Three Years (eBook)

Chapter 2

Goodness

It Takes Effort to Climb

If I only have three years left and want to make an impact during that time, I need to look to Jesus. In three years, Jesus changes the course of history and countless lives, including my own. How might I imitate how Christ thought, and acted, and listened, and sacrificed? Peter gives me a starting place with the Ladder of Virtues, a list of seven characteristics Christ practices and seven characteristics of Christ that Peter says if we practice will “keep us from being ineffective and unproductive” (2 Pet. 1:8). Peter writes:

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Pet. 1:5-8)

Peter tells us to “make every effort,” the Greek meaning, “swiftness of movement or action, haste, speed.” This is not to be put off until tomorrow. I know, especially after my father’s early death, that tomorrow is never guaranteed.

We are to add these characteristics that Jesus displays to our faith. The Greek translates, “to provide, supply, furnish.” These characteristics Peter talks about are things we, ourselves, must add to what God has already done in our lives. The Holy Spirit will aid us in this task, but we must “make every effort” to climb.

There is a difference between justifying grace and sanctifying grace. God’s justifying grace is what I experienced that evening on the way home from seminary when God whispered, “Malachi 1:2.” In that moment, I knew I had been forgiven. I had done nothing to deserve God’s grace. All I did was cry out to God in repentance and hope and desperation.

Justification is the action of declaring someone or making someone righteous in the sight of God. Paul explains, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor. 5:21, ESV). Later, Paul reiterates this thought, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God” (Eph. 2:8, ESV). God redeems us by His mercy, not because of anything we have done, are doing, or will do. Our efforts, our works, cannot win God’s love. God’s love is freely given to us. As Paul writes to the church in Rome, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8).

On the other hand, sanctifying grace is what I have experienced ever since that night driving home. It is God’s grace, through His Holy Spirit, guiding me and leading me to become more like Jesus, helping me grow in my relationship with the Almighty. Sanctification means to be set apart, be made holy, to become like Christ. Peter is writing “To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours” (2 Pet. 1:4-8). He is writing to Christians, men and women who have already accepted Christ. He challenges those Christians to “add to their faith” to “participate in the divine nature” and to be productive and effective in living for the “Lord, Jesus Christ” (2 Pet. 1:4-8).

Again, the Holy Spirit comes to live within us when we accept Christ as our Savior and aids us on our journey. God’s sanctifying grace, through the Holy Spirit, helps us grow toward godliness, but it still requires work and obedience on our part. We are told in scripture that we must put to death the deeds of the flesh (Rom. 8:13), replace the old self with the new (Eph. 4:22-24), put on the full armor of God and stand against the devil (Eph. 6), put to death what is earthly in us (Col. 3:5), fight the good fight (1 Tim. 6:12), and strive to enter the narrow gate (Luke 13:34).

We do not work at these things to earn God’s love and forgiveness; God has already given us these things. We work at these things out of gratitude and obedience for all God has given us and to become more like Jesus, that the world may see Him, and we may have “abundant life” (John 10:10). Therefore, we “make every effort” to lift ourselves to the first rung and climb the “ladder of virtues” outlined in 2 Peter 1:3-8.

The First Rung: Goodness

Peter names the first rung of the ladder we are to climb, stating, “For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness . . .” (2 Pet. 1:5).

What is goodness? In the Common English Bible, goodness is translated moral excellence, and in The Message, it is translated, good character. Clarke’s Commentary translates the Greek word for virtue as courage and fortitude. Peter tells us that the first characteristic Jesus displayed that we must add to our faith is to live with high moral character and courage. God is calling us to step up onto the first rung of the ladder of virtues and take on His excellence of character. This will take courage as we stand against gossip, inappropriate flirting, the telling of racist jokes, and judging others; these are behaviors that are commonplace and even accepted in our culture. Paul reminds us, “Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain” (1 Cor. 15:58).

Like many, I have tried to be good, as did my father. I remember how my dad’s goodness shone forth in his generosity and his refusal to judge others. Our house was where everyone gravitated. My dad would ignite model rockets over the neighborhood, teach us archery and photography, and take my friends and I backpacking through Shenandoah National Park or whitewater rafting on the Potomac. Every Christmas, there would be gifts for the postal worker, the men who picked up the garbage each week, the UPS driver. My father would always try to help others and would offer his hand and time to anyone of any background, color, religion, or political slant. As a pharmacist, he would counsel many people, not just about the drugs they were prescribed, but he would listen to their stories. He would never judge.

I have tried to be generous and to not judge, to be good. There have been moments of success and moments of failure as I have tried to do what is right, facing each day with courage and character.

A decade after my dad’s death, I was pastoring a church in Delaware. I had been going to a Men’s Prayer Breakfast for several months and I was invited to deliver the message the next morning that we were scheduled to meet. Over the time I had joined this group, I had heard the same anti-homosexual speech week after week. The night before I was to speak, I felt called to address this common occurrence that seemed to permeate most prayer breakfasts.

I remember praying, “Lord, are you sure you want me to preach this message? I can assure you, it will not go over well.”

That morning, I was obedient to the Holy Spirit’s leading and I stood up to speak. I shared a simple question, “Would a homosexual feel welcomed at this prayer breakfast?” I explained that to answer this question, it did not matter where you stood on the issue of homosexuality; it mattered where you stood on Jesus’s words, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Luke 10:27), “As you did it to one of the least of my brethren you did it for me” (Matt. 25:40), and “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you” (John 15:12-13).

The response was anything but affirming. I was never invited back.

A few months after my dad’s death, my brother and I went to Chicago for three days to reflect, share stories, and seek some level of closure and peace. One night, walking back to our hotel, we passed an older man along the street, his back to one of the city’s many skyscrapers, a piece of torn cardboard in his hands with the words “Homeless and Hungry” printed in block letters. I felt the Holy Spirit shout to me that night to stop. That night I listened, and I stopped. I told my brother to wait a moment as I walked back and sat down on the sidewalk with the stranger wrapped in blankets, a forlorn look on his face. I asked his name. Heard his story. Gave him some money for a meal and shelter. I prayed with him. It was a special moment because I lingered with this man. I felt our lives connect for a moment. I saw Christ in the interaction.

Times like these when I heard, listened, and obeyed the Holy Spirit’s promptings grew more consistent over the years. Yet, how many times was I too busy, too immersed in the noise of the world to hear, and too stubborn to obey? I have not always shown courage, the type of moral character that speaks out against judgment and hatred and disrespect. I have not always carried God’s goodness to the hurting, attempting to lift them up and to give them hope. I have not always raised my voice and challenged people to hear Jesus’ direction to love.

There were times when I judged others unfairly. There were times I hesitated to reach out to the homeless man on the street. There were times I refused to ask for forgiveness. During those moments, as I realized my failing, I cried out to God like the Psalmist, “For the sake of your name, Lord, forgive my...