Subject: The error addressed in 2 Peter |
Bible Note: Dear Tim, That sounds very good. However, it still implies a chronological sequence, that is probably not implied in the middle series of attributes. One would not say, for example, "Work on your virtue, then when you have that down pat, start working on your knowledge. Don't worry about your self-control, until you have you have the knowledge thing pretty much out of the way. Etc." (Certainly hyperbolic, but I think it makes my point. On the other hand, there is a certain chronology that ought not to be abandoned.) Furthermore, the virtue without knowledge is pointless, just as virtue and knowledge is pointless without self-control, etc. Just as faith that does not give rise to these attributes is self-deceptive, if not a false faith altogether. Today I was thinking about this question between Sunday School and Worship Service. I was wondering if we might think of it as a regular heptagon, which is the God given faith. Imagine each side of the heptagon as giving rise to a spiraling curve, each curve resting on the next -- virtue, resting on knowledge, knowledge resting on self-control, all the way around. Imagine the curves ending with the shape of an arrow head. The outside of the figure is the abundantly fruitful life. You see, this also pictures the deeply internal things growing into the manifestly external things (the fruit). Thus, it makes clear the error of many, falsely believing that works give rise to a God-pleasing internal condition. The Word teaches us the exact opposite. In Him, Doc |