What Comes Next

       I didn't want to get my driver's license at 16, but my Dad made me since I was the last kid at home and someone had to drive Mom around.  I was completely happy riding my bicycle around where ever I needed to go, but Mom didn't want to ride on the back!  So I studied, got my beginners, and said, "Now what?"

 

Obviously I couldn't just get behind the wheel of a car and drive where ever I wanted to.

 

       First I had to learn vehicle basics: brakes, steering wheel, gas pedal, mirrors, safety checks, etc. while Dad showed me basic driving skills. Next, I had to sign up for driver's ed.- to get cheaper insurance, do the classroom portion of learning, then the driving portion.  After that I took the driving test, with maximum mistakes allowed, and was given my license.

 

       To almost everything in life there are general steps that follow after a decision is made, marriage and children being two of the biggies.  But I would also include faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.  Yesterday I posted about good works that naturally follow faith, but before that happens there are other things that need to be 'worked' out, and Peter is nice enough to clearly tell us what those steps are.

 

2Pt. 1:3

according as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge (G1922- precise and correct knowledge) of Him who has called us to glory and virtue,

-by His power (dunamis) God has given us all things that we need for life (zoe) and godliness (eusebeia- reverence, respect, piety towards God)

 

we are called to:  glory G1391- doxa                   virtue G703- arete
                          opinion, judgment, view            moral excellence as in modesty, purity in
                                                                         thought, feeling and action
2Pt. 1:4

We are given great and precious (valuable) promises so that we may be partakers (sharers) of the divine (godlike) nature (properties, powers, peculiarities, characteristics) having escaped the corruption (decay, ruin) in the world through lust (longing, desire)

 

2Pt. 1:5
For this very reason, make every effort to add to (fill out) your faith with (what should come next):

 

virtue- moral excellence as in modesty, purity in thought, feeling and action

 

knowledge- G1108- knowledge signified in general intelligence, understanding (of general and deeper Christianity, what is lawful or not, moral wisdom and right living)

 

self control- virtue of one who masters his desires and passions, especially his sensual appetites

 

patience- a patient enduring, sustaining, perseverance (not swerved from his deliberate purpose and his loyalty to faith and piety^ by even the greatest trials and sufferings)

 

godliness- reverance, respect, piety^ towards God
 
brotherly kindness- (philadelphia) love of the brethren, which Christians cherish for each other

 

love- (agape) brotherly love, affection, good will, love, benevolence

 

^Piety (in principle) is veneration or reverence of Jehovah and love of his character, or veneration accompanied with love; and piety (in practice) is the exercise of these affections in obedience to his will and devotion to his service.

 

2Pt. 1:8
For if these (7) things are in you and abound, they make you to be neither idle nor unfruitful in the knowledge (G1922) of our Lord Jesus Christ.In other words, if these 7 'traits' abound in you, you will be doing good works and be fruitful in the precise and correct knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  And that is what comes next after faith!

 

I wonder what would happen if we each put in effort towards achieving, improving these traits in us!