2 Peter 3:1 (NKJV)
Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder).
One might well think after reading the above, "Hey, I thought we got our act together when we came to Christ!" In a real sense, true. However, the act of repentance is following by the act--acts of walking in the Spirit, by faith. A walk wherein imperfection is guided by "sanctification"--the process by which the "rightness" of God is forged into our lives. We have Him; He is bringing us closer to Him. Thus our "position" before God is being "projected". We become better aware of the saltiness that salt has (see Matthew 5:13-16).
If we are honest, we slip by certain degrees from being pure in our minds. One purpose of Church leadership is to continually call to our attention the obvious that sometimes fades from our thinking--then from our devotion: But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy" (1 Peter 1:15-16).
If all this seems strange to our sense of logic, it is for good reason: it just is, because this mindset does not belong to the world's set of values. Our consolation is that reverencing the Lord in our lives on a continual basis goes deep, for this type of devotion even becomes health to [our] flesh, and strength to [our] bones (Proverbs 3:7-8).
While we enjoy this wholeness from the Lord, let us keep in mind how the Apostle Peter describes us: But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9). This blessing is so shocking and unusual, from a human perspective, that keeping it mind helps us to remember that pure thinking is not something impossible or freakish--it's just plain wonderful. When we commit ourselves to abiding by it, we act out our faith, together.
Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder).
One might well think after reading the above, "Hey, I thought we got our act together when we came to Christ!" In a real sense, true. However, the act of repentance is following by the act--acts of walking in the Spirit, by faith. A walk wherein imperfection is guided by "sanctification"--the process by which the "rightness" of God is forged into our lives. We have Him; He is bringing us closer to Him. Thus our "position" before God is being "projected". We become better aware of the saltiness that salt has (see Matthew 5:13-16).
If we are honest, we slip by certain degrees from being pure in our minds. One purpose of Church leadership is to continually call to our attention the obvious that sometimes fades from our thinking--then from our devotion: But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy" (1 Peter 1:15-16).
If all this seems strange to our sense of logic, it is for good reason: it just is, because this mindset does not belong to the world's set of values. Our consolation is that reverencing the Lord in our lives on a continual basis goes deep, for this type of devotion even becomes health to [our] flesh, and strength to [our] bones (Proverbs 3:7-8).
While we enjoy this wholeness from the Lord, let us keep in mind how the Apostle Peter describes us: But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9). This blessing is so shocking and unusual, from a human perspective, that keeping it mind helps us to remember that pure thinking is not something impossible or freakish--it's just plain wonderful. When we commit ourselves to abiding by it, we act out our faith, together.
