Ewald Schmidt
But whoever does not have them is short-sighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins. 2 Peter 1:9, NIV
One of the most tragic scenes in life would be if our children do not develop into adults. I wonder if our heavenly Father also feels this sadness when his children always remain spiritual babies and do not develop to spiritual maturity.
Today’s verse talks about people who have come to the point where they have accepted Christ as their Saviour. There was a day in their lives when the Holy Spirit convicted them of sin. They discovered that they were lost without Christ and unable to save themselves. They surrendered to the Lord, accepting his grace for salvation. It was wonderful to know they are forgiven and have received a new life in Christ. However, that is where they remained. They did not spend time with the Lord. They have not developed a hunger and a thirst for his Word. They are children of God, but spiritually immature; they live as if they do not know Christ. Is this also true of you? A person went to a spiritual camp or to a mass meeting led by a great evangelist. In the conviction of the moment, you came forward and surrendered your life to Christ. But when you came home, reality struck you hard. You kept on being busy, bills had to be paid and appointments in your diary had to be honoured. Slowly, you started drifting away from Jesus without realising it.
Peter says in today’s verse that when we are not actively growing in faith, we are short-sighted and even blind. We do not see what God has intended for us. We do not walk the path of life with him; we keep on walking in our own direction. We do not grow in spiritual maturity and God cannot use us to grow his kingdom. We do not share Christ with others.
There may be many reasons why people do not grow in faith. This is why Jesus told the parable of the sower in Matthew 13:1-7. Some of the seed fell on a path and the birds had a feast. These are the people on whom God’s grace makes no impact at all. Some of the seed fell on a rocky place and it started to grow. But in the hot sun, it withered and died. Jesus explained that these people put down no roots in faith and when trouble came, they did not stand the test (Matthew 13:21). The third image is of seed falling among the thorns and Jesus explained it as people overcome by the worries or pleasures of this world (Matthew 13:22). But the blessed person receives the seed of God’s grace like seed falling on good soil, where it grows and bears fruit, a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.
Peter says if you have heard the gospel of God’s grace and it does not transform your life, you are short-sighted or even blind to what God plans for you. But when we take the Word seriously, spending time with God and growing in faith, we become more fruitful to his glory, as Jesus commanded in John 15:8. Do not be blind, spend time with Jesus!
Prayer: Lord, lead me on the journey of growing in my faith. Let the seed of your Word always fall on good soil in my heart. Help me to bear fruit that honours you. Your way is the best way for me! Amen.
Ewald Schmidt
Iemand wat hierdie dinge nie sy eie gemaak het nie, is kortsigtig; nog erger, hy is blind en het vergeet dat hy van sy vroeëre sondes gereinig is. 2 Petrus 1:9, 1983-vertaling
Een van die grootste seer wat ons as mense kan beleef, is wanneer ons kinders gebore word, maar nie tot volwassenheid ontwikkel nie. Ek wonder of ons Hemelse Vader ook daardie seer ervaar wanneer sy kinders nie tot geestelike volwassenheid ontwikkel nie, maar altyd geestelike babas bly.
Vandag se teksvers praat van mense wat Jesus as Here van hulle lewe leer ken het. Daar was 'n dag wat die Heilige Gees hulle van sonde oortuig het. Hulle het tot die besef gekom dat hulle verlore sonder Jesus is, en nie in staat is om hulleself te red nie. Hulle het Jesus as die Verlosser van hulle lewe leer ken, en hulle lewe aan hom oorgegegee. Dit was wonderlik om te hoor dat hulle nou vergewe van sondes is, en die ewige lewe het! Maar toe het hulle net daar vasgesteek. Hulle het nie tyd saam met die Here spandeer nie, en nie 'n honger en 'n dors na sy Woord ontwikkel nie. Hulle is kinders van God, maar leef asof Hy nie die fondament van hulle lewe is nie. Ken jy dit ook in jou lewe? 'n Mens gaan dalk op 'n manne- of vrouekamp, of woon 'n groot saamtrek by van 'n bekende evangelis. In die oortuiging van die oomblik wy jy jou lewe aan Jesus toe. Maar wanneer jy weer by die huis kom, tref die normale lewe jou weer. Jy moet steeds rekeninge betaal, al jou verhoudings is nie dadelik anders nie. En stadig begin jy weer wegdryf van die roepstem van Jesus af.
Petrus sê: wanneer ons nie aktief besig is om te groei in ons geloof nie, is ons kortsigtig. Selfs blind. Ons sien nie raak waarmee God in ons lewe besig wil wees nie. Ons groei nie na geestelike volwassenheid toe nie, sodat die Here ons kan gebruik om lewende getuies vir Hom te wees, wat ander mense se lewens aanraak en nader aan Hom trek nie.
Daar kan baie redes wees waarom mense nie in geloof bly groei nie. Dis die doel van Jesus se gelykenis van die Saaier in Matteus 13:1-7. Party van die saad val op 'n harde pad, en die voëls pik dit op. Dis mense aan wie die boodskap van God se genade geen verskil maak nie. Dan val saad op die klipbank, met net so bietjie grond. Dit kom gou op, maar verdor in die warm son. Dis wanneer iemand die evangelie aanneem, maar nie toelaat dat dit in sy lewe wortel skiet nie, hy keer gou weer terug na sy ou weë asof hy Jesus nooit leer ken het nie. Die derde beeld is saad wat tussen die onkruid beland, en wanneer dit opkom, verstrengel dit. Jesus het dit verklaar as iemand wat deur die sorge van die lewe of die verleiding van rykdom verwurg word (Lukas 13:22) Maar die geseënde man se saad val op vrugbare grond en bring 'n groot oes vir die boer, dertig-; sestig- of honderdvoudig.
Iemand wat die goeie Woord van Jesus se genade hoor, en dit maak niks aan hom nie, so iemand is blind vir dit waarmee God besig is. Maar wanneer ons die Woord ernstig opneem, tyd saam met die Here spandeer, dan kan ons die vrug lewer wat Hom verheerlik (Johannes 15:8) Moenie blind in geloof wees nie, spandeer tyd saam met die Here!
Gebed: Here, lei my op die pad van geloofsgroei. Help my om vrug te dra wat U sal verheerlik. Bewaar my daarvan om kortsigtig of blind te wees vir dit waarmee U besig is in my lewe, terwyl u alternatief soveel beter is vir my! Amen.
Ewald Schmidt
For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1:8, NIV
Peter has taught us that our faith is a precious gift from God. But we have a responsibility to grow in this faith. Faith must be enriched with goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, mutual affection and love.
We receive the command to keep on growing in these seven qualities of faith. It becomes a lifelong learning experience. It sharpens our skills to be effective and productive in our service of God. We do this with enthusiasm and we enjoy growing closer to God. It is our desire to know him better, to spend time with him every day. As we grow in our knowledge of Christ, our trust in him increases and we dare to do more in his service.
Paul understood this hunger for the presence of God. He told us about his old life, before he came to know Christ, in Philippians 3. He thought that he did an excellent job of climbing the ladder of success in life. There were so many achievements in his life that he would have been proud of. He says in Philippians 3:4-6: “If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless.”
Like Paul, we could also build a life of which we are very proud. It seems as if he made it to the top of the ladder of success in his time. But then, he discovered that his ladder was standing against the wrong wall! Without Christ in his life, all his achievements were useless. Everything changed when he met Jesus and submitted his life to Christ. He describes what happened to him after meeting Jesus as Lord, in Philippians 3:7-11: “But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ – the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ – yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.”
Do you know this desire to know Christ and to dedicate your whole life to him? If yes, you are building your life on the right foundation. Knowing Christ changes our lives completely. Paul describes the effect of knowing Jesus in 1 Corinthians 10:31: “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” We build our whole lives on the foundation of Christ. This brings meaning to our lives and fills us with hope. Let God’s light shine in our darkness.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for the gift of faith. Thank you that I may know Jesus and grow in faith to know you more each day. Whilst I am growing in faith, make me more of an instrument in your hands, sharing your love and grace with all around me. Amen.
Ewald Schmidt
As julle dit alles besit en dit neem steeds toe, sal julle met ywer en met vrug ons Here Jesus Christus beter leer ken. 2 Petrus 1:8, 1983-vertaling
Petrus het geleer dat ons geloof 'n kosbare geskenk van God is. Maar dat ons ook 'n verantwoordelikheid in ons geloofsgroei het. Geloof moet verryk word met deugsaamheid, kennis, selfbeheersing, volharding, godsvrug, liefde onder mekaar, en liefde vir alle mense.
Vandag se teksvers vra van ons om te bly groei in geloof. Dit word 'n lewenslange leerproses. In hierdie groeiproses is ons gesindheid baie belangrik. Om ywerig te wees, beteken om 'n taak met entoesiasme te verrig. Dit is vir ons lekker, ons wil dit graag doen. Omdat ons Jesus as ons Here ken, en Hom liefhet, wil ons graag tyd saam met Hom spandeer. Ons wil Hom so graag al beter leer ken. Ons spandeer tyd in sy Woord, en ons praat met Hom deur gebed. Soos wat ons groei in kennis van Jesus, wil ons al meer diensbaar wees vir Hom. Ons wil so graag dat ons lewens Hom sal verheerlik. Ons begeer dat ons lewe vrug sal dra wat getuig van die goedheid van God.
Paulus het hierdie honger na die Here se teenwoordigheid goed verstaan. Hy getuig in Filippense 3 van sy ou lewe, voordat hy Jesus geken het. Hy het gedink dat hy die leer van sukses mooi geklim het. Hy het so baie dinge gehad waaroor hy opgewonde sou kon wees in sy leeftyd. Hy sê in Filippense 3:4-6: “As iemand meen dat hy op uiterlike dinge kan vertrou, ek nog meer: ek is op die agste dag besny, van geboorte 'n Israeliet, uit die stam Benjamin, 'n egte Hebreër, in wetsopvatting was ek 'n Fariseër, in my ywer 'n vervolger van die kerk, in onderhouding van die wet van Moses om vryspraak te kry, onberispelik.”
Soos Paulus kan ons ook bou aan 'n lewe waarop ons baie trots kan wees. Dit lyk so asof hy by al die regte dinge uitgekom het. Tot die dag wat hy agtergekom het sy leer van sukses staan teen die verkeerde muur. Sonder Jesus in sy lewe het hy agtergekom al sy prestasies was vir hom waardeloos. Alles in sy lewe het verander toe hy Jesus leer ken het. Hy verwoord dit so mooi in Filippense 3:7-11: “Maar wat eers vir my 'n bate was, beskou ek nou as waardeloos ter wille van Christus, ja, nog meer: ek beskou alles as waardeloos, want om Christus Jesus, my Here, te ken, oortref alles in waarde. Ter wille van Hom het ek alles prysgegee en beskou ek dit as verwerplik sodat ek Christus as enigste bate kan verkry en een met Hom kan wees: vrygespreek, nie omdat ek die wet onderhou nie, maar omdat ek in Christus glo. Dit is die vryspraak wat God gee omdat 'n mens in Hom glo. Al wat ek wens, is om Christus te ken, die krag van sy opstanding te ondervind en deel te hê aan sy lyding deur aan Hom gelyk te word in sy dood, in die verwagting dat ek self deel sal hê aan die opstanding uit die dood.”
Ken jy ook daardie behoefte om Christus te ken, en voluit vir Hom te lewe? Dan bou jy jou lewe op die regte fondament. Dit verander alles in ons lewe. Soos Paulus dit in 1 Korintiërs 10:31 beskryf: “Of julle eet en of julle drink of wat julle ook al doen, doen alles tot eer van God.” Ons bou ons hele lewe op die fondament van geloof in Jesus Christus as ons Here. Dit maak ons lewe sinvol, dit gee vir ons hoop. Ons lewe maak saak, dit bring lig in die donkerte rondom ons.
Gebed: Here, dankie dat my geloof 'n kosbare geskenk uit u hand is. Dankie dat U my deur u Gees lei om U al beter te leer ken. Soos wat ek groei in geloof, maak my al meer bruikbaar as 'n ligdraer in hierdie donker wêreld, 'n lewende getuie van die hoop en die liefde wat ek by U gevind het. Amen.