"But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:" 1 Peter 3:15 (KJV)
"But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:" 1 Peter 3:15 (KJV)
I always thought of perfect love as a goal; and not as an immediate result. Even Paul admits he hasn’t attained it. It is, however, a goal. As Paul writes, “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:13-14). Most versions translate this verse “I press.” Most of the time when we use the word press; it has a feeling of pressing up against an immovable object. For most of us that has been our experience as Christ followers. We don’t seem to make a lot of progress, but we are diligent to keep pushing. The original Greek had a meaning in the world of track and field of which the Greek culture was so keen. It was the word used to describe a sprinter coming across the finish line. A more illustrative description for the faithful is the effort that is required of all of us. Sprints are won by thousandths of a second. That last effort makes the difference.
I wonder sometimes what would happen if Christ followers, no matter what their condition, focused all their energy on developing a strong faith to follow Jesus no matter what! We often hear of how our faith helps us to survive the struggles of life. Faith does help us persevere and find strength when we need it. Paul, however, is a guy who took all of his strength and energy and offered it to Jesus Christ. I think sometimes I get a little soft around the edges and forget that, though my relationship with Jesus is through grace, He is looking for fearless followers to stretch towards the finish line, giving all they have to reach the goal of perfect love.
That’s the way I want to live my life. Maturing, growing, stretching, right up to the end, pursuing my relationship with Jesus Christ, in gain or in loss; in victory or in defeat! I must ask God to forgive me for trusting in my works, my good deeds, and my religious rituals. I want to trust only in Jesus Christ and the power of His resurrection. I am in this race to the end! No matter what happens, I will endure because Jesus endured suffering for me! I must grow in holy living because Jesus told his disciples to “be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. ” (Matt 5:48). This is the standard that God set for his people. Therefore, “let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God” (2 Cor. 7:1). Let us “press toward” the goal of perfect love that God has for us so that “we might also are delivered from the torment of fear into the glories liberty of the sons of God.
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