SERVICES: SATURDAY 6PM | SUNDAY 9AM & 10:45AM. 

We Livestream at www.FaithFellowshipWeb.com/livestream, through the FFC App, and YouTube.

A Divine Choreography

A Divine Choreography

Words of Faith 3-2-2020

Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2020

Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com

Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL

To unsubscribe follow the directions at the end of this devotion.

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><

 

2 Peter 1:5-7

    [5] For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; [6] and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; [7] and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.

 

       Peter was clear.  We are to live a "connected life"-- not trying harder to meet religious standards, but participating more and more in the divine nature of Jesus.  We got that.  But now Peter urges us to "make every effort" to be good and have self-control and be kind. So how is this different from old fashioned "You ought to do better" religion?

       It is interesting that the words Peter used here talk about participating with another.  The Greek word means to "bear alongside" or "introduce simultaneously."  We are to join alongside God with earnestness, speed and eagerness as we seek to add goodness to our faith, knowledge to that goodness, self-control to that knowledge, and so on.  In other words, participating in the divine nature is ACTIVE participation.  We are exhorted to participate actively in the development of godliness in our lives.  This is all from God, but we are to participate actively in our growth.

        Now here is the fun part! The word "add" is epichoregesate, from which come the English words "chorus," "choreograph," and "choreography."  This image from Greek culture is that of a music or dance director who is arranging or choreographing a scene.  The dancer or singer must work with the choreographer to add the next move or sequence that builds upon the last. This is the Christian life.

        We are called by the Spirit to a divine dance that participates in the divine nature.  The first position is faith-- absolute trust in Jesus Christ.  The next movement that is added to our faith is goodness-- moral excellence or valor.  The next movement is knowledge-- gnosin-- not the knowledge that comes from intellectual pursuits but spiritual knowledge which comes through the Holy Spirit and is focused on the person and Word of God.

        But faith, goodness, and spiritual knowledge are just the first few moves in this choreography.  In our Christian walk, we must make every effort to practice self-control. This means to have one's passions under control.  Anger, jealousy, fretfulness, desire, these are the stumbling blocks for even excellent dancers in the chorus of the Christian walk.

        At this point, the dance gets hard.  It requires perseverance, a cheerful or hopeful endurance, or a patient continuance.  This is the point when it is easier to quit than to continue on but also where the most growth occurs.  Our spiritual muscles ache.  We are weary and sore.  But as we persevere, there comes a marvelous fruit, godliness.

        Godliness is not being "godlike" or controlling.  It is a profound reverence for God.  This is not at all the same as "self-righteousness" or an appearance of spirituality or "piousness.”  This is the real thing, a deep and profound recognition and reverence for God.  Godliness is an absolute awareness of the presence and activity of God.

        The last two movements in this divine choreography are related.  Brotherly kindness-- philadelphia-- is a fervent practical caring for others.  Love-- agape-- desires the highest good for others without regard for self. This is the kind of love God exhibits toward sinners.

        Faith - goodness - knowledge - self-control - perseverance - godliness - brotherly kindness - love.  From the first position of faith in Jesus, the Spirit will grow seven virtues promised by God-- seven movements in the choreography of our walk with God. 

        It is a good question to ask: Where am I in this dance?  How far along am I?  Do I have the basic first position-- faith in Jesus?  Have I made the effort to connect and work with the choreographer to learn the next part of the dance?  Where is it that I seem to stumble-- self-control? Perseverance? Reverence?  Brotherly kindness?  Love?

        Perhaps it is a good time to get with the choreographer.  Learn the next moves.  Work through the aches and grow in Christ.

 

        Father God, thank You for your remarkable plan for us to grow in You.  Holy Spirit, teach me the moves I need to know and empower me to dance with grace.  Lord Jesus, thank You for always being my dance partner.  In Jesus' Name.

 

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><

SUBSCRIPTIONS - To receive the Words of Faith devotion five days a week, send an E-mail message addressed to join-words-of-faith@hub.xc.org. To stop receiving Words of Faith, send an E-mail message addressed to unsubscribe-words-of-faith@hub.xc.org.  Or you can call the church office at 321-259-7200 x1.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -     

The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail, and our website, and our church app, excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2010 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.  

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><