Prove Your Christianity & Keep Growing
Dear Saints,
Anyone can say that he believes in God and Christ. The Bible says even the “demons also believe and shudder.”
Years ago, Wendy’s fast food restaurant had a hilarious commercial by an elderly lady, Clara Peller. She advertised its burger, asking, “Where is the beef.” Wendy’s was implying our competitors, like McDonald’s, sell hamburgers with lots of buns, but when you look, you would not see much of a beef between the two buns.
As we continue our study of 2 Peter 1, apostle Peter asks his audience and us, “Where is the beef?” Show me you belong to Christ by your actions and behaviors. Remember, Peter has already made it clear that our faith in Christ is a gift of God by His grace, and we can not earn salvation. Yes, we have been saved, but where is evidence for growth in the character of Christ?
Here is Peter speaking:
“In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.
8 The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins.
10 So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away. 11 Then God will give you a grand entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 1:5-11 (NLT).
We begin with the gift of faith in our walk with Christ. Well, faith without works is dead, as apostle James said. We are to increasingly grow in Christ from faith to good morals, knowledge of God, self-control, patient endurance, godliness, love for the body of Christ, and love for all people.
How are we doing in the growth process? These days, it’s hard to tell who belongs to Christ by our behaviors. We have adult Christians walking around in baby diapers.
Did you see that the end of the fruit is love? Love is where the rubber meets the road. Love is allowing yourself (my rights, privileges, preferences, desires, me-first attitudes, etc.) to be killed for others’ sake. That’s what Jesus did for us on the cross.
Peter said we really can’t grow when he said, “But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins.” If for one second I forget that Christ cleaned me up from my sins and has forgiven me, I cannot love another. Instead, I will be looking for payback for what they did to me.
Saints, we love ourselves too much, and Christ has come to change it. Note: "Love all people" and not just those in your church. This is the proof.
A grand welcome awaits those who love Christ and love others (see verse 11). Yes, you need the knowledge of God, for God is love; you need self-control and patient endurance to love me and others. The same goes for me too. We have not arrived, but we must be growing.
Dear Father, thank you for your divine power of the Holy Spirit to enable me to live for you and to love others even when it’s too hard to do. Thank you for forgiving my sins and helping me to forgive and love others. Amen.
Please read Ephesians 4 to 6, where like Peter, apostle Paul calls us to live and grow in Christ.
“Where’s the beef” in your life? Can people see it? Same question for me too. Lord, please help us.
Let us grow in Christ and introduce others to Christ, who loves us and the world. Don’t wait to get to heaven (when you are fully grown in Christ) to share Christ with others because heaven will only have believers in Christ. Do it now and tell all that are yet to believe in Jesus. Amen.
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