Bible Passage: “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life.” (2 Peter 1:3 NIV)
Scripture Reading: 2 Peter 1:1-11; Ephesians 2:8-10
The Saddledome is a hockey rink in Calgary with a roof composed of large concrete blocks held together by pre-tensioned cables.
The architect who designed it said that demolishing it someday will have to be done strategically. There is so much tension in the cables that pieces of concrete could be launched a few miles throughout our downtown if they were foolishly cut.
The Christian faith is full of extraordinary tensions.
Jesus is fully human, and yet fully divine.
God is sovereign, and yet humans have free will.
There is a fundamental tension between how we are saved by grace and how we are called to good works.
If you want to become a man of righteousness, you’ll get there by grace, by the Spirit, and by your own engagement (secondary, non-saving, but necessary).
In Ephesians 2:8-10, we’re clearly told that it’s by grace that we’re saved, not works, and yet that God also has good works for us (plural) to do.
In today’s verses, Peter writes, “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life… for this reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness, and to goodness… (to) keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Can you feel the tension between God’s work and ours?
Becoming a man of righteousness will look like disciplining yourself to a life of love, service, and prayer. You’ll experience moments of utter awe as you see how God is working around you, through you, in you, even amidst your worst mistakes and hardest circumstances.
When I was first married, I began to discover I’d repressed a lot of anger. I “blew up” in ways that scared my wife and me alike.
The years that followed looked like constant repentance, striving to surrender my way, embracing a journey of healing, my wife’s constant and gracious love, and the transformation of the Spirit.
I’m glad to say that I rarely experience or act in anger like I did in those early days.
What happened?
Well, God worked (directly, through my wife, etc.), and I worked (through reflection, repentance, etc.).
I certainly didn’t change myself or change by myself—God did it—but I was involved.
If you want to be a righteous man, actively wrestle with the tension between God’s work and yours.
Prayer: Lord, show me where I’m trying to do what only You can do. Lead me into the peace of surrender and embracing my limits as I wait for You and trust You. Show me where You are inviting me to join You, calling me to persevere, and challenging me to actively work out my salvation with You. Grant me the discernment to know when I need to do each. Amen.
Reflection: Living in the tension between grace and works is tricky. We often use grace as an excuse: “I’m waiting on God to…” or use the passages about works as an excuse to take control and not trust God: “Pray like everything depends upon God, but act like everything depends upon you.” Where is God inviting you to trust, and where is He inviting you to get to work?
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