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Friday, October 08, 2004
A natural question people would ask based on yesterday's entry is "What would happen if I didn't make confession a part of my lifestyle of worship?" I mean, if it's true that when Jesus said, "It is finished," all of our sins were already forgiven, then why bother going through the process of confessing to God?
I think the answer might partially lie in 2 Peter, chapter 1. Peter spends the early part of the chapter telling us that Jesus wants us to have a true knowledge of Him, and that He has granted us "precious and magnificent" promises. The result of these promises is that we could partake of the spiritual life the way it's supposed to be lived.
That's why verse 5 starts with "For this very reason also..."
Then we're given a list. Whenever you see a list when you're studying Scripture, slow down and pay attention. It's usually significant, and this list is.
We're supposed to diligently live by faith.
If we do this, it will lead to moral excellence.
The moral excellence will lead to knowledge (The Message translates the word as spiritual understanding).
This knowledge will lead to self-control (alert discipline).
Self-control will lead to perseverance.
Perseverance will lead to godliness.
Godliness will lead to brotherly kindness.
And, finally, brotherly kindness will lead to love...which, if you remember from our study of 1 Timothy 1:5, is the goal of our instruction.
But here's how it ties into confession, in verse 8:
"If these qualities are yours and increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." So, if you're growing in Christ, you are useful and fruitful for Him. It's really pretty simple.
Then the contrast follows in 9:
"For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins." Those living fleshly lives either can't/don't see the truth, or they need glasses because they have a short-term view of their actions. It may be fun now...but the bill will come later. It always does, and people seem to forget that.
And, finally, the reminder is in v. 10:
"Therefore, bretheren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you..."
I don't find it too much of a stretch to say that confession, that reminder that God is God and we're not Him, is part of that diligence we should apply.
And, the results of doing this are in verse 10-11: You won't stumble. And your entrance into the Kingdom will be more abundantly supplied to you.
In other words, diligently live with eternity in mind...not a short-sighted, temporary earthly NOW in mind.
Brent 5:22 AM
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