Measuring Your Growth Within His Strength (Part 2)

Posted on January 24, 2024 by Elizabeth Welte in Freedom Fighters

“I am warning you ahead of time, dear friends. Be on guard so that you will not be carried away by the errors of these wicked people and lose your own secure footing. Rather, you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. All glory to Him, both now and forever! Amen” – 2 Peter 3:17-18 (NLT)

 

Here’s a little something that you can stir your coffee with this morning, John Ritenbaugh (The Berean Call) once said, “All of us have a responsibility not to just accept our condition, but to do something about working our way into a better condition than that in which we now find ourselves.” Now in the last Freedom Fighter I wrote I was jesting about how some 19th century philosopher thought this meant that with all decadence and depravity that Secularland has to offer, you could use these things to turn yourself in “Ubermensch” (The Superman) but as you can clearly see in the aforementioned verse’s Peter has something quite different to say.

 

I know many of us are familiar with the term “false teaching” and we tend go all in to attribute it to the false teaching that we find within Christianity but false teaching is everywhere and is within almost everything, especially now that some say you gotta be woke to get it. Now, I can understand it when we finally “get it” when it comes personal convictions but this woke stuff leaves little to grow on because it’s foundational ideals leaves out Biblical principles which allows its moral compass to spin outta control. So, in terms of becoming a better person than where you may find yourself now I would advise that we take a little look at what Peter is saying in 2 Peter 3:14-18.

 

There are three things this passage hits on and they are, diligence, divine long-suffering, and growth. Diligence is needed in order for there to be any sense of achievement in your character. Keeping our noses in Scripture and reading about those diligent characters that God redeemed should strengthen you to be able to endure the long-suffering that comes with being a child of God. And the growth that comes from the trials and tribulations that come with the everyday should showcase that, not only do you continue in God’s grace but you are growing in it as well. Basically, to make not any effort for our own spiritual growth allows us to fall into the error of the wicked…that simple.

 

“But to every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.” – Ephesians 4:7

 

Now that we’ve taken a look at what Peter says concerning our growth as Christians let’s examine what Paul says about living it out. In the beginning of chapter 4 in the Book of Ephesians, Paul addresses there to be unity among all, and back then there was Jew and Gentile. The Jew had God’s law and covenants where the Gentile had whatever would pass through their transom but because of Christ these two diverse cultures would come together to have all things in common. Paul will address the diversity by saying some are called into various things BUT it still remains one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God who is above all, through all, and in all.

 

We are living in a time period where Secularland would rather emphasize the diverse over the unified. Granted, we live in this culture as well and we hear a lot of different opinions, ideas, and theologies that aren’t very unifying but rather speaks to the individual being at the forefront. Well, as I use to say when I was involved in the construction trade, not everyone can be first. When everyone is first there isn’t a peaceful coexistence to be had. So where do quarrels and arguments come from? I think we’ve just answered the question and speaking of James the bigger answer lies within his book, chapter 4:1-6 to be exact. God will resist the proud, we see it every day, but when it comes to the humble, grace is provided.

 

As I’m coming to a close for today, I ask you to reflect on James 3:18, “Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” If Jesus stood in front of a crowd and announced “Blessed are the peacemakers” there must be something important attached to it. Maybe the bottom line goes like this, it’ll be awfully difficult to grow in grace if there is no peace, if there is no peace there is no growth towards unity, and if there is no unity there’s no continuance of God’s grace in the lives of His people. “Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” Grace, unity and peace, good stuff to ponder on this day. Amen?

 

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the doctrinal and theological views held by America’s Keswick.

 

Written by Chris Hughes: Chris is a child of El Elyon, a son, a husband, a father, and has recently become a grandpop. He has an education in Biblical doctrine and is a graduate of The Colony of Mercy, 11/2003. He has been a Freedom Fighter contributor since 2008. You can email him at cphughes515@verizon.net.

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This Week’s Verse to Memorize: “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.  He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” – 1 John 4:7-8