Are You an Ingrate

In II Peter 1: 2 – 6 it is as though God is saying I have made, and am keeping these grand and gracious promises to you. Now, I want you to do these things for me, and the Lord lists His standards. Following is the full text with the part for our consideration, at this time, in bold print, and my notes inserted in italic. It is expedient that the full context be noted so it can be understood in the setting.

“2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. (In Scripture there are seven thousand promises that are pertinent to believers.) 5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, (In these promises there is included reason and strength that will enable you to…) add to your faith virtue, ( virtue is moral excellence) to virtue knowledge, (which is rooted in faith) 6 to knowledge self-control, (control over self. God expects us, to control our self not for Him to have to inject His will and do it for us) to self-control perseverance, ( endurance, in maintaining His standards.) to perseverance godliness, (God’s standards.)7 to godliness brotherly kindness, (kindness that goes beyond mere duty.) and to brotherly kindness love. (Unselfish love,) 8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.”

In verse 8 is the promise that  if you keep these standards you will not be unproductive, but will be productive.

In verse 9 the person who does not live by these standards, even  those associated with salvation is an ingrate.

Now consider those standards in light of Exodus 20:7 which says: “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.” 

The Hebrew word “nasa” can be translated as in the King James “take.” Its full meaning is seen when it is also properly translated in its full meaning “bear,” which means to carry. When you become a Christian you take, that is, carry the name of the Lord, Christian, meaning Christ partisan. You take the name of the Lord wherever you go. If you don’t allow God to work in you, enabling you to take it, that is, bear His name properly, you are taking the name of the Lord in vain.

Now, read the text again and evaluate your compliance with it. Are you taking, carrying His name, so others can see Jesus in you?

Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” (John 14:15)