Wednesday, October 27, 2010

October 26, 2010

"....what manner of persons ought you to be......?" II Peter 3:11


Membership has its privileges and its responsibilities!
As a high school student I was given a set of rules that I was expected to keep. For the privilege of going to that school I was told what sort of person I should be.
When I became a member of Silver Lake Wesleyan Church I was asked to subscribe to a code of conduct and behavior.
The same happened when I enrolled at Indiana Wesleyan.
In fact, as I think about it, every organization I joined or every athletic team I played on has had a set of guidelines, rules or code of conduct stipulating what sort of person they expected me to be as a member of that group. That is entirely appropriate.
Why then, as people claiming to be followers of Christ not expect to display attitudes and conduct consistent with the character of Christ? As those professing a belief in a holy and perfect eternal destination should they not possess attitudes and behavior befitting of heaven?
Of course!
In II Peter 3, Peter is calling these believers to live up to the expectations incumbent on those preparing for eternity in heaven. The word "ought" carries the idea of necessity. Holy living is not optional for those preparing for a holy place!
People who are preparing for a better place should also be making their homes, their churches, their communites and their world a better place!
Planning on going to heaven? Act like it!

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