“… grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 3:18
We read the above text and even know it off by heart but does it really grip our souls so that we work, discipline and strive to experience this reality?
The reason I ask is that many Christians are seemingly content with their lives as those who once made a profession of faith. They look back with thankfulness on this historic event in their lives (as they should) rather than viewing this as a beginning of a brand new and ongoing relationship experience. The call of God on their lives is too often viewed as God’s completed action, which moves on to other people after they personally come to faith. But is that all God is interested in – your initial coming to faith? The answer is no, because God’s call on your life is ongoing and will only be complete when He calls us to heaven at the rapture or via the grave!
In the mean time He is in the business of growing us. The grace that saved us continues to save us, keep us and complete us. The Lord uses life’s circumstance both pleasant and unpleasant to mould and shape us for His glory. This is what Paul meant when he wrote, “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” (Rom. 8:28)
So in our brief time down here prior entering heaven, our call is to become holy or more and more like Jesus Christ.
Our work is not yet done folks. The Lord has not yet finished with us. So lets not stand in His way through selfishness, stubbornness or ignorance. I like how Randy Smith wrote on this:
His purpose for the lives of His children is Christlikeness. Though we often want comfort and pleasure and prosperity and healing, the Lord knows these are not always the means that will produce in us the holiness He desires. Sometimes God shows His love by removing the trial. Often He shows His love by permitting the trial to remain, knowing just the right pressure in our lives that will produce in us Christlikeness – both His greatest desire and our greatest good. [Grace Quotes]