Riding the River [2 Peter 1:3]

2Pe 1:3 For His divine power has given us everything required for life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.

Upon reading Hebrews 2, we see that God will bring punishment on believers who neglect His commandments. The illustration can be given based on the first two verses of someone floating down a raging river, drowning. At each point along there descent down the river there is a life vest just within reach; all the person would have to do is reach out and grab it. This is comparable to our lives as believers. We make decisions each day that can send us down this “raging river” without a life vest, where we can do nothing, but continue to drown. If we make decisions that are in agreement with God’s Word, it is as if we are floating down the river with the vest on. There is nothing to worry about because we are in the safety of the floatation device.

So, why do we make these wrong choices? We tend to blame it on “self” or “the temptation to sin got the best of me,” but if have died to sin and self (Romans 6), why do we continue to allow it to rule our lives? That’s a question you have to ask yourself. God has given us everything we need to live a life pleasing to Him, the moment you and I got saved. Everything we need for godly living was imputed to us at salvation. We choose to ignore it.

While that does seem grim and dark (it is!) there is hope! Remember back to the live vest illustration, at each point along the river the vest is always within reach. At each point in “bad decisions,” Jesus is right there waiting for us to turn back to Him. Where are you at now? Are you in the safety of the vest or trying to go down the river by your own strength?

Aaron Taylor