After
salvation, God calls us to shed the old carnal ways of thinking, which enslave
us in depravity (2 Peter 2:18-19); and to put on our new self, which is created
to be more like God in true righteousness and holiness in Christ Jesus
(Ephesians 4:24).
He does
not call us to "play at religion", but reminds us that pure religion
is to take care of the needy in our city, especially widows and orphans, and to
keep our self from being polluted by the sinful deceits of this world (James
1:27).
If we
accept Christ's deliverance from this world, and then get entrapped again by
its lusts and immorality, we are worse off than if we had never come to know
Jesus in the first place (2 Peter 2:20).
It is like
going on a diet and losing many pounds, and then going off the diet and gaining
that weight back and possibly more with it. If we get in the habit of living a
healthy lifestyle, we never want to go back to the old habits that made us
overweight in the first place.
Our walk
with God is the same way. We are God's children; and as we walk in His truth
and keep His ways and follow His example and guidance, we will be like Christ,
who is our very life (Colossians 3:3-4; 1 John 3:2).
Prayer:
Father
God, You deliver us from the corruption of this world by allowing us to
personally know our Savior Jesus Christ. Keep us from entanglements in this
world, which attempt to overcome us again (2 Peter 2:20). Lead us into the
unity of the faith with Your family as we mature in our knowledge of and
intimacy with the whole measure and fullness of Your Son (Ephesians 4:13).
We want to
grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior and to live to give Him
all the praise and glory forever (2 Peter 3:18). Thank You for the great and
precious promises that You give to us, which enable us to share in Christ's
divine nature and to escape the human desires which attract us to the
corruption of this world (2 Peter 1:4).
Thought
for the Day:
The Lord
is not slow in keeping His promises as our human standards often accuse Him of
being; but He is patient with us, not wanting anyone to perish in the torments
of hell, but for all of us to come to Him in repentance, in order to live an
eternity in His presence. - 2 Peter 3:9
