It's funny what happens when you quote scripture, and try to expand upon the points. Quite often you get opinions, which are usually based on fear, hurt and emotions (how they feel about what is stated). Quite often the Scriptures referenced nick a wound, and people bleed all over the place and cry out when the wound is breached. Why do I say this? Because we like to argue with God. We have a view on how things should be, and, really, when Scripture upsets that view, we fight tooth and nail for our opinions, good, bad, or indifferent. Really, when God is trying to heal our wounds, we're fighting against the cure, because our wounds are comfortable, we know the pain, and God's healing leads us in to places that are uncharted territory: giving up control of our pain to almighty God. It's scary! Yet there's a second response, and the one we should seek as we find Christ through the Scriptures: repentance. Our experiences, wounds, scars, and feelings don't matter in comparison to the Word of God. He requires obedience, and a following that seeks His will. Jesus said "If you love me, keep my commands" (John 15:5), and equated our expression of love by responding to His Word as opposed to what we desire to do. There are no rebels in the Kingdom of Christ, those who are there have allowed Him to define their lives, and allow the Scriptures to change their lives instead of affirming them. They hold nothing back from Christ, and give everything over to Him. In the end, our opinions and feelings don't matter; our obedience does. When Jesus says "I never knew you, away from me you doers of lawlessness" to those who have said they believed in Him (Matthew 7:23), it will be because they followed their own heart instead of responded to His voice. So here is the choice: respond and obey, or have it your way. Obedience leads to eternity in Christ, our own way leads us to our own destruction. Choose wisely. 1 Peter 1:3-21 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Therefore I intend always to remind you of these qualities, though you know them and are established in the truth that you have. I think it right, as long as I am in this body,[h] to stir you up by way of reminder, since I know that the putting off of my body will be soon, as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me. And I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things.
For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,” we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
