Friday in the Tenth Week of Ordinary Time

2 Peter 1:3-4

Divine Power Granted to Us

Have you ever felt that you could not resist temptation?  Have you ever felt that you had to give in?  Have you made excuses, such as, the devil made me do it, or I have an addiction and can’t help myself?  Have you blamed your upbringing?  Your parents?  Your spouse?  The stress of having children around?  Your job?  These are the answers you will often receive from today’s counselors, even those who claim to be Christians: It’s not your fault; you can’t help yourself; it’s okay, so go ahead and do it.  After all, God loves us no matter what we do, no matter how wicked we are, no matter how far we stray—He will always be there to receive us back with open arms.  That’s what unconditional love means!

I wish I could call this “Facebook theology,” but it predates social media and has often been the bane of evangelical preaching.  These are lies we tell ourselves which make us feel good for the moment but only tempt us to return to our vomit (2 Peter 2:22).  Well, to all of this bad theology, the Apostle Peter offers us the truth as it is in Christ Jesus and, boy, is it good news!  Hearken to this Christian: “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence by which He has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.” 

So we read here the following truths: 1) God has granted to us His own divine power; 2) so that we may each live a life of godliness; 3) and this has been achieved for us through the regenerating event of the Holy Spirit whereby we are being saved (the knowledge of Him) and called to that glory and excellence He has by nature and wishes to share with us by grace; 4) who has also provided us with promises which cannot lie but which upon God’s integrity must accomplish their due; and, most amazingly, 5) which due is to make us “partakers of the divine nature” whereby we are made more and more like His Son, less like ourselves, and thereby escaping the temptations and snares that are in the world which call out to our passions and desires.  In short, the man who becomes more like God finds freedom from temptation as his sinful desires cool to bare embers. 

Jesus came to save you from your sin, not in it.  He’s given you all you need to conquer your sinful desires.  We’ve no one to blame but ourselves.

Author: The Reformed Baptist

My name is Stephen Taylor, ordained Baptist minister of eighteen years pastoral experience with a Ph.D. in Historical Theology from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. Better than that, I am married to a godly woman, Karla, who has been very patient with me since 1989. I have two daughters, both of whom I homeschooled for extended periods of time, who became godly young women, and who ran off and married godly young men, all of which is very proper. The oldest daughter has even seen fit to bless me with a grandson and a granddaughter, and my youngest daughter with a grandson, all three of whom are bundles of exceeding joy. As you can see, I am quite blessed. This website is dedicated to helping people grow in the wisdom and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ through the gift of writing that the Lord has given to me. It is specifically about helping His people grow in godliness, the theme you see repeated above. I write devotions with this aim and hope that they might be of some help to God’s people. Full disclosure: I am of a Reformed bent, meaning that my understanding of Scripture is primarily informed by the Reformers and their successors of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. However, as a student of church history and theology, I strive to remain true to that teaching handed down once for all unto the saints through every age of the Church. I like to think of myself as a “catholic” Christian, as the Reformers thought of themselves. At any rate, feel free to read, pray, and contact me if you wish, or correct me if need be. As you can see, I tend to follow the church year. Of course, I make no special claims about these devotions. I know very well that others have written better and plumbed the depths of God’s word with greater insight. But if my musings help someone draw closer to the Lord, well then, I have my reward. Blessings to you and may the God and Father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ speak to you that word which He knows you especially need to hear. Grace & peace, Stephen Taylor

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