December 19, 2001
Reading
“His divine power has
given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness” (3)
The following may be a poor example, but when I read this verse I think of the old steam engines. Old films show the train speeding down the track and the engineers furiously shoveling coal into the furnace box. The coal was stored in the ‘tender’ which was attached to the mainframe of the engine. Before leaving for a new destination the tender was filled with coal so the engine would not stop working before the next destination was reached.
Christians want to be godly. As we
grow in Christ we become more aware of what this means but frequently become
discouraged when we find ourselves failing in our quest. We find ourselves crying
out, “O wretched man that I am” more than “I can do all things through Christ
who strengthens me”. We are told in scripture, “Be holy, for I am holy” (1 Pt:
There are times when our struggle against ungodliness or unholiness (if there is such a word) seems futile and we begin to look for a special revelation from God to help us to the next level of holy living. However, out text tells us that we have been given everything “that pertain(s) to life and godliness.” God has nothing more to give in this regard. We already have everything we need. If this is so, then we need to stop looking for more from God and begin researching the things He has given us.
God has not given us the scriptures so we have a good book to read, but rather that we may learn more about Him and His revelation to us, “For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope” (Rom 15:4). The Bible is our text book and contains all the answers. God’s instruction to the king was: “And it shall be with him, and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God and be careful to observe all the words of this law and these statutes” (Deut 17:19). Later, when David was king, he wrote: ‘Your word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against You” (Ps: 119:11). Herein lies the secret to success in living a holy life, “I will meditate on Your precepts, and contemplate Your ways. I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word” (Ps 119:15,16).
But reading and meditating on God’s word is not enough. Just as a student requires not only his text book but a teacher also, so David prays: “Make me understand the way of Your precepts; so shall I meditate on Your wondrous works. .. strengthen me according to Your word” (Ps 119:27,28). God, in His grace, has provided us with a Teacher: “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you” (John 14:26). As we read our ‘text book’ our divine Teacher interprets it to us so we can learn the things of God.
“He has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness” in His Word and we learn these things through the instruction of the Holy Spirit. As crude as the opening illustration is, I see the engine as my life in Christ, the ‘tender’ as the Word of God and the engineer as the Holy Spirit.
“Meditate on these things; give
yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all. Take heed
to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will
save both yourself and those who hear you” (1 Tim