By Apprising Ministries correspondent Mike Ratilff of Possessing the Treasure

Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. (2 Peter 1:10 ESV)

Some “evangelical leaders” in our time will tell you that transformation is actually part of the gospel and that the evidence of salvation is how busy a person is in “working in church ministry.” No where in God’s Word is transformation given as part of the Gospel. The Gospel is based in who Jesus Christ is and what He has done to be the propitiation for the elect. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, including the elect. No one is able to do any work of any kind to deserve or earn salvation, that is, justification. However in Ephesians 1:3-23; Ephesians 2:1-10, the Apostle Paul gives us God’s solution. Notice that nowhere in these passages is the transformed life mentioned as part of being justified. Yes, Paul mentioned in Ephesians 2 that Faith was a gift and that tells us that it is a product of regeneration, and that God saves us unto good works, but that is not the same thing. Paul tells us more about the transformed life in Romans 12:1-2. Notice that this is talking about spiritual growth after salvation and is not part of our justification at all, but is part of our sanctification process. Notice also who is in control of this process. Is it a local church or a ministry or is it God?

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. (2 Peter 1:3-9 ESV)

Carefully read the passage above my brethren. Notice that those whom God regenerates become partakers of the divine nature. This does not make them “little gods” not does it give them a “divine spark.” It gives them the mind of Christ. This is the gift of knowing the truth of God because of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and as one lives in, studies and knows the Word of God. Those who mature in Christ this way, that is, they become transformed, will have a life that will grow more and more to be characterized by the attributes Peters lists in the part of the passage above that is in bold. These are the qualities that characterize a life partaking of the divine nature. These are virtues that are listed elsewhere in the New Testament as well (Galatians 5:22-23; Hebrews 12:10-11). These qualities reflect the desires and features of a truly transformed heart. This desire is part of those truly regenerated by God. This is why we must suspect the profession of faith of people who have no desire for these things and see transformation as something else.

This is an exhortation so this transformation is something that happens as we cooperate with God working in us to live a new life which is grounded in the divine power and promises that is granted to all believers when they come to know Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord. Please notice again, this is not talking about our salvation. This is our sanctification which is what makes us holy after our justification, which is our salvation where we come to know Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord.

Here are vv5-7 (the part in bold) from the Greek New Testament.

καὶ αὐτὸ τοῦτο δὲ σπουδὴν πᾶσαν παρεισενέγκαντες ἐπιχορηγήσατε ἐν τῇ πίστει ὑμῶν τὴν ἀρετήν, ἐν δὲ τῇ ἀρετῇ τὴν γνῶσιν, ἐν δὲ τῇ γνώσει τὴν ἐγκράτειαν, ἐν δὲ τῇ ἐγκρατείᾳ τὴν ὑπομονήν, ἐν δὲ τῇ ὑπομονῇ τὴν εὐσέβειαν, ἐν δὲ τῇ εὐσεβείᾳ τὴν φιλαδελφίαν, ἐν δὲ τῇ φιλαδελφίᾳ τὴν ἀγάπην.

Here is a word-for-word translation of vv5-7 from Koine Greek to English.

And same this but diligence all having brought in along you supply further in the trust of you the virtue, in but the virtue the knowledge, in but the knowledge the self-control, in but the self-control the patience, in but the patience the godliness, in but the godliness the brotherly love, in but the brotherly love the love.

The key to this actually is in v5 where Peter is telling all Christians to, as the ESV says, supplement your faith. We are not to merely confess faith in Christ, but actually live it. Real living faith must take concrete form in life. These virtues are the fruit of this lived out in reality.

Real Christian transformation is not getting busy in church work, but is living one’s life growing in faith and Christlikeness as we have seen here. It is God directed and in most cases, it involves a great deal of tests and trials of faith. I pray you see the difference.

Soli Deo Gloria!

The original article by Mike Ratliff appears in its entirety with a comments section right here.

See also:

SBC’S LIFEWAY HIGHLIGHTS ‘TRANSFORMATIONAL CHURCH’

ED STETZER AND TRANSFORMING THE MISSION OF THE CHURCH

CURIOUS ASSOCIATIONS ED STETZER, DAN KIMBALL, AND TIM KELLER MISSIONSHIFT

WHY EVANGELICALISM IS FAILING A NEW GENERATION, AS IS THE EMERGING CHURCH

ANNE RICE, YOU CAN’T QUIT CHRISTIANITY UNLESS YOU’RE A CHRISTIAN

DESTINY-DRIVEN DOMINIONISM AND RICK WARREN

MISSIONAL?