After reminding believers that God has already provided everything needed for a life of godliness, Peter challenges them to take intentional steps to build on their faith. He outlines a series of spiritual traits to pursue—each one building on the next—and makes it clear these aren’t optional. They’re the visible evidence of a life that’s truly growing in Christ. When these qualities are increasing in your life, you’ll be both effective and fruitful in your relationship with Jesus. But without them, Peter warns, you risk becoming spiritually nearsighted—forgetting the very grace that saved you. That’s why he urges every believer to make every effort to confirm their calling and election—not to earn salvation, but to live in a way that reflects it, with the confident hope of a rich and eternal welcome into the kingdom of Christ.
As we continue in the Beatitudes, Jesus now tells us that sorrow leads to joy: how is this possible? The sorrow and mourning that...
The will of God absolutely includes tests of believing, and of hard refining. But armed with faith, Elijah discovers that God always mercifully provides...
Jesus calls us to follow the Golden Rule, treating others with love and respect. He urges us to take the narrow, difficult path that...