Adding to our faith 

Thoughts on 2 Peter 1:3-11 
Elfed Godding 02/03/21

There is a fascinating intertwining of divine and human responsibility for effective Christian living within this passage. ‘His divine power has given us everything’ v3-4 and ‘make every effort to add to your faith…’ v5-9.

The Faith is complete. Jesus cried out from the cross ‘It is finished’ John 19:30. All that God had to accomplish to restore us to the Faith, the purpose for which we were intended, has been accomplished through Christ. Have a look at Colossians 2:15.

But the Faith is not a reality in our lives until we ‘confess with your mouth that “Jesus is Lord” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead’ Romans 10:9.

And our faith needs to grow. We cannot borrow faith; it has to be ours. We cannot rely on others to believe for us, it has to be our belief. The joke often told is that in England, Church Ministers are employed to think for their congregations whereas in Wales Ministers are employed to believe for their congregations. God forbid! Paul the Apostle tells us that ‘faith comes through hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ’ Romans 10:17

So the Apostle Peter instructs us to ‘make every effort to add to your faith …’ 2 Peter 1:5. The word add is a translation of the Greek word epichoregeo which was used to describe the action of a generous benefactor donating funds to a public cause eg a theatre or stadium. God’s call upon us is to ‘add to our faith extravagantly’. Take a moment to think about how this relates to you and to Bethania Church Community. What does it mean to add extravagantly to our faith … knowledge, self-control, brotherly kindness or love?

he promise of God is that ‘these qualities in increasing measure will ‘keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ’ v8

The Apostle Peter ends this passage with an astounding promise ‘for if you do these things you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.’ V10-11. The word receive is the same word translated as add previously i.e. epichoregeo. In other words if we add to faith extravagantly then we will be ‘added to’ extravagantly in our mission as the people of God.

What are we trusting God for in 2021, personally and as Bethania Church Community? Let’s be extravagant in acts of faith and expect God’s extravagant response.

Let’s join with the believers in the early church in Acts 4:29 ‘Lord … enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders though the name of your holy servant Jesus’ Amen

If you have a moment, worship the Lord by listening to the song from Bethel ‘Your mercy never fails’ here

Grace and peace to us all.