Uncommon Virtue

Virtue consists, not in abstaining from vice, but in not desiring it.

George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950, Irish-born British dramatist)

2 Peter 1:4
4 For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.
NASU

Virtue can be described as the wisdom to escape. Our problem in this world though is that we do not see the real and imminent danger, or recognize the enemy. If all could see the end of the constant desires that our enemy throws at us at each turn in our lives, we would better follow the advice of Peter, for he has really given us the secret to victory over the lust and desires in this world.

What is this secret? Peter says that for him it is God’s precious and magnificent promises. It's the great privilege of partaking in a different nature here, God’s divine nature, and not our sinful and worldly nature that we were born with. God has given us an avenue of escape, and we are to run from our desires to his promises, we are to keep in mind daily what is the goal of our short sojourn here.

Paul says in 1 Cor 10:13, “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.” Paul is saying we are to rise above the common things of man, and journey upward towards toward the precious promises given to us in Christ Jesus, true Christians, are not common people…God Bless.

Pastor William