The Enlargement of Life
Living Self-control Emancipated in Perseverance
Reading: Luke 8:11-15
(2 Peter 1:5-11)
Even a quick reading of the N.T. reveals that God has a plan and a purpose for anyone who will be fully open to Him. This plan is that we might have a life, and a way of life that is not only full and complete, but also functioning in a worthwhile way under His constant anointing. God is not some inter-galactic being that only pays scant attention to this part of His creation, then giving fuller attention when things seem to be getting out of control. He is the Lord God who never slumbers nor sleeps, nor ceases to have an active interest in His creation and in particular, those who are born anew. Constantly throughout the Scripture we see that not only does He have an interest, He is actively involved in the lives of those who will open to His Son.
Now according to the passage of scripture in 2 Peter 1:8, it is possible for such a believer to become barren, but when we apply and live in the principles outlined in the previous few verses, then barrenness and unfruitfulness in the Knowledge of our Lord, is banished. In fact this passage exhorts us to abound in such things, and when we do so the desert areas in our lives are thrown back and ultimately banished, as the desert become fertile and blossoms with life.
We have seen how that this passage exhorts us to manifest the moral excellence of God as an expression of our faith, "add to your faith virtue." This is not however to be some off beat mystic pie in the sky theory, but grounded firmly and securely in our Knowledge of Him. This is, in turn manifested in that person, by being a person of self-control. They are able to maintain their position in Christ by having dominion over themselves and having the strength to maintain that position. The beauty of this is that our Lord so endows us with His enabling, that we not only maintain our position in Him, but also grow in Him.
We seem to have a paradox presented to us by Peter, because he now tells us to add to this Self-control, Perseverance/Patience/Steadfastness. Some would say that as I am a person who has control of all my inner workings, then I must have Perseverance to what I am committed to. That is not necessarily so, Self-control has to do with the controlling of you as a person, perseverance has to do with what you have committed yourself too.
The Greek word is translated in four different ways in various translations. Perseverance, Patience, Steadfastness and Endurance. It is in the parable of the sower that we get the overall picture of this word. The sower has sown his seed in the same way that many generations before him had done. He has spent time getting his plot of ground ready, so now he starts to sow the seed. Not all the seed fell onto the ground that he had prepared. Some had fallen onto the pathway, others had fallen on to rocky ground, and some more had fallen into the thickets. These for various reasons, perished, but the seed which had fallen onto the prepared ground, bore much fruit. We are told by Jesus in his explanation of the parable that ; "… the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear much fruit with patience." Jesus is here telling the disciples, “When it comes to pressures and temptation exerted by the world, don’t be a person who puts up some fleshly, isolated pieces of resistance, but be a person who has a persistence, a durability, a steadfast disposition that is consistent in it’s commitment to the Lord, and resistant to the ingression of the world in your life."
In Luke 21, Jesus is talking about the end times. He speaks about the many voices that will attempt to confuse people and detract them from the true Lord God. Now in v19 Jesus say’s, "In your patience possess your souls."
What does He mean? Now that word Patience in Luke 21:19, is the same Greek word in 2 Peter 1:6, that depending upon the translation you have with you will read: Perseverance, Patience, Endurance or Steadfastness. It has the basic meaning of "Having a cheerful endurable consistency in what you believe and in the way that you conduct and control yourselves, while you are waiting for the great day of your Lord."
It comes from another word that means to "remain, to bear trials, to have fortitude and persevere." Something, which has, stick-ability but at the same time is immovable, because their foundation is the immovable Rock Christ Jesus. It comprises of two basic Greek words, the first means to be "under, or to take an inferior position in modesty." The second part means "to come into a given place or position, be it by relationship or expectancy." So that word is calling us to take a stance out of our relationship with Christ, which by in the natural order, is an inferior one to Him, but He elevates us to co-rulership with Him. It is in this position in Christ, that we have an immovable position, so that no-one can pluck us out of the hand of the Almighty God. Yet we have to take this position that He has given us.
Jesus has said in Luke 21:19, "In your Perseverance, in the position that you have received in Me, in the total reliability and endurably that you can now build in Me, take Possession of your Souls. Do not allow the workings of the fallen nature, nor allow the carnal mind to gain dominance, but take control of every facet of the soul and bring it under the dominance of the New Order which is Yours in Me."
Add to what you have become in Christ Jesus, that dogged persistent endurably, that says, "I am a child of God, I have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour, the proof that that redemptive work has been accepted by the Father, is that Jesus has risen. I now have relationship with Him and on the basis of that relationship, I am a co-heir with Christ, I am partaker of His divine nature, and there is nothing that can stand against me, because “Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world." I am called to abide in Him and abide I will, for He will enable to do all things through Christ Jesus my Lord. I will therefore, with faith, exhibit His virtue, in the full knowledge of Him in Self-control; persevere till that day when I shall see Him face to face. Be that via the grave or the upward call at your return, Lord Jesus I will trust you and serve you what ever."
