All too often, it’s tempting to post a Christian Slogan. You know the kind “God has his reasons” or “heaven gained a new angel” when someone passes away, or “God will never give you more than you can handle” when someone is struggling, or any number of things we say. And we post meme after meme, saying after saying, picture after picture that look Christian, sound Christian, but we don’t actually check to see if it lines up with Scripture of the Gospel! We don’t know if it was God’s plan for someone to die the way they do (most of what happens to us happens because the fall knocked God’s perfect world out of alignment), Heaven does not gain new angels (we’re told in 1 Corinthians 6 that we will actually sit in judgement of them), God does, in fact, allow more than we can handle to happen to us (Read 2 Corinthians Chapter 1 to see what Paul means there), and we are told, time and again, we should test the will of God (romans 12:2), and everything, really, against the Scriptures!
Why do we feel the need to add to, take away from, or help along God’s word? I don’t mean explaining it. We absolutely need to rightly divide the word of God. But we don’t need to add things to God’s word that are not there, remove the parts that are uncomfortable, or try and make it cool, hip, or relatable for the next generation. We need to stand firm. The Message of Scripture is the Gospel, and has not changed since the beginning: we have rebelled against God’s design for us (sin), we’re rightly reaping the consequences of our sin (death), but Jesus came to reconcile us to God by living a life, perfectly obedient to God and in fulfillment of every covenant, He died in our place, removing our sins by nailing them, with Himself, to the Cross, and destroying death when He rose on the Third Day. I don’t need some sappy saying to comfort or encourage me, the Gospel and the Scriptures are enough.
2 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 toc 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 qualitiesare 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, 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.
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