"Supplement Your Faith" #5

By Bob Myhan

If we would continue being “partakers of the divine nature” we must “make every effort to supplement…self-control with steadfastness” (2 Peter 1:4-6, ESV). The Greek word here is translated “patience” in the KJV and “endurance” in the NKJV. Some seem to think “patience” simply means “waiting.” That this is not true is seen in the translation, “patient waiting” (2 Thess. 3:5, KJV). Thus, patience is a certain kind of waiting. But what kind of waiting is it? It is a waiting motivated by hope (1 Thess. 1:2-3).

The word literally means “an abiding under” and “may be passive,” in the sense of “endurance;” or “active,” in the sense of “persistence, perseverance.” It is endurance when alluding to Satan's attempts to “devour” (1 Peter 5:8-9), and persistence when referring to “abounding in the work of the Lord” (1 Cor. 15:58). It is “the characteristic of a man who is unswerved from his deliberate purpose and his loyalty to faith and piety by even the greatest trials and sufferings” (Thayer, p. 644). Or, as Bill Hall has said, it is “keeping on keeping on!”

Self-control must precede steadfastness because it enables one to make the effort required for being steadfast. Knowledge, especially knowledge of the fact that “the testing of your faith produces steadfastness,” must precede steadfastness because without this information one would be mentally unprepared for trials (James 1:3). And moral courage [“virtue”] must precede steadfastness, because it is the proper emotional and mental state regarding potential threats to our faith.

Without these prerequisites to steadfastness we would be too spiritually feeble to face those threats when they come. It is for this reason we are told in the epistle to the Hebrews,

“Therefore strengthen the hands that hang down, and the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed” (12:12-13).

There are a number of potential threats to our faith that make it necessary for us to “make every effort to supplement…self-control with steadfastness.”

Christians are frequently the focus of insults (1 Peter 1:14-16), “trials of various kinds” (James 1:2-4, 12-15) and “tribulation and persecution” (Matt. 13:20-21). Since we already know that “all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Tim. 3:12), there is no reason we should not be prepared for adverse situations; after all, “forewarned is forearmed.” There are also distractions, such as “the cares, riches and pleasures of life” (Luke 8:14), the possibility of overconfidence (1 Cor. 10:12) and the danger of just growing “weary of doing good” (Gal. 6:6-9).

The key to supplementing “self-control with steadfastness” is found in the first epistle of Peter. “Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ (1:13, KJV).

To “gird up the loins of your mind” is to be “preparing your minds for action” (ESV). “Gird up is metaphorical and is based on the literal tucking of flowing garments [into the belt, BM] so as to give one’s limbs unimpeded movement on a journey” (Clinton Hamilton, Truth Commentaries: 1 Peter, p. 37). It is equivalent to “rolling up one’s sleeves.”

This is mental preparation. But what are you to “gird up the loins of your mind” with? What will help you most in your mental preparation? Paul writes, “Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth” (Eph. 6:14, KJV). This requires that you learn the truth of God and apply it to your life as preparation for fulfilling responsibility and facing adversity (see, again, part three of “Supplement Your Faith,” Oct. 9).

To “be sober” means to have a calm, collected spirit, which is especially needed in the face of adversity. But to be sober in the face of adversity you must have the proper attitude toward adversity in the first place (James 1:2-3; 1 Cor. 10:13). This is moral courage. In other words, because of your prior knowledge of these adversities you resolve to muster courage for whatever comes your way.

To “hope to the end for the grace” means, having made the mental preparation and mustered the courage, you are to persist in fulfilling responsibility and in facing adversity in order that you may continue to legitimately desire and expect ”the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

Steadfastness, then, demands and results from the exercise of faith, moral courage, knowledge, and self-control. If you want to be able to deal with potential threats, you must be in the habit of doing what is right before these threats become real. This means you must have the faith, moral courage, knowledge and self-control to establish a routine that incorporates all of your responsibilities so that when adversity comes—and it will come—you don’t ask, “What shall I do?” but will just “keep on” doing what you have already been doing. Good habits are as hard to break as bad habits.

Could the writer of the book of Hebrews have written to you that which he wrote to the saints in Jerusalem (6:8-12)? Would he, by inspiration, have that same confidence in you? Are you making every effort to supplement self-control with steadfastness? If not, why are you not? &

The Secret to Uplifting Worship

By Drew Kizer

David was a man who enjoyed worship. He felt uplifted by it, so he said.

"I was glad when they said to me, let us go to the house of the Lord!" (Ps. 122:1).

What was the secret to his eagerness towards worship? Read carefully what he wrote in Psalm 5:7.

"But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy: and in thy fear will worship toward thy holy temple."

Within this short verse we find four things that made David's worship worthwhile. They will make ours more meaningful as well.

1. David considered uplifting worship to be a personal responsibility. Notice the phrase "but as for me." It sounds similar to Joshua's charge. "But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" (Josh. 24:15). Joshua wasn't going to depend on others for his faithfulness. Neither did David depend on others to make his worship worthwhile.

Worship is what you make of it. So many of us put little or no time into preparing for worship that we don't enjoy it when we get to church services. It's our own fault. This is not to say that the worship leaders don't bear part of the blame when church services grow stale - they do. But most unfulfilling worship is due to how little the participants put into it.

2. Worship is driven by gratitude. David came to worship considering "the multitude of thy mercy." Worship and thanksgiving go hand in hand. In fact, many times praise is described in terms of "giving thanks" (see Ps. 92:1; 95:2; 100:4; Dan. 2:23; Lk. 22:19; Heb. 13:15). Are you thankful to the Lord for what he has done? Or do you take His blessings for granted? If so, this might explain why your zeal for church has died down.

3. The secret to heartfelt adoration is the fear of the Lord. David worshiped "in thy fear.” The secret is not in new innovations or "contemporary" worship services. Aside from the fact that these trends often involve unauthorized practices, they can only satisfy us for a little time, and then we look for something new. The "fire" behind real worship is deep-seated awe at the wonder that is our God!

4. God is the object of our worship. David said he would worship "toward the holy temple." The worship trends the religious world follows today are geared toward man, not God. But Jesus commanded theocentric worship, saying, "God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth" (Jn. 4:24).

Every church that applies David's methods to its worship services will notice positive changes. The singing will be more joyful. The Lord's Supper, more contemplative. Christians will pray fervently and give cheerfully. Sermons will be more inspiring. It's worth a try. & (Via Bulletin Digest, 844 Pine Street, Abilene, TX 79601)