Only Two Alternatives

I am finishing up the work of this book just a few days after the Fourth of July and America’s Independence Day. Have you ever noticed how on the uniforms of American military personnel, the American flag patch appears to be “backward?” The blue star field (or canton) is displayed in the top right corner of the flag, not the left as you expect. This is not a mistake. The flags are displayed as if they are always moving forward, with the stripes flowing behind in the wind. The image is meant to communicate the courage and commitment of the men and women wearing those uniforms. The flag is always advancing—never retreating, and never sitting still.

This has been Peter’s message about the Christian life throughout his final letter: if you want a stable faith, then never stop advancing. Stay on the move. Never rest content with the spiritual ground you’ve already taken. Keep going and keep growing to the end. As he signs off in our text today, Peter underscores this message one last time.

First of all, he reminds us that any Christian believer can lose his or her stability: “You therefore, beloved, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your stability (3:17).” Strong Christians can grow weak. Accomplished Christians can regress. Established Christians can get wobbly. Active Christians can get lazy. Engaged Christians can get apathetic. The most committed follower of Jesus can be carried away by error, can fall into lawless behavior, can lapse into unfruitful and ineffective Christian living. Of course, Peter knows all this from his own painful, personal experience! I’m afraid that I do, too, and I have seen the story replayed many times over as a pastor. Over time, any of us can stumble into instability. That is why Peter tells us all to “take care” that it does not happen in our own lives.

But how? How can we “take care” to remain upright, stable, and established? Walking in steady, joyful confidence with Jesus all the way to his return? If you’ve made it this far in the book, you won’t be surprised by Peter’s answer: never stop moving forward. Our two alternatives could not be clearer than Peter makes them here: “You therefore beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. BUT grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (3:17–18).” These are our choices: you are either growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus, or you are unstable and in danger of being swept away. You are either progressing or you are decaying. If you’ve decided that spiritual growth isn’t worth your time or effort, you may as well brace for impact.

From the beginning of this study, we have said that the Christian life is like riding a bicycle. If you want to get stable on a bike, the one thing you cannot do is climb onto the seat and try to sit still. You will tip over every time! You only gain stability by moving forward! You have to grip the handlebars, push against the pedals, and you can’t stop until the ride is over. It’s the only way to ride, and the only way to live for Jesus.

As you complete this study, I hope that you will consider these two alternatives in your own life. Are you slouching toward instability, or are you actively growing? Have you gotten complacent? Too busy, too distracted, to add to your faith? Or are the colors of your flag streaming against the wind, always advancing, as Jesus leads you forward?

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Article by Eric Smith
Senior Pastor, Sharon Baptist Church