Faith Worth Fighting For

I am learning that the word "Faith" should be treated very much like the word "Love." Sometimes we tend to use faith loosely. We say we have it, but our actions convey whether or not we are truly operating under it. If our faith is real, it will be evident by our behavior. In other words, do we behave what we believe?

For example, 2 Peter 1:5b-11 says,

Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, ⁶ and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, ⁷ and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.

⁸ The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹ But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins.

¹⁰ So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away. ¹¹ Then God will give you a grand entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

In verses 5-9, the scriptures highlight examples of behavior that should supplement and complement our faith. These behaviors indicate that sometimes faith must go beyond our belief. In other words, if faith is to be completely utilized to its fullest extent it must coincide with our actions; they must walk together. However, these actions don't just come automatically or "robotically," they require work, diligence, perseverance, etc. For instance, when I first accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior that didn't automatically make me exempt from sin or growth, as a matter of fact it never will. Despite this truth, God still gives us extra help by providing us His Holy Spirit. By way of the Holy Spirit, God gives us the fortitude to continue to learn and grow.

With that being said, Salvation doesn't RELY on our good performance (actions/behaviors), but Salvation should RESULT in changed behavior and actions. As I stated earlier, even as followers of Christ that does not mean we are excluded from sin and growth in our lives, and Peter understood this perfectly in verse 10. He tells us to, "work hard to prove you really are among those God has called and chosen." Yes, saying we have "faith" is one thing, but now let's prove it.

For a major source of an encouragement earlier in this chapter, 2 Peter 1:3-4 says,

³ By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. ⁴ And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.

We don't provide the assets to live a godly life but God does. Isn't it encouraging to know that He shares with us His divine nature! So let us continue to work hard to prove that we are truly one of God's chosen. This is truly a Faith Worth Fighting For!