“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen” (2 Peter 2:19).
This benediction from Peter also presents a challenge, or perhaps even a command—to grow. When we are saved, we are immediately gifted with the fruit of the Spirit and one or more gifts of the Spirit; but with this command to grow, we should know that we always have room for improvement. In fact, Paul says it like this: “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.”
This work in us is a continuing work—the work of growth. It is not work that saves us (just for clarification). It is a work that helps us to grow in our relationship with our Lord and Savior. So how does this growth occur? The best answer is that it occurs through intentional practice and the counsel of the Holy Spirit. You might call it training, or discipleship. If you have ever been involved in sports, dance, music, gymnastics, etc., you know that the best way to improve is to practice, and not just any old practice, but practice that has been designed by experts in the field, proven over time, to produce the right kinds of results. There have been many good books written on this subject over the past many years. You might find them listed under spiritual disciplines, or spiritual practices. I’d be happy to recommend a few if you want to contact me.
Besides the main ways that we access God’s grace—reading our Bible, prayer, worship including participating in the sacraments, preaching, and fellowship with other believers—there are many other practices, or spiritual disciplines. Many of these practices have been subjects of previous devotions. The practice we are learning about in this devotion is confession.
What is confession exactly? Confession means to admit or acknowledge. There are three areas of confession that if we regularly practice will help us to grow in our knowledge of Jesus—going back to our key verse in 2 Peter.
- Confession of faith – our confession of faith is simply our admission that although we are sinners who deserve death, as in Romans 3:23, God sent his son Jesus to earth to pay the penalty for our sins so that we can experience eternal life with Christ our Lord (Romans 6:23; John 3:16). When Jesus asked, who do you say I am, Peter “said you are Christ, son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16). This statement has become the foundation, the Confession of Faith, the foundation upon which He built His Church. This Confession of Faith with the belief in Jesus’s resurrection is not only the foundation of the Church, but the only way to salvation. “Remember, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” Romans 10:9). While we proclaimed this confession when we accepted Christ as our Savior and then were no longer sinners but saints; it is well to continue to remember this confession in our daily prayers. For example, even now after 65 years saved, I can still really get wound up in myself—frustrated and overwhelmed. And worse, I can take credit where I don’t deserve it when things do go well. Either way, this practice of Confession is a wonderful reminder of what our Beautiful Savior has done for us. Take time each day to remember just what God has done for you, that He has done all that is necessary; and how He has saved you for Life everlasting. And be thankful.
- Confession when confronted – Confrontation is hard, regardless of which side of it you are on. I know when I have been confronted, my defenses immediately go up. I’m embarrassed to be called out; I look for excuses. This is whether it’s the Holy Spirit or my husband or a friend. Matthew 5:23-24 says “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.I take this to mean that before we can be right with God, we must make every effort to be right with others. If either party has committed any offense, then we must take responsibility to try to set things right. So, this practice has two parts: First, set yourself up for success by praying in preparation. In other words, in your morning prayers ask God to soften your heart to be ready to respond; to forgive, and to seek forgiveness and reconciliation immediately. Second, don’t put it off when the situation arises. Matthew 5:24 reminds us of the sense of urgency. Ephesians 4:26 tells us to “…do not let the sun go down on your anger.”
- Confession with daily examination – take time in your daily prayers to reflect on your day (this could be your nighttime prayer) and ask the Holy Spirit to convict you of any area where you have fallen short—in your speech, in your actions, and even in your thoughts. Ask God to bring them to mind so that you can seek forgiveness. David is my guide for this. In Psalm 26:2 he cries out: “Test me, Lord, and try me, examine my heart and my mind.” And in Psalm 139:23-24 (which I regularly pray), Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me and lead me in the way everlasting.”You may look at me and see someone whose actions and speech look fairly good. But God sees my heart. My thoughts can seethe with resentment and bitterness from long ago offenses. This might seem trivial, but trust me, it is not. Bitterness can destroy relationships and joy. For you it might be something else, a sinful craving, a bad habit. (I have those, too.) This is an invaluable area of confession and daily work. Pray for conviction, then for forgiveness and strategies and help with overcoming. You cannot correct a problem that you have not first identified. “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
I pray that this practice of daily confession in these three areas will stimulate your growth and walk with Christ as it is doing for me. Reflecting on our opening passage: “…grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,” recognize that we are first saved by grace, and then we grow. The reward for our growth is eternal life but with the added benefit of knowing Christ. Not just knowledge about Him but actually knowing our Lord and Savior in a very real and personal way. And this is my prayer for each of us. And finally, gratitude and praise for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ:
“To You be glory both now and forever! Amen” (2 Peter 3:19b).
In Christ,
Judy
judycline 