One last thought out of Peter’s Second letter. It is summed up in a word rendered “useless” in my Bible translation.
“For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they will keep you from being useless or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” [2 Peter 1:8 HCSB]
We share “faith of equal privilege” and have everything we need for life and godliness in the knowledge of Christ Jesus. We also have God’s precious promises that He, by His grace, has provided a way for us to be partakers of the divine nature – we are born again the moment we surrender our lives to Him.
Because of those things, we now work out what God has given us into our daily lives so that we can keep “from being useless or unfruitful.”
That word useless is “argos” and means to be inactive, idle, lazy, thoughtless, or unprofitable. I must admit this study in 2 Peter Chapter 1 all began because of the word “useless” appearing in that verse above in one of my daily emails.
As I age and my body becomes frail, the one thing I fear is that I might become “useless or unfruitful” to my beloved Savior and LORD. I know that I cannot do what I once did. I also know that I cannot give up and do nothing.
God has given so much to me. He has flooded my life with His goodness and grace. I feel His love every day. I weep when I hear Him call me “child.” Because of all He has given me, I so desire to give to others. I want – no need – to be useful to my LORD and Savior. Let it be, dear LORD. Amen.
