Ewald Schmidt
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance ... 2 Peter 1:5-6, NIV
My grandmother always told me that sin is knowing what the right thing is to do, but not doing it. My father worked in quality control in a steel mill and he would have said that the aim would be to do the right thing in the right way, every single time. They would strive for “zero defects”. And me? I was the naughty one in the family who did not manage to do the right thing every time. What about you?
We have seen this week that the Lord is busy with a process in our lives when we grow in faith. We have found our faith to be a precious gift of God, given to all who believe in Jesus as Lord. He has provided all we need to live and to serve him. We have received so much grace! But we also have some responsibilities to grow in faith. To our faith, we must add goodness; to goodness, knowledge; to knowledge, we need to add self-control. By self-control, we discipline ourselves to stay away from evil and to pursue what God wants in our lives.
We were not called to part-time service for the Lord. We are not called to, sometimes, use self-control. We are called to a continuous journey with Christ. Today’s verse asks us to continue doing the right things to the glory of God and to remain steadfast in avoiding evil. We need perseverance in our faith, even when the going gets tough.
Our Lord’s standards are very high. Peter quoted quite a few verses in the Old Testament when he said in 1 Peter 1:15-16: “But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’” A definition of holiness is to be separated for God’s use. Our lives should bear witness that we belong to God, that we live to honour and serve him as Lord of our lives. We were called to be disciples of Christ, being channels of his love to this world. And we were called to keep on doing the right things.
Paul also struggled with the requirements of personal holiness. He laments in Romans 7:15: “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.” Then Paul asks in Romans 7:24: “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?” We all have felt like Paul. This is why his answer to his own question matters a lot (Romans 7:25): “Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!”
Not one of us will get it right to always persevere in doing the right things and avoiding wicked behaviour. We keep on struggling against the darkness that hides deep within us. That old person in me sometimes pops up and behaves like someone who does not follow Christ. Perseverance does not mean we will be perfect in our walk with Christ. Sometimes, we will fall along the way, making the wrong choices, thinking and doing the wrong things. This makes us feel wretched, like Paul described. We need to remember who we are in Christ. Paul resolves his words in Romans 7 with the beautiful words of Romans 8:37: “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” Perseverance is not being perfect. It is the willingness to admit when we have sinned and to get up every time with the grace of God. It does not matter how many times we fall; it matters how many times we get up and try again. That is perseverance.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for your grace, it is new every morning! Thank you for never giving up on me, even when I think, say and do the wrong things. Thank you, Holy Spirit, for helping me to get up again when I fall and helping me to persevere in the walk of faith. Amen.
Ewald Schmidt
En juis om hierdie rede moet julle alles in die stryd werp om julle geloof te verryk met deugsaamheid, die deugsaamheid met kennis, die kennis met selfbeheersing, die selfbeheersing met volharding … 2 Petrus 1:5-6, 1983-vertaling
My ouma het gesê sonde is om te weet wat die regte ding is om te doen, maar dit nie te doen nie … My pa het kwaliteitbeheer toegepas in 'n fabriek, en hy sou weer sê die mikpunt is om die regte ding elke keer op die regte manier te bly doen. “Zero defek.” En ek? Ek was maar die stoute een in die familie wat dikwels nie die regte ding elke keer reg gedoen het nie. En jy?
Ons het gesien die Here is met 'n proses besig in ons lewens wanneer ons in geloof groei. Ons het gesien ons geloof Is 'n kosbare geskenk van die Here, vir elkeen wat Jesus ken as Here. Hy het alles gegee wat ons nodig het om te lewe en Hom te dien. Maar ons het ook 'n verantwoordelikheid: ons moet alles in die stryd werp om ons geloof te verryk met deugsaamheid – om in beweging te kom vir Jesus. Ons moet kennis van God in ons lewe kry, deur tyd saam met die Here in sy Woord te spandeer. Ons moet die kennis wat ons van God kry, toepas deur die verkeerde dinge te vermy, en die regte dinge te doen. Dit vra selfbeheersing van ons.
Die Here vra egter nie net van ons om soms die regte ding te doen nie. Ook nie om soms selfbeheersing toe te pas nie. Dis 'n ding wat deurlopend moet gebeur. Vandag se vers vra van ons volharding, om aan te hou om die regte ding te doen, om nooit op te hou daarmee nie, al is dit soms baie moeilik.
Die Here se standaard is baie hoog. “Die Here het gevra: Wees heilig, want Ek is heilig …” (1 Petrus 1:16 is net een van die baie voorbeelde). “Heilig” beteken om “afgesonder vir die Here” te wees. Ons lewens moet voortdurend getuig dat ons aan Hom behoort, dat ons Hom dien en kanale van sy liefde in hierdie wêreld is. Ons moet aanhou om die regte ding te doen.
Paulus het ook hiermee gesukkel. Hy het dit nie altyd reggekry om die regte ding te doen nie. Hy kla in Romeine 7:19 “Die goeie wat ek wil doen, doen ek nie, maar die slegte wat ek nie wil doen nie, dit doen ek.” Dan vra hy: “Ek, ellendige mens! Wie sal my van hierdie doodsbestaan verlos? Aan God die dank! Hy doen dit deur Jesus Christus ons Here.” (Romeine 7:24-25)
Nie een van ons gaan dit regkry om altyd die regte ding te doen nie. Ons bly stry teen daardie donkerte wat nog diep in ons wegkruip. Die ou ek spring nog gereeld uit en tree op soos iemand wat Jesus nie ken nie. Volharding beteken nie dat jy altyd die regte ding gaan doen nie. Soms gaan jy ook val op die pad van heiligmaking en verkeerde keuses maak. Volharding vra om elke keer weer terug te kom na Jesus toe, soos Paulus dit in Romeine 7:24 verwoord. Ek maak foute, ek bly 'n ellendige mens. Maar Jesus het my kom verlos, in sy oë is ek 'n Koningskind. Kyk maar net waar gaan Paulus heen met Romeine 8:37 “Maar in al hierdie dinge is ons meer as oorwinnaars deur Hom wat vir ons liefhet.” Volharding is om elke keer weer terug te keer na Jesus toe, en deur die Gees weer elke keer op te staan wanneer ons geval het. Volharding vra nie hoeveel keer ons geval het nie, maar hoeveel keer ons met die Here se hulp weer opgestaan en weer probeer het.
Gebed: Here, dankie vir vars genade elke dag. Ek sukkel om altyd die regte ding te sê, te dink of te doen. Dankie dat ek met my gebrokenheid elke dag by U welkom is. Dankie dat U aanhou om met my 'n pad te stap, selfs al val ek so baie keer. Amen.
Ewald Schmidt
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control … 2 Peter 1:5-6a, NIV
Why is there so much chaos in this world today? We read in every news source about the hate, conflict and violence between people and nations. Is it not because every person is doing exactly as they please? In the time of the Judges, it was said: “In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit” (Judges 17:6).
Since the fall of man in Genesis 3, this was the problem of mankind – everyone, by nature, does exactly as they see fit. When I need to be right or have those things that I desire, at any cost, other people get hurt by my selfishness and greed.
When we get to know Jesus as Lord, our lives are set under new management. We no longer belong to ourselves, as we were bought and paid for by Jesus when he died for us on the cross. Paul describes this change of ownership in 2 Corinthians 5:17-18: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: the old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ.”
God works in us to make us new creatures. But in this transformation process, we also have responsibilities. We are new persons in Christ, but now we must become what we are; we must grow into this role. We need to grow in faith. Paul described this transformation process in Ephesians 4:22-24: “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”
When the Spirit guides us, one of the fruit of the Spirit is self-control (Galatians 5:22). Today’s verse asks us to add self-control to the knowledge we have of God. In his Word, the Lord shows us what is not to his glory in our lives and he shows us the things that are not edifying to our neighbour or ourselves. When we have the knowledge of what is wrong, we need self-control to stop that behaviour. We take control of our desires with the power of the Holy Spirit. We choose not to do evil things. We also learn in the Word the things that God desires in our lives. He commands us to love him with our heart, soul and mind (Matthew 22:37), and to love one another as Jesus loves us (John 13:34). We don’t always feel like loving God or another person. We don’t always agree that it is the right thing to love certain people. However, by self-control, I surrender my feelings and wishes to God’s commands. I obey God, even when my old self is screaming inside me not to do it. The world could become a better place if everyone who knows the right thing to do exercises self-control, submits to God’s loving will and acts righteously for his glory.
Prayer: Lord, sometimes I am so comfortable in doing things my way. I am so unwilling to do the right thing. Your Word shows me a better way. Help me to take control of myself and to surrender to your will. Help me to obey your commands, that my life may bear witness to your love and grace. Help me to overcome evil and to pursue holiness. Amen.
Ewald Schmidt
En juis om hierdie rede moet julle alles in die stryd werp om julle geloof te verryk met deugsaamheid, die deugsaamheid met kennis, die kennis met selfbeheersing … 2 Petrus 1:5-6a,1983-vertaling
Waarom is daar soveel chaos in die wêreld op die oomblik? Ons lees in elke nuusberig van soveel haat, konflik en geweld tussen mense. Is dit nie maar omdat elkeen doen wat hulle graag wil nie? In die tyd van die rigters was daar gesê: “Die land het nie 'n koning gehad nie, en elkeen het gedoen wat reg is in sy eie oë” (Rigters 17:6)
Van die sondeval af (Genesis 3) was dit die probleem van die mensdom sonder God – elke mens doen van nature net soos ons wil. Wanneer ek ten alle koste reg wil wees, en doen net wat ek wil, dan kry mense rondom my seer.
Wanneer ons Jesus as Here van ons lewe leer ken, staan ons lewe onder nuwe bestuur. Ons behoort nou aan Jesus, want Hy het ons duur gekoop aan die kruis. Paulus beskryf dit so mooi in 2 Korintiërs 5:17-18a: “Iemand wat aan Christus behoort, is 'n nuwe mens. Die oue is verby, die nuwe het gekom, Dit alles is die werk van God.”
Die Here werk in ons om ons nuut te maak. Maar in hierdie veranderingsproses het ons ook verantwoordelikheid, ons is nuwe mense in Christus, maar nou moet ons dit ook word, deur te groei in geloof. Paulus het dit in Efesiërs 4:22-24 so beskrywe: “Hou dan op om te lewe soos julle vroeër gelewe het; breek met die ou, sondige mens in julle wat deur sondige begeertes verteer word. Julle gees en gedagtes moet nuut word; lewe as nuwe mense wat as die beeld van God geskep is: lewe volkome volgens die wil van God en wees heilig.”
Wanneer die Heilige Gees in ons werk, is een van sy vrugte in ons lewe selfbeheersing. (Galasiërs 5:22) Vandag se vers vra van ons om ons kennis van God te verryk met selfbeheersing. Die Here wys vir ons deur sy Woord en Gees wat Hom nie eer nie, wat nie opbouend vir ons naaste of onsself is nie. Daarom neem ons beheer oor ons self, met die krag van die Heilige Gees. Ons kies om nie te doen wat verkeerd is nie. Ons lees ook in die Bybel dat die Here vra ons moet gaan liefhê – om die Here lief te hê met ons hele hart, siel en verstand (Matteus 22:37) en om ons naaste lief te hê soos wat Jesus hulle liefhet (Johannes 13:34) Ons is nie altyd lus om dit te doen nie. Ons dink nie altyd dis in ons beste belang nie. Deur selfbeheersing stel ek my wil en my lus ondergeskik aan God se wil. As meer mense weet wat die regte ding is om te doen, en hulle kies om dit te doen omdat hulle God daardeur wil verheerlik, dan sal die wêreld 'n beter plek word.
Gebed: Here, ek is soms baie gemaklik om verkeerde dinge in my lewe toe te laat. En ek is soms baie traag en lui om die regte dinge in my lewe te doen. Deur u Woord te lees, weet ek van beter. Help my om beheer oor myself te neem, dat ek kan kies om die verkeerde te vermy, en die regte dinge te doen tot u eer. Amen.