Prior Book | Prior Chapter | Prior Verse | Next Verse | Next Chapter | Next Book | Viewing NASB and Amplified 2015 | |
NASB | Romans 8:29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Romans 8:29 For those whom He foreknew [and loved and chose beforehand], He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son [and ultimately share in His complete sanctification], so that He would be the firstborn [the most beloved and honored] among many believers. |
Bible Question:
2 Peter 1:1-9 I am confused. How could someone 1. Be barren and unfruitful but be saved.(Matt.7:19) 2."Forget" they are saved.(2 Cor. 13:5) 3.Lack all of the qualities listed (virtue,knowledge,self control,perseverance,godliness,brotherly kindness, and love, and be saved?) (Luke 3:8,Mark 4:20) Many other verses I could list if necessary. |
Bible Answer: “May grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord. “His divine power has given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: “By these you can be partakers of the divine nature! “Therefore … “Giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. If these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ“. And may the Lord give us grace, and patience, and understanding, so we are not confused by these wonderful things. Peter is writing to believers. They already have faith, and with that, they have salvation, for we are saved by faith (Ephesians 2). But God wants us to have more than faith, more than salvation, more than a place in heaven. He wants us to have virtue and knowledge and patience and kindness and love. He wants us to have a divine nature. He wants us to be like Jesus. We have to concentrate, and work to develop these qualities. Can someone be barren and unfruitful but be saved? Why not? To be saved means to be born into the kingdom (John 3). But a baby must grow (1 Peter 2:2). It is only after a tree has grown that it can bear fruit. In our case we have to be attached to the vine, which is Christ, and get our ability to bear fruit from him (John 15). But now I see that there are so many different ways that the Bible pictures salvation and growth and productivity. (A baby, a tree, a vine, and in other places a sheep, a soldier, a farmer, and more). We must take time to understand it all. Though the processes of repentance and faith take place in a moment, those other things, including knowledge, can only come with time. It takes patience, then. So we should do as Peter says. Take time and effort to develop knowledge. Be patient. One way to show patience is to ask only one question at a time. Rest assured, the Bible has the answers. But we can only absorb so much at one time. Take the question of salvation by faith first. Make sure that you have it. Then work to develop virtue. When you know you have that, than work to develop knowledge. And so on. If you are saved, then all of these things are in you. But they need to be developed. It will take time and work and patience. That is why we need grace. The goal is to know him more and more, better and better (Philippians 3) and to become more like him (Romans 8:29). It is a continual process, but it takes time. Be patient. Take it slow. |