EVENING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 10/16/2025 7:45 PM
My Worship Time Focus: PT-3”The Virtues Pursued”
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: 2 Peter 1:5b-7
Message of the verses: “moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, 6 and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, 7 and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love.”
I continue to quote from John MacArthur’s commentary on the verses above, and Lord willing I will begin to quote from Dr. Warren W. Wiersbe’s commentary on these verses in my next evening SD.
“At the heart of spiritual pursuit is a fifth virtue, godliness, from a term (susebeia) meaning reverence for God (1:3; 3:11; 1 Tim. 2:2; 6:6; cf. 1 Cor. 10:31). It could also be translated ‘true religion,’ or ‘true worship’ and conveys the idea that one who has it properly honors and adores God. (1 Tim. 3:16; Titus 1:1; cf. John 4:24; Phil. 3:3). In Greek though eusebeia encompassed all the rituals related to worship and loyalty given to the pagan gods—respect towards all that is divine. The early Christians sanctified the Greek definitions of the word and directed them at the one true God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul instructed Timothy that such reverence toward God is the highest priority because of its eternal value. ‘Godliness,’ Paul wrote, ‘is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come’ (1 Tim. 4:8; cf. Acts 2:25-28).” Now we will look at these verses: “8 for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.” “25 For David says concerning him, "’I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken; 26 therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; my flesh also will dwell in hope. 27 For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption. 28 You have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’”
“Flowing out of the vertical reverence for God in every area of life is the horizontal virtue of brotherly kindness. The companion of affection for God is affection for others (cf. Rom. 13:8-10; Gal. 5:14; 1 Thess. 1:3; Heb. 6:10; James 2:8). Peter undoubtedly recalled what Jesus had told the religious leaders:
“One of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, ‘Teacher which is the great commandment in the Law?’ And He said to him ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.’ (Matt. 23:35-40; cf. 1 John 4:20-21).”
Now I have mentioned what I am about to write in earlier SD’s. Take a look at the cross, and remember there is a vertical part and an horizontal part of the cross. The vertical represents loving God and the horizontal part represents loving your neighbors. In the gospel of Luke chapter ten there is a similar story, and if you want to you can look it up.
“The saints’ pursuit of devotion to one another flows from the highest virtue of all—love. For believers, love for others (especially fellow believers) has always been inseparable from love for God (John 13:34; 15:12; 1 Thess. 4:9; 1 John 3:23; 4:7, 21). This is the familiar agape the sacrificial, selfless love of the will (Matt. 5:43-44; 19:19; Mark 10:21; Luke 6:35; John 14:21, 23; 15:12; Rom. 12:9; 1 Cor. 8:1; 16:14; 2 Cor. 8:8; Gal. 5:13-14; Eph. 1:15; Phil. 1:9; 2:2; Col. 1:4; 1 Thess. 3:6; Heb. 10:24; 1 John 2:5; 4:7-12).”
Once again I will be looking at what Dr. Warren Wiersbe will be writing from this section of verses beginning tomorrow, Lord willing.
10/16/2025 8:21 PM
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