Passage of the Day: 2nd Peter 1: 10 [NIV] … 10 Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, …
2nd Peter 1: 10 [NASB] … 10Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; …
My Journal for Today: We’re closing out this month’s discussion on the assurance of salvation by studying the passage from Peter’s second epistle [i.e., in 2nd Pet. 2: 1]. And today, this last day of the month in our study, we can see Peter writing (see bold portion above) an exhortation to obedience. The phrase “… if you do these things [i.e., the character disciplines of the faith which Peter listed],” is translated “… for as long as you practice these things” in the NASB. And after challenging the believer with this charge, Peter gives Christians a powerful promise from God, writing, (again from the NASB) “… you will never stumble.”
I have a dear friend who often says, “First obedience, then God’s blessing.” And it’s true that God blesses the Christian who lives and practices within the assurance of his/her salvation AND with God’s blessing of enabling grace. I have experienced this; and if you’ve been walking in what Peter wrote about in 2nd Peter 1: 5 – 10 for any length of time, you likely have experience the power that Christians are given by God to be fruitful as you have walked in obedience to God’s word.
John MacArthur in his devotional, Strength for Today, on this date, writes that our salvation, being sure, provides the believer with …
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>>> The motivation to praise and thank God (see this truth in many of the Psalms) …
>>> Purpose and power during the trials of life (Rom. 8: 28 and 2nd Tim. 1: 7) …
>>> Victory in temptation, trials, tests, and/or tribulations (1st Cor. 10: 13) …
>>> Direction and power to be in continual obedience (Prov. 3: 5,6 and Luke 9: 23) …
>>> Contentment for life’s challenges (Phil. 4: 11 – 13) …
>>> And the elimination of the fear of death (2nd Cor. 5: 6 – 10).
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When we know – truly KNOW – that, as sinful creatures, God, in His grace, was freely willing to give us His mercy and sacrifice His Son to save us (see Rom. 5: 8), the genuine born-again Christian is predestined to be completed unto Christlikeness (see Rom. 8: 29, Eph. 2: 10, and Phil. 1: 6). And I also pray that you, as a believer, have discovered that the more intimately you know God in your relationship with the Savior, the more you will be aware of your transformation into the image of our Savior and have confidence in your salvation.
As Fanny Crosby, the physically blind Christian songwriter wrote, so insightfully, wrote in her 19th century hymn …
Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine.
Oh what a foretaste of glory divine …
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior, all the day long!
Join me in the contemplation of our salvation … with praise for our glorious Lord, Jesus, who saved us with His grace and now enables us to have a covenant and eternal relationship with Him.
My Prayer Today: Oh, yes! I praise you, my Lord! Amen
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