Perseverance of the Brotherhood

"More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us." - Romans 5:3-5

The Christian life would be easy if the space in time was small between when we first believe God's promises and when we receive what He promised. If you could read about it one day and get it the next, Wow - wouldn't that be great!?

But the hard truth is: life's not like that.

The hard part is in the waiting between God's promise and His answer; and even harder, when the waiting comes with uncertainties. Where's this going? Where am I going to end up? What's my future look like? Why is God taking things from me? What's my purpose? The reality is, we just don't know how circumstances will play out and it's this "not-knowing" that crushes us. We doubt because we don't know. We worry and despair because we don't know. We falter and sometimes fail - all because we don't know. If only we knew how this trial was going to end, we would be okay. But we don't. We all have areas of uncertainty where we need to hold tightly onto what God has said while we wait for Him to work. I couldn't go forward another day if I didn't believe what He told me. So here's what we each must do for ourselves and for the sake of the brotherhood of believers: We must review His promises all the time. We must remind ourselves that our faith is in God and not in what He does for us. He knows what He has promised, He can't lie, and He can't forget. He will deliver on time, all the time. Who else can make promises like that?

God knows that it's hard for us to walk by faith. So He assures us, I'm not going to leave you wondering what I'm going to do. I don't want you to be overcome by fear. So I'm going to make some promises to you so that you can get through the difficult days. You don't have to take your view of life only from what you can see happening right in front of you. You're not imprisoned by the crazy talk someone is putting into your head that you know isn't true. Hang onto the things that I told you.And while we wait, while we persevere, and while we encourage those within the brotherhood, God builds our faith.

Be Strong.

Keep the Faith.

Love the Brotherhood.

Supplementing Your Faith

"For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins." - 2 Peter 1:5-9

Have you ever caught yourself saying something like, "if only I had a stronger will then I could live for Jesus more faithfully?" Have you ever thought that you just don't have the right personality to exemplify godliness or that you needed more power to live a righteous life? Most Christians in this brotherhood struggle with attempting to live a godly life by their own strength and resources. It doesn't take long to realize that this is an impossibility. Not one of us has the strength or resources to live the holy life God has called us to live. But it is not hopeless! Nor is it impossible! God has given us everything we need to live the holy life He has made and called us to live - everything we need!

We cannot stop here, because once we have a strong faith in God, which is turn made stronger by Christ, we must nurture that faith by "supplementing" it with the things described in this verse: "make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love." Each of us is to make every effort. God's grace calls and enables us to respond to His love and provisions. We are participants in the saving event. Granted, we are able to respond only by His grace. Nevertheless, we are to make every effort - to draw upon His grace and act accordingly.These efforts not only are to be to our own benefit, but for the benefit of the overall brotherhood, as it refers to in the verse as "brotherly affection". All these virtues at vital to cultivating our lives and the life of the brotherhood for a better relationship with Christ.

The verse goes on saying, "For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins." If we supplement our faith to the extent that the verse infers, then it will make us even more effective and fruitful in the long run. If we do not supplement our faith with these things, we are dubbed "blind" and "nearsighted", having forgotten that was shed for our own personal sins.

It has become popular in recent years for Christians to claim the slogan, "we're not perfect, just forgiven." As true as this slogan may be, it is often used as an easy excuse for unrighteous behavior. Read in context, this verse, is a word of encouragement to a persecuted church, and confronts such incorrect thinking. We may not be perfect, but this is no excuse, for we have been redeemed and given everything we need to succeed. If we fall short, confession and accepting forgiveness is the righteous act, not making excuses.

So as a brotherhood of believers, let us draw upon God's abundant provisions. Through Christ we have power, His promises, and participate in His nature. So rejoice and be glad, brothers and sisters in Christ! What we can never do ourselves, God enables us to do! His power, His promises, and His very nature are ours in Christ! We have everything we need for life and godliness, we simply have to supplement those things into a life geared towards pleasing God, no matter what the cost.