Pursuing Glory and Excellence: Treating spiritual blindness and shortsigthtedness

2 Peter 1:9

2 Peter 1:9 NASB 95

For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins.

Introduction

Peter opens 2 Peter 1 with a statement about God’s provision for godly living.

Peter exhorts his readers to develop godly character (2 Peter 1:5-7).

Peter says that such character will make sure that Christians are not unfruitful or useless.

Character deficient is spiritually-blind

We may say, therefore, that a person without the vital qualities of vv 5-7 suffers from spiritual blindness since he does not see reality, life, or Christian experience as God sees them.

He is blind to the spiritual truths which he needs to grasp in order to function properly in this present world. Like a blind man, lacking either cane or guide-dog, he trips and stumbles constantly (see 2 Peter 1:10 “Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble;” ).

But saving faith is never alone (see my note at James 2:17). Faith without works is dead (James 2:20). True believers act holy. Any true believers who don’t act holy are contributing to their own spiritual blindness, which will cause them to forget how good God has been to them.

Character deficient Christian is focussed on the world

Peter says that character deficient Christian is short-sighted.

What does Peter have in mind? Since the epistle as a whole lays heavy stress on the reality and certainty of the Lord’s coming (2 Pet 1:11, 2 Pet 1:16, 19, and 2 Pet 3:4-14), the Apostle is probably thinking of believers who no longer look ahead to the Rapture. Instead, their vision is severely limited to the here and now.

Character deficient Christian forgets his position in Christ

In what sense, then, does the non-growing Christian “forget” his past cleansing? Both in Greek and in English, the word forget can also mean “to lack concern for,” or “to neglect.”

When someone forgets that their sins have been cleansed, he identifies as a sinner. In other words, it also means in contra-positive, if someone is not forgetful of his cleansing of sins, that means he does not lack these qualities.

Develop the character

2 Pet 1:4-7 “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. Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love.”