Lord’s saying here is that the power of darkess which is Satan’s power, is now neutralized and ineffective against the children of the kingdom of God: that they are now complete in him Christ, which is the head of all principalities and powers: and when they shall say unto you, seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead? To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. Isaiah 8:19-20. Psalms 62:11.
Those who are not growing in sound and personal knowledge of the word of God shall not be made wise unto eternal life; but shall be tossed to and fro by every winds of doctrines. 2 Timothy 3:15-17.
Unstable as waters shall they be, and restless as the bird that wanders away from its nest shall they wander away. In confussion, they will not know what to believe, or who to believe in the last days because they refused to know the God they ought to believe in through their personal intimacy of growing in his word: acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee. Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thine heart. If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles. Job 22:21-23.
The understanding of God is infinite. Psalms 147: 5. You must study increasingly to keep growing in the knowldege of the word of God until your last breath on earth, for there is no limit or searching of his understanding. Isaiah 40:28. It is your personal responsibility and duty to labor dutifully, fruitfully and increasingly in the word of God, able to fetch the expressions of your knowledge from afar – inspiration and revelatory knowledge and understanding of the word of God. Job 36:3.
Ignorance of the word of God is not excusable, but by increasing knowledge comes the awareness of your responsibility to God and man. The more you behold God in his word by studying, the more you’re receiving life and transformation; also, that the soul be without knowledge, it is not good; and he that hasteth with his feet sinneth. Proverbs 19:2.
How can you walk acceptably before God unto all pleasing, doing according to his good pleasure, if you are not adding to knowledge? Don’t you know that increasing knowledge of God’s word multiply grace and peace unto you? 2 Peter 1:2.
Therefore, let us cry and lift up the voice to heaven after knowledge and understanding for the knowledge of the holy is understanding of his ways, doing his pleasures, will and works in a right way. Proverbs 9:10.
Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know? The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea. Job 11:7-9.
The word of God is a vast and rich field of hidden treasures. Search it to find out sound knowledge for your victory of over sin and stop following after the foolish crowd of sinners in the church today, saying you cannot be freed and completely delivered from sin – awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame. 1 Corinthians 15:34.
Take your time to dig the field of God’s word deeper and deeper to discover the treasure for knowledge that not everyone in the world is a sinner, if they are in Christ, and are not walking in the flesh, but in the spirit: to know that everything God has made Christ to become for us, we must continue to live them by way of practising and increasing in them like the path of the just (righteous) is like the light of dawn, that shines brighter and brighter until it reaches its full strength and glory in the perfect ( Proverbs 4:18. 1 Corinthians 1:30): whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for the seed of God remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother. 1 John 3:9-10.
Dig diligently to discover the treasure to become like your Master – Christ, because a disciple is not above his master, but he that is perfect shall be as his master. Luke 6:40.
Is it not written that you should leave behind you the principles of the doctrine of Christ, and to go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God (Hebrews 6;1); so that, as you delve deeper into the word of God, you’ll be receiving the cleansing of water by the word?
It is for the perfecting of the saints for which the five fold ministries gifts are given to the church, that we might come (by increasing) unto the full knowledge of the Son of God. Note: we receives increasing knowledge whenever we receive fresh word from the Lord by constantly studying the word or hearing sound preaching from a genuine man of God: for this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God. Colossians 1:9-10.
2 Peter 1 Verse 6a. Add to your temperance in the Lord
Self-control is defines as the quality that allows you to stop yourself from doing things you want to do but that might not be in your best interest before God or man. Is it not commanded to let your moderation (self control) be known to all men because the Lord is at hand? Philippians 4:5.
Control your appetite and what you’re putting into your mouth. Control your sex life and don’t sleep around like a dog with anyone who is not your spouse. Control your temperance – anger. Control your mouth, don’t speak everything that comes to your brain, be slow to speak – think twice, even three before speaking. Growing in controling everything about yourself in the light of the word of God is very important to save you from unforced error – careless or foolish mistake.
Though, you are not called to speak in a meeting, and your opinion is not been sought after, but you sometimes feels like speaking at any gathering, and doing something, whatever before others, just to mark your presence, just to show that you are eloquent and knows about a lots of things, but it does not work like this with God – it is called the lack of a self control.
Like a fool, they utter all their minds and opinion at once, they don’t know that there is a time to speak and there is time to keep silence. Proverbs 29:11.
With increasing self control, the believer should be quick to hear, slow to wrath and slow to speak. For in many things we offend all: if any offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, able also to control the whole body. James 3: 1-3.
Some who no self control try to justify it saying that they speaks a lot, you just have to do the listening. This babbler without self control speaks everything at once like a fool who is hasty to speak all at once: do you see a man who is hasty – lack self control in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him. Proverbs 29:20.
God is a God or order. Why did he smote and killed Uzzah for his zealous attempt to prevent the ark of God from falling down after it was recovered from the Philistines to be driven back to Jerusalem? It was as the result of his ignorance, demonstrated by his lack of self control because ignrance leads you into different shameful and damnable errors. Though as good as his action appeared to be, God sees and considers it as an intrusion against his order into the Kohathites ministry which he was not called into.
Let every man abides in the calling where God called them. Do not to go beyond the measure of line measured to you by or from God. Are you called being an evangelist, seek not to be a prophet. Are you called being a pastor, seek not to be an apostle. Are you called being a deacon, seek not to take the place of your pastor etc. Those who lacks sound knowledge and temperance shall hastes to sin with their feet – such was the sin of Saul’s intrusion into the office of Samuel the preist to perfrom a priestly sacrifice, and the sin of Uzzah’s intrusion into the office of the Kohathites. Proverbs 19 2 b.
After its long stay in Kirjath-jearim out of its captivity among the Philistines, David suggested it was time to bring the ark of God down to Jerusalem where it ought to be. Pre-occupied with the service for God, without precautions to do accordingly to what it written in the book of law; that only the Kohathites that had the charge of the ark, because their service was to bear it upon their shoulders: but their zeal for God hardened their hearts against the holy fear and reverence to which they must serve the consuming fire- God. Numbers 7:9. Note: it is better to serve God cautiously with reverence and godly fear than to fall into the hands of a fearful and living God.
Believers should be circumspect in their service for God. Insurbodination or ignarance, Israel should know the law of God written in tables of stones, and the present church has the word of of God written and engraven at the table of their hearts to observe. Let none expect inpunity from God when their zeal reveals their lack of self control to ursup the authority of God’s word and overules the orderliness of functionings and principles of operations of his kingdom, – And when they came to Nachon’s threshingfloor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God. And David was displeased, because the Lord had made a breach upon Uzzah: and he called the name of the place Perezuzzah to this day. And David was afraid of the Lord that day, and said, how shall the ark of the Lord come to me? 2 Samuel 6:6-9.
Except you are led by the spirit of God, but for whatever other reason, stop jumping here and there, but stay where God put you for your safety sake, and don’t be like Shemei, who for lack of self control, ignored the covenant over his life with king Solomon, but pursed after his servant who ran away out of Jerusalem with his lamb, having forgotten that the day he leave Jerusalem, cross the Brook Kidron should be his last day on earth. 1 Kings 2:36-46.
If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, lay thine hand upon thy mouth – control your words. Proverbs 30:32.
Pride and lack of self control made Satan to exalt himself, proclaiming or decalring his desire to be like God which brought about his fall from heaven; likewise the angels which kept not their first estate: but left their own habitation, has God reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day for their indecency, lack of self control. Isaiah 14:12-14. Jude 1: 6.
Without much long-suffering and increasing self-control, many believers shall lose their souls because of their mouths and uncontralable emotions against of the scandals going on to day in the church, and the abominations increasing in the world daily, which are snares to the foolish talkers with little or no self control, escpecially in this era of social medias where everyone is pouring out their critics and judgement, but the prudent among the children of God shall keep silence through self control in that time; for it is an evil time. Amos 5:13.
The Israelites provoked the spirit of Moses and he fell to the bait of the enemy, and God terminated Moses life and ministry abruptly because of the insufficient – not increasing in temperance. 2 Corinthians 6:4. Moses was denied entrance into the land of Canaan for his not good enough temperance before God, to engaged himself in strife of words with insults to the Israelites, under the influence of anger, he unconsciously smote the Rock he was commanded to speak to at the water of Meribah – strife. Psalms 106:32-33.
2 Peter 1 Verse 6b. Add to your patience in the Lord
Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. 2 John 1:8.
This is a great call to increase in patience, and not to become frustrate to run out of patience with the unthankful brethren, but by increasing patience, we can continue to do good; both to the unthankful, unholy and to all men: to them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life. Romans 2:7.
We are called to learn and draw strenght from the trials and patience of Job in his adversity, and to see what the Lord brought out of it. God was glorified that not everyone serves him for interests and gain on earth. Satan was proved wrong, and Job’s three friends were also proved to be miserable comforters, but Job’s latter end was blessed than his beginning: In his patience Job say, if a man die, shall he live again? All the days of my appointed time will I wait (have patience), till my change come. Job 14:14. James 5:11.
Those who want or desire to get the best from God now or herefater must increase in patience, because he is the rewarder of those who takes their time to seek after him. Without increasing in faith, to increrase in patience will not be possible. Faith and patience works together. Hence, we are called to emulate those who through their faith and patience inherit the promises of God. Hebrews 6:12.
You are called unto patience of hope in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessaloninas 3 d; Paience is a fruit of the spirit to work out the perfection of God’s will in us. For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. Eternal life is gain through patience by those who are running the race with patience to possess their souls in patience, doing the will of God. Romans 8:24-25. Therefore will the Lord wait, that he may have mercy on you (Isaiah 30:18): the Lord is patience with you, why are you restless and hasty by not resting in his love and faithfulness by faith?
You must also learn to wait continually, and be patient increasingly in what God is doing to accomplish his will and eternal plans in your life through different challenges of experiences of phases of your life. Romans 5:1-5.
Better is patient in spirit than the arrogant in the spirit. Ecclesiastes7:8. Note: the kingdom of God is a process which yo must grow through. For the fruit to grow day and night, the planted seed must abide in the soil. For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come. There is a process to go through before you come into another season and time with God which requires a lot of patience and waiting for God’s time; for your times are in his hand, and he determines what comes next, but not you. Psalms 31:15.
You are not growing in perfection to be like Christ because you are not patience to learn from him and to take his yoke upon you. Christ was made perfect by submission or obedience to God through the things he suffered. Hebrews 5:7-9.
Apostle James speaks of the blessedness of the man who endures temptations. My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. James 1:1-3. Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. Behold, we count them happy which endure. James 5:7-11.
Certain promises of God are delayed because God works according to his own seasons and times with man. God has his set time to bless and visit each and everyone of his children (Psalms 102:13) but only those who are not growing in increasing patience shall become faint in their heart because their faith is waek, thus hope is delayed. Proverbs 13:12. Psalms 40:1. Note: like Abraham gave birth to Ishamel, the violent son, through impatient caused by Sarah, but was not an excused for his own impatient, which breeds religion violence in the world today (Galatians 4:29); we can also give birth to physical and spiritual problems of eternal proportions in our own life, if we are not growing in patience with the Lord, or our patience is not growing before him. Genesis 16:12.
Be patient in tribulation. Romans 12b.
We are called to run with the footmen and to contend against the horses in our way to heaven. But how can we overcome the nuissance people in the world as well as in the church, if we cannot be patient towards all men? Jeremiah 12:5. How do we contend against horses, if we are not growing and multiplying in our patient waiting for Christ. 2 Thessalonians 3:5.
It was an excellent thing that Moses was conscious of the purpose of God over his life. As he grew up, he understood the reasons behind his nurtured and upbringing at the palace of Pharaoh from whence he learnt all the knowledge in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, but his attempt to precipitate the move and work of God at the age of forty years (Acts 7:25) led to his self imposed exile into the land of Midian, where he had to live for another forty years (Exodus 2:14-15), until God’s fullness of time for his call and commission to deliver the children of Israel from the oppression of Pharaoh, after their completion of four hundred years of slavery in Egypt according to the promised and covenant made by God beforehand to Abraham. Genesis 15:13.
Moses exercised his ministry for another forty years until he died at the age of one hundred and twenty years. Deuteronomy 34:7.
Moses impatient led him to the land of Midiam, needless was his sojourn with Jethro and his marriage with his daughter at Midian: needless was his burning bush experience, where an angel of God appeared to him, because God is able to occasion the deliverance of his people without Moses being sent back to Egypt had he not killed an Egyptian in retaliation for his Israelite brother’s death in precipitation to start his ministry before the fulness of God’s time, but whoever believes shall not be in haste. Isaiah 28:16.
2 Peter 1 Verse 6c. Add to your godliness in the Lord.
Adam had everything that pertains to life and godliness in the Garden of Eden, but because he was not hungry enough to growing in godliness, he directed his desire and appetite to another thing, to the fruit from the knowledge of good and evil, falling from the state of godliness to state of corruption: by one man, sin – corruption entered into the world.
As long as you chose not to live and walk steadily in the spirit, you are not increasing in the life of God, his godliness in you. The corruption chosen by Adam in the garden, which is now in the world, is what we are called to escape from through the divine power we have received for all things that pertains to life and godliness which calls for continous cultivation of the fruit of the spirit through its application in everything, situation and before anyone.
Did Christ not breathed on his disciples, says unto them, receive ye the Holy Spirit? John 20:22.
Adam had divine nature which is the breath from God’s nostrils, but not with immortality, the eternal life. We see how he was chased out of the garden to prevent him from eating the fruit from the tree of life to stop him from living eternally in his state of corruption. Genesis 3:22-23.
You have received and sealed by the Holy Spirit as a guarantee that God will make good of all his promises, especailly, the promise of eternal life, but you must be walking in the spirit, increasing in godliness, by subduing the flesh and its works, having escaped the corruption in you and in the world through lusts to get to heaven.
How can you think you can sow to the flesh to reap everlasting life, instaed of eternal corruption or eternal death? Can God be mocked?
In his creation before the fall, Adam was a living soul, he was once alive unto God because of the breath from God’s nostril, but he died spiritually the day he ate from the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil as God warned and foretold.
But refuse profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise thyself rather (increasingly) unto godliness; for bodily exercise profits little, but godliness is profitable unto all things, as it holds the promise for the present life and also for the life to come. Godliness is profitable as a lifestyle to pursue increasingly for all things. Profitable in the way you dress, either to church, for sport, in summer, or vacation, having an appearance of godliness, godly wears, – profitable in what music you listens to, godly edifying songs, – profitable in what television programs you watches,- godly programs and films, – profitbale in what places you go to, and the kind of people you are associating yourself with, – profitable in what you say and how you say it.
Godliness is profitable, if you will run away from the love of money to avoid coveteousness and greediness of the prosperity preachers, false doctrines of those who thinks that godliness is gain (1Timothy 6:5): but godliness with contentment is a great gain, for we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. 1 Timothy 6:7-8.
In view of the terrible day of the Lord’s righteous judgements and fierce anger of the Lord coming on the world of ungodliness of men in the world and church, what manner of what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. 2 Peter 3:10-13.
Simply put it in this way, that in the kingdom of God, everything comes down to increasing godliness against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men or the corruption that is in the world through lusts.
Are we not saved and called to give up ungodly living and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in this world, as we wait for the blessed day we hope for, when the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ will appear. For he gave himself for us, to rescue us from all wickedness and to make us a pure people who belong to him alone and are eager to do good. Titus 2:12-14.
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness. Romans 1:18.
This spiritual trait of increasing godliness should be the testimonies of our conversation in our daily lifestyle in the Lord: for our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward. 2 Corinthians 1:12.
The Lord says, if they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. John 15:20. Your increasing godliness and godly lifestyle shall attract criticisms and persecutions from the world and from the worldly minded believers in the church. They will call and give you different kinds of names to embarrass and defame you, – yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived (2 Timothy 3:12-13): but the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished, but chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. 2 Peter 2:9-10.
There are categories of hardships and persecutions to be expected to suffer and to endure by those who seek to live and add up to grow in godliness in this present evil world system. Some will have to choose between a worldly, wicked, heathen and corrupt husband who will seek and ask his spouse to divorce Christ or lose the conjugal union, but strong believer will chose to gain Christ and lose his marriage, but the weak in faith will stay at home to keep his marriage and divorce Christ. Worldly and ungodly men and women are all over the places, and you have to chose between them in an unequally yoked or chose the company of them that love and fears God: for two cannot walk together, unless they agreed. Married office boss men or ladies shall demand sex from their handsome male or beautiful female employees of they want to secure their jobs and positions, in preferece to lose theor job and place, the godly will chose not to defile the temple of God, but the godless with the appearance of godliness will give in to sex demand to secure their place and to increase their income.
The outspoken and faithful servants of God shall suffer persecution and isolation for their uncompromising and fearless declaration acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness from the corrupt brethren who shall not be able to endure sound doctrine, but after their own lusts shall heap to themselves teachers having itching ears which cannot help them in the process of fulfilling the purpose of their calling and election in Christ, which is increasing Christlikeness, increasing godliness.
2 Peter 1 Verse 7a. Add to your brotherly kindness in the Lord.
Are we not called to be the keeper’s of our brothers and sisters in the Lord; to watch one another’s back? To the living, brotherly love should continue. Hebrews 13:1.
And to the dead brethren’s family that are left behind with us, bear ye one another’s burder, and so fulfilling the law of Christ by remembering them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body, – blessed be he of the Lord, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead. Ruth 2:20.
If we have shown love to watch after the interest of our brethren while they are with us alive, so we must increasing in kindness to the bereaved family; not abandoning them like as Orpah kissed her mother in law and departed from her; but to be increasingly helpful and supportive of them to the end in our best ability in the sight of God, the same way Ruth cleaved to Naomi to the end, increasingly helping and supportive of her, and she was also helped and blessed by the Lord for her increasing kindness.
Thus saith the Lord; for three transgressions of Edom, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he did pursue his brother with the sword, and did cast off all pity, and his anger did tear perpetually, and he kept his wrath for ever (Amos 1:11): therefore, like Joseph overlooked and passed over the transgressions of his brethren (Proverbs 19:11), let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and tumult and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you. Ephesians 4:31-32.
And David said, is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may shew him kindness for Jonathan’s sake? We must Increasing in kindness to the deserved, not repaying evil for good. 2 Samuel 9:1.
And the king said, is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may shew the kindness of God unto him? 2 Samuel 9:3. Repaying kindness and extending mercy to the undeseved; having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. 1 Peter 3:8-12.
The kindness we received of the Lord should we joyfully communicate increasingly in kind to others; else, the Lord will ask us one day, what is this that I see in you, why are you wicked to your brethren, why was your tender mercies cruel towards my brethren? Proverbs 12:10.
The kindness we expect to receive from the Lord should be shown in advance toward others. Note: has God not been rich in his mercy and kindness towards us in Christ Jesus to save us? Those who are increasing in brotherly kindness must be rich in showing mercy unto others, looking forward to the mercy of the Lord Jesus to eternal life (Jude 1:20), growing in kindness toward their brethren in the righteousness of Christ: this thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes. The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain: but, when he was in Rome, he sought me out very diligently, and found me. The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day: and in how many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus, thou knowest very well. 2 Timothy 1:15-18.
Be kindly affectionate one to another with brotherly love. Romans 12:10 a. Believer’s disposition to kindness towards his brethren in the Lord should be the pre -occupation of his tender heart, seeking the wealth of his people, and speaking peace to all his all. Esther 10:3.
Brotherly kindness is the unfeigned love of the brethren, consists moral and spiritual encouragements, financial and material supports, not shutting up your bowels of compassion towards the needy brethren – seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which lives and abides forever. 1 Peter 1:22-23.
Whoso mocks the poor reproaches his Maker: and he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished: where is the brotherly kindness if you are glad at the calamity of your brethren? Proverbs 17:5. Where is your brotherly kindness when you are going around as a tale bearer to cause strife and division among the brethren who ought to be united in love and faith in Christ Jesus? But the Lord hates such person and will send them to hell if they don’t desist to sabotage the church of Christ and their brethren. Proverbs 6:16-19. Isaiah 33:1.
It is no brotherly kindness of you are using the free gifts received from God to maniplate others and exploiting them. Believers in Christ Jesus are dependent one upon another for spiritual helps and edification. Each is to expect to receive help from the rest according to the gifts received to minister freely one to another as stewards of the manifold grace of God. 1 Peter 4:10.
The good of the whole should be the object of rejoicing for all and the sorrow, affliction and bond of one should be sorrow, affliction and bond for the rest: remember them that are in bonds as bond with them, and they which suffer adversity, as being yourself also in the body (Hebrews 13:3): but as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom. I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourns for his mother. But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: yea, the abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; they did tear me, and ceased not: with hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth.Lord, how long wilt thou look on? Rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions. Psalms 35:13-17): eager,warm hearted and considerate of the things which makes for their edification in the Lord.
Let us not be like Joseph’s brethren who devised to kill their little brother because of his gift and favour of God upon him: but to be increasingly nice with the brethren irrespective of their gifts and position from the Lord, sure that they are safe with us, and fells safe anytime they are around us – devise not evil against your neighbour, seeing he dwells securely by you. Proverbs 3:29.
Let us increasingly be the Rueben’s type to rescue our little Joseph from the cruelty, wickedness, jealousy, competition, hatred and evil intents of other brethren – and Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands; and said, let us not kill him. And Reuben said unto them, shed no blood, but cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, and lay no hand upon him; that he might rid him out of their hands, to deliver him to his father again. Genesis 37: 21-22.
2 Peter 1 verse 7b. Add to your charity in the Lord.
And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you: to the end he may establish your hearts without blame in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints. 1 Thessalonians 3:12-13.
We are called to love as Christ shows us what it means to love when he was on earth. The love shown by the Lord never rejoices in iniquity, but rejoice in truth, this is sanctifying love, sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth. John 17:17.
His love for all made him to live for the truth, speak the truth at all instance, and died for the truth. We cannot and should not be expressing love for anyone beyond the love of the God in Christ Jesus. It is evil and offensive to God, hypocritical and destructive, if we do just as Satan expressed false love and concerns to Adam and Eve to have them destroy, let love be without hypocrisy, abhor that which is evil, and cleave to that which is good. Romans 12:9.
The sanctifying love is the love God is expecting a Christian husband should be displaying and exercising to his wife – the same from the parents to their children in a true and godly and sanctifying parental love, sanctifying love shown between a friend to his friend, but faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful and destructive. Proverbs 27:6.
We should be expressing sanctifying love toward the neighbors, colleagues or strangers. Any love or affection shown toward others should be based on the understanding and rules of divine love according to the person and relationships in question. Note: those who are truly growing in love grow increasingly as well in humility, love is not puffed up.
As Christ condescend to save us, sanctifying love would make us condescend in any way for anyone if that would in any way help bring them to Christ, without corrupting or compromising the truth. This is the debt to pay daily, God’s sanctifying love to all men: owe no man anything, but to love one another. Romans 13:8. 1 Corinthians 9:19-23.
Once again, there is nothing like the false and erroneous concept or doctrine of unconditional love of God to give you the false hope of walking and living contrary to his will, purposes and precepts without any present consequence and damnation at judgement.
If there is unconditional love of God, the Lord would not say if ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. John 15:14.
More also, if there is such thing as an unconditional love of God, there is no branch, fruitful or unfruitful, which shall be cut off from the vine, but the Lord threatens to cut off any fruitfless branch from the vine.
By the way, there wouldn’t be any judgment after death, either for a believer or non believer if there is God’s unconditional love: but there’s nothing as such unconditional love; as for those who turned back unto their crooked ways, the Lord shall lead them forth to hell with the workers of iniquities. Psalms 125:5.
As long as Adam adhere to the word of God, he will continue to stay in the Garden, but when he opted out of the word, he died, and God sent him out of the Garden; his eyes are purer eyes than to behold iniquity. Habakkuk 1:13.
Had there been such thing as the unconditional love of God, there shouldn’t be the judgment of physical death against Adam and Eve to return back to the dust from whence he made them.
We can not continue or remain in the love of God, if we’re ignoring, disobeying, resisting, twisting or despising his word, let’s not be deceived: thus saith the Lord; for three transgressions of Judah, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have despised the law of the Lord, and have not kept his commandments, and their lies caused them to err, after the which their fathers have walked: but I will send a fire upon Judah, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem. Amos 2:4-5.
Let all your things be done by increasing charity. God is the main operator and cultivator of the growth of his love in us, either to believers and unbelievers alike.
It is very important not to separate the love of God from his holiness. To accomplish sanctifying love in us, God chooses to deal with us in an unpleasant and unacceptable ways to human nature and reasoning’s, chastening us through different life’s events for us to share in his holiness, – those he accepts and loves he chastises, and scourge every son he receives. Hebrews 12:10-11.
And now abides faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. 1 Corinthians 13:13.