What Manner Of Person You Ought To Be.

Ministering: Deacon Theophilus Akinyele.

Text: 2 Peter 3:10-14.

^{” 10} But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. ¹¹ Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, ¹² Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? ¹³ Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. ¹⁴ Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.“

We live in a world that is passing away and would one day melt! With the recent happenings (wars, sicknesses, etc.) one can tell something strange is happening in the world. These are warning signs to wake us up from spiritual slumber. As students of The Word of God we have inside information that this earth will one day pass away and there would be a New Heaven and New Earth. Noah had inside information of a coming destruction, hence aligned his family to the ways of The Lord.

2 Pet. 1:14-15 says “knowing that shortly I must put off my tent, just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me. Moreover I will be careful to ensure that you always have a reminder of these things after my decease.

Our above Text is the answer to the question – “What Manner of Person You Ought to Be” – Holiness and godliness are the kind of person we ought to be. “What manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness.” 2 Peter 3:11.

What is Holiness?

Holiness is a non-negotiable ingredient to walking with God. In Lev. 19:2, God exhorts His people to be Holy as He is Holy.  2 Cor. 6:17 defines what it means to be Holy – Therefore “Come out from among them and be separate, says The Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you.” Holiness is separation from sin and set apart unto God. When any vessel is separated or hallowed unto God, that vessel is Holy. Redemption is to separate us from the world and its lust in order to be set apart unto God.

1 Thess. 4:1-2 also defines Holiness as “Walking to Please God”.  Holiness also means abstinence from sin. 2 Tim. 2:19. Holiness is a life in which your body is kept under control. Rom. 6:12.

God has given us His Holy Spirit so that we can live a Life of Purity.  Joseph, Daniel, and our Lord Jesus Christ are classical examples of those who despised the shame and lived a life well pleasing to God. It is a dangerous thing to be engrossed with the worldly lust and passion; we are to reckon that the sufferings of this world cannot be compared with The Glory set before us in His Kingdom.

What is Godliness?

Godliness relates to the devotion of our heart to God. While godliness relates to our relationship with God, holiness relates to our interactions with our fellow men. Titus 2:11-12 – “The Grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age. The measure of our godliness is directly related to our heart’s devotion to God. The opposite of godliness is worldliness. 1 Jn. 2:15-17. The Love of The Father is godliness. Godliness is also to manifest God in your character.

These two attributes of holiness and godliness are the manner of persons we ought to be.

In order to live a life of holiness and godliness:

1. We must grow in our knowledge of God by investing more time in His Word – Joshua 1:8 .
2. We must recognize that it is not by might nor by power, but by The Spirit of The Lord. Zech. 4:6

God Bless You!