By Bryan D. Gill, D.Min.
Director of the Office of Faith, Learning and Vocation, Samford University
THE IMPORTANCE OF CHARACTER
2 Peter 1:1–11
Earlier this summer we observed two holidays in which we celebrate freedom — Juneteenth and Independence Day. When someone has freedom, they are freed from something and freed to something. For instance, Juneteenth celebrates freedom from slavery, and Independence Day celebrates freedom from tyranny. As a result, we are free to live as free men and women. It would be foolish for someone to have freedom and live as though they were still oppressed or enslaved.
When we are free in Christ, we are freed from sin and free to live a godly life — something we were not able to do before Christ. However, sometimes people view this freedom as permission to act in any way that feels best to them. The problem with this mindset is that we are flawed human beings; we do not always act in the best way.
The only way we can live rightly is to live the way God calls us to live — and that begins with embracing the character traits that reflect Christ.
God has empowered us to grow in Christlike character. (1–3)
When God calls us to do something, He equips us with whatever we need to accomplish the calling. God has called every Christian to live godly lives, and He has given us everything we need to grow in Christlike character.
Where do we find this “roadmap” for godly living? Verse 3 tells us that it comes from God’s divine power through our knowledge of Him. Our knowledge of God comes from studying Scripture and the life of Jesus. If we are not studying God’s Word or trying to imitate the life of Christ in our own lives, it’s like we are navigating uncharted territory without a map or compass. The power of the Holy Spirit and knowledge of God through His Word is everything we need to live in the freedom we have from Christ.
Diligence in our growth helps us to know God better. (4–8)
Verse 4 tells us we are allowed to “share in the divine nature.” Have you ever thought of that? When you are loving and kind and patient (displaying the fruit of the Spirit), you are showing the world God’s divine nature. On the contrary, when we act selfishly and are hateful, we show the world our sinful nature. God has freed us to know Him better and participate in His divine nature.
This passage tells us that there are divine actions we should add to our faith: goodness, knowledge, self-control, endurance, godliness, brotherly affection and love. By practicing these disciplines, we grow closer to God and better understand what it means to live as Christ.
Christlike character points to our relationship with Christ. (9–11)
You might have heard the old saying, “Tell me who your friends are, and I’ll tell you who you are.” Who we spend time with and what we do with our time truly matters. As Christians, the world should know we spend time in God’s Word by the way we act. Our lives, as a result of the transforming power of Christ’s blood, should reflect the character of Christ.
Verse 9 calls Christians who are not acting in God’s divine nature “blind and shortsighted” because they have forgotten that they have received “cleansing from [their] past sins.” Christians whose lives don’t reflect Christ live as though they are still slaves to sin. Our actions reveal our relationship to God as we grow and live with godly character.
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