Slideshow image

For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:8 ESV)

Seeking to go deeper in your walk with God is not only a good goal to have this year - it's a flat-out necessity if a person wants to be both fruitful and effective in their faith.    

Peter has some instruction about what this could look like in 2 Peter 1:5-7 where he says, "to your faith (think of "faith" as elementary Christianity, cf Hebrews 6:1-2), add virtue, to virtue add knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness (or reverent wonder), brotherly affection, and love. These qualities, he says, must be ever-increasing.  

Repeatedly, we are invited into maturity as believers. In Hebrews 5:12, the writer chastises Christians who have not progressed past the basic doctrine of Christ and into deeper waters. What do those deeper waters look like?   He points out two things: 

First, becoming skilled in the "word of righteousness ."That is, learning how to correctly and skillfully handle the Word of God in your life. Wow. Add knowledge? Yes! This is undeniably an invitation to study the Bible for yourself, meditate and memorize it, and, most importantly, apply it to your everyday life. Become skilled in this area.   Jesus certainly was, and he exhibited this when he soundly defeated the enemy using...wait for it...only his Bible (Matthew 4).

Secondly, by training your powers of discernment with constant practice/discipline to distinguish good from evil. That's provocative - I'm teaching myself to identify that which is good, holy, true, just, lovely, and commendable. And then moving toward it (of course).   And abstaining from what is evil (1 Thess. 5:22).   Would that create an atmosphere of revival in our lives? I believe it most certainly would!

What does it look like for you to go deeper, to add another level to your faith in God?

TW