SUNDAY SCHOOL AFTERTHOUGHTS
Wednesday, April 26, 2017
Anyone that knows
me very well knows that Romans 12:1-3 is a major motivational passage in my
life, with the desire to please God and aid my fellow man whether follower of
Christ, Jesus fan, or unbeliever. I am highly aware that my thoughts should
lead me to use good judgment based on what God has given me as a believer;
personalizing 12:3b is essential to my plan to serve Him all my days.
One of the ways I
work at His glad service is I participate in an adult Sunday School class. I
value the experience together. But for my heart and mind the session doesn’t
end when classmates rise and move to the intermission before congregational
gathering. I continue to ponder the chosen text and comments in our very
conversational group.
This week it was
the first part of 2Peter. Thoughts on came and went while reading the OW-H
including the obituaries, doing laundry, planting cabbages and kale, watering
indoor plants, noshing, reading magazines et al . . . and again during this
morning waking moments.
I often think in
questions. Not questions involving doubts, but questions seeking increase in
knowledge so as to refine me for service. The apostle Peter contributes to my
ongoing goal as I examine the meanings of his words.
I begin by noting
Peter is writing to believers but remind myself that God’s Word may be beneficial
to nonbelievers; the societal application of the 10 Commandments being a prime
example.
In verse 5 I note
that I’m to add knowledge to virtue. I thought knowledge was before virtue?
Using study tools at hand I see the Greek for virtue involves manliness. (I
pause here to remind modern women that the Bible, as with most literature, was
written in the masculine gender. So, unless specifically targeting males, God’s
Word, as is the case here, apples to both sexes.)
Manliness is?
Thinking about
it, especially in the light of Romans 12:1-3 and related Scripture word and
examples, I understand it’s being a consistent responsible person in integrity
before God and man. Armed with this knowledge I understand that adding
knowledge increases and builds integrity. I read on and continue ponderance.
Completing this
morning consideration of the process list I realize that if and as applied I
will increasingly partake of the divine John 1:12 power God has given unto me of
all things that pertain unto life and godliness and these things being in me
will abound and then I shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge
of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1:4, 8)
EBB4
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