Beloved Blameless Blemish Care Dear Diligence Diligent Earnestly Effort Evil Expectations Forward Free Friends Loved Ones Peace Presence Reason Reproach Seeing Seek Sight Sin Spot Spotless Unblameable Wait Waiting Wherefore Zealous
3:14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in {g} peace, without spot, and blameless.
(g) that you may try to your benefit, how gently and profitable he is.
3:14 Wherefore, beloved... be diligent. Now follows an earnest exhortation to holiness in view of the coming of the Lord.
3:14 Labour that whenever he cometh ye may be found in peace - May meet him without terror, being sprinkled with his blood, and sanctified by his Spirit, so as to be without spot and blameless. Isaiah 65:17; Isaiah 66:22.
3:11-18 From the doctrine of Christ's second coming, we are exhorted to purity and godliness. This is the effect of real knowledge. Very exact and universal holiness is enjoined, not resting in any low measure or degree. True Christians look for new heavens and a new earth; freed from the vanity to which things present are subject, and the sin they are polluted with. Those only who are clothed with the righteousness of Christ, and sanctified by the Holy Ghost, shall be admitted to dwell in this holy place. He is faithful, who has promised. Those, whose sins are pardoned, and their peace made with God, are the only safe and happy people; therefore follow after peace, and that with all men; follow after holiness as well as peace. Never expect to be found at that day of God in peace, if you are lazy and idle in this your day, in which we must finish the work given us to do. Only the diligent Christian will be the happy Christian in the day of the Lord. Our Lord will suddenly come to us, or shortly call us to him; and shall he find us idle? Learn to make a right use of the patience of our Lord, who as yet delays his coming. Proud, carnal, and corrupt men, seek to wrest some things into a seeming agreement with their wicked doctrines. But this is no reason why St. Paul's epistles, or any other part of the Scriptures, should be laid aside; for men, left to themselves, pervert every gift of God. Then let us seek to have our minds prepared for receiving things hard to be understood, by putting in practice things which are more easy to be understood. But there must be self-denial and suspicion of ourselves, and submission to the authority of Christ Jesus, before we can heartily receive all the truths of the gospel, therefore we are in great danger of rejecting the truth. And whatever opinions and thoughts of men are not according to the law of God, and warranted by it, the believer disclaims and abhors. Those who are led away by error, fall from their own stedfastness. And that we may avoid being led away, we must seek to grow in all grace, in faith, and virtue, and knowledge. Labour to know Christ more clearly, and more fully; to know him so as to be more like him, and to love him better. This is the knowledge of Christ, which the apostle Paul reached after, and desired to attain; and those who taste this effect of the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, will, upon receiving such grace from him, give thanks and praise him, and join in ascribing glory to him now, in the full assurance of doing the same hereafter, for ever.
Beloved Blameless Blemish Care Dear Diligent Earnestly Evil Forward Found Free Friends Great Loved Ones Peace Presence Reason Reproach Seek Sight Sin Spot Spotless Unblameable Wait Waiting Wherefore Zealous
Beloved Blameless Blemish Care Dear Diligent Earnestly Evil Forward Found Free Friends Great Loved Ones Peace Presence Reason Reproach Seek Sight Sin Spot Spotless Unblameable Wait Waiting Wherefore Zealous
