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Do you know what is consistently found to increase mortality rates in older adults? Retiring from the workforce. One study “found that those who retired at 55 and lived to be 65 died 37 percent sooner than those that retire at 65. And in general, people who retire at 55 are 89 percent more likely to die within ten years than those that retire at 65.”
This is because people who retire from the workforce typically retire from productive living as well. They have reached an arbitrary age where they assume their effectiveness is not as impactful as before, so they stop trying.
I think Peter has this in mind as he concludes this list of virtues. He doesn’t want any saint to say, “Well, I have added to my faith, goodness…all the way to agape,” and then add, “So now that I have arrived, I can take it easy.” Instead, Peter urges us to continue growing (2 Peter 1:8; compare v. 3.
(Check out all of the Scriptures in this post by clicking here.)
Look at this phrase in a couple of other translations:
- As these qualities are yours (AMPC) = as you own them, understand them, and practice them more proficiently.
- The more you grow, the more productive and useful your life will be in God’s kingdom.
I want you to think about who you see in the Bible that has retired. I cannot think of one, but instead we see saints making every effort to be productive and effective until God calls them home.
- Moses—Deuteronomy 34:7
- Caleb—Joshua 14:10-12
- John—2 John 12; 3 John 13-14
- Peter—2 Peter 1:13-15
Notice Peter’s progression…
(1) IF you possess… There is no end date on this. The phrase “make every effort” (v. 5) is in the aortist tense and active voice. So it just keeps going. The phrase “if you possess” (v. 8) is in the present tense and active voice—so I have to always be active.
(2) They will keep you… They will keep you growing. They will keep you fruitful. They will keep you excited about working for God. Literally translated: They will keep you from being barren and from shunning the labor that you ought to be doing.
(3) But… If I have an attitude that I have arrived, that I can relax, then I will regress. The Christian walk should be constantly upward (Proverbs 15:24).
This is not to say that there are no temporary stumbles. Unrealistic growth is an unbroken step upward without any plateaus. Realistically, there are times of plateau: (a) for assimilation or (b) preparation. Think about our friend Caleb. He had 40 years in the desert that could have seemed like a barren, unfruitful time. But he clearly kept himself ready and in fighting condition that whole time, so that when his mountain moment came, he was ready to meet the challenge!
(4) Therefore… We have the repeated encouragement to be all the more eager to keep growing. There is a rich welcome awaiting that saint (Luke 12:42-44, 35-38).
Keep going. Keep growing. Keep making every effort. Keep possessing these qualities in increasing measure. Keep active in God’s work until the very end.
Saints should want nothing less than full productivity and effectiveness until they are called Home.
Check out all of the other messages in this series here.
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6 Quotes From “Light & Truth—The Lesser Epistles”
July 13, 2016 — Craig T. Owens“It is a busy, lighthearted, laughing, pleasure-seeking world. But sin is here, and pain is here, and broken hearts are here, and weeping is here, and death is here, and the grave is here. Oh! in spite of all its laughter and vanity, it is an evil world. And the great proof of its evil is, that it cost the death of the Son of God to deliver you from it. … Give yourselves to Him Who came to deliver you from it, and Who stretches out His hands to you all day long, asking you to allow Him to deliver you. He yearns over you; and with sincere earnestness proffers to you His love, His friendship, His great salvation. Consent, O man, consent! His desire is to bless, and not to curse; to save, and not to destroy.” [Galatians 1:4]
“There never have been two gospels. There is not an Old Testament gospel and a New Testament Gospel. There is not one gospel for the Jew, and another for the Gentile, one gospel for the first century, and another for the nineteenth. It is but one gospel, as there is but one Cross and one Savior. Many ages, but one gospel; many sinners, but one gospel; many prophets and apostles, but one gospel. As our earth has had but one sun, so it has had but one gospel. Nor does it need more; that one is sufficient.” [Galatians 1:6-9]
“As the earth without rain or sunshine turns to barrenness, so is it with the Church or soul without the Spirit. … The age thinks it can do without the Spirit. Let the Church watch against this blasphemy. Let her keep hold of the Lord’s promise, the promise of the Father. Let her prize the gift; long for more of it. Let every saint seek more of it. Let our cry be continually: More of the Holy Spirit; more of His fullness; more of His gifts and graces!”
“Strength for the race is needed, hourly strength, superhuman strength; for it is no earthly race, but something lofty, supernatural, divine. Forgetting the supernatural source of strength, we betake ourselves to the internal or the simply external. And so we weary. For only God can supply the power which keeps us running. By Him only shall we run, and not be weary.” [Galatians 5:7]
“‘To Him who is able’—He is the Mighty One, the mighty God, the Lord God Almighty. Hear how this word ‘able’ is used. ‘He is able to subdue all things unto Himself’ (Philippians 3:21). ‘He is able to help them that are tempted’ (Hebrews 2:18). ‘He is able to save to the uttermost’ (Hebrews 7: 25). ‘He is able to keep us from falling’ (Jude 24). It is with the mighty God that we have to do; mightier than ourselves or our foes; mightier than earth or hell; omnipotent.” [Ephesians 3:20]
“Are you expecting the Lord? Are you living in this expectation? Is it a deep-seated, abiding, cherished hope? Is it a hope that tells upon your character, your life, your daily actings in public or private, your opinions, your whole man? Does it quicken you? Does it purify you? Does it keep you separate from the world? Does it keep you calm in the midst of earth’s most exciting events, or most untoward changes? Does it give you a new view of history as well as prophecy? … Let your expectation of the Lord’s coming be a calm and healthy one; not one that excites, but one that tranquilizes; not one that unfits for duty, but one that nerves you more firmly for it; not one that paralyzes exertion, but one that invigorates you for it; not one that makes you indifferent to present duty, but one that makes you doubly in earnest about everything that your hand findeth to do; not one that stops liberality, and prayer, and work, but one that increases all these a hundred fold; not one that dwells exclusively on the future’s dark side—the judgments that are at hand—but one that realizes the glory and the joy of Messiah’s approaching victory and triumphant reign.” [Philippians 3:20]
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