Thought for the Week
Each week Brother Joe Norton shares his inspirational insights to Scripture.
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A word study in 2 Peter 1:5-11
“But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge “to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness,” (2 Peter 1:6). “Godliness” means “reverence, true piety toward God.” True reverence for anyone means we have total respect for that person (or, in this case, for that Being). To exhibit the characteristic of godliness, Christians must, first, base their lives upon the truth of God’s word and then make a practical application of the principles they have learned therein—that is, they live their lives according to those principles. Living a godly life—adding godliness to our faith—means living the way Jesus would live. Since we are imperfect humans, we will not attain the perfection Jesus possesses; but that’s the goal or the moral standard He wants us to set. A Study of the Fruit of the Spirit
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness” (Galatians 5:22). “Goodness” is a moral quality—it is a virtue—that describes a character whose heart has been molded toward positive, trusting feelings toward others and whose behavior toward others is peaceful and benevolent. It envelopes several of the other qualities named here as the fruit of the spirit. Complete “goodness” is a trait we can associate only with deity; yet we are taught here and in other scriptures to exhibit goodness, that is, active benevolence, toward others if we are manifesting the fruit of the Spirit. The trait of goodness begins inside of us—it requires that we have a sincere heart and a genuine interest in the well-being of other people. And then it is manifested outwardly as we interact with others and treat them well.. |
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