Living a Transformed Life

There is a similar thought expressed in 2 Pet 1:3 - 9. Peter reminds us that God has given us everything we need to live a godly life. It begins with our relationship with Him. He goes on to say that through God ’ s Word we are able to participate in His divine nature. That is, through the indwelling Holy Spirit, we are able to grow and develop the character of God in us. To our faith, we are to add the additional virtues of goodness, knowledge, self - control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love. This is our contribution to the work that brings an abundant harvest through our relationship with Christ. A neglect of these virtues will result in spiritual loss even causing us to forget that we have been cleansed from our former sins. In other words, spiritual blindness sets in and we become ineffective and unproductive in our walk with Him.

The Right Example

Paul told Timothy, “ for physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. . . set an example for the

believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity ” (1 Tim 4:8, 12). He goes on to say, “ be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers ” (15, 16). This is the point: We should be living examples of what we believe. People around us should be able to see God at work in our lives causing them to be drawn to Him. This will happen, according to Paul, as we give ourselves wholly to this task and do it with diligence, demonstrating His love in word and deed.

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