Thought on 2 Peter 1:12

"Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth." (2 Pet.1:12).

While we are, in the words of the old hymn, "straining our eyes for the tarrying day" and the scenes around us are still shrouded in semi‑darkness, we may perhaps be forgiven for failure to comprehend the full significance of the events and portents which our eyes behold. Throughout the present age the Watchers have, like Habakkuk of old, taken their stand on the tower and watched to see—significant words—what God would say unto them. And to what good effect that watching has been we are witnesses, if we hold a definite and clear‑cut expectation of the manner of his appearance and his Kingdom. That expectation is none the less definite for the fact that as time goes on we find it necessary to modify our earlier immature conceptions of the manner in which God will work out his purpose.

That which in the dim light of early dawn seems to be a haystack turns out to be a house, and the seemingly grotesque animal becomes a shapely tree. So with our watching; we must expect it to show in greater and more accurate detail the "shape of things to come" as the light "shineth more and more unto perfect (meridian) day." (Prov.4:18).

"It is because of this failure to comprehend the gradually unfolding nature of God’s Plans that many today are walking in darkness when they might be walking in the light—"

Those words are not original, and some will recognise the source from which they are quoted. Today, a century after they were written, they are truer than ever. If only more of those who profess to hold and guide their lives by the "Present Truth" of Peter’s Epistle had learned the implications of his words better there would not be one‑tenth of the doubt, the fear, the lack of confidence and the waxing cold of faith and love that modern times have seen amongst Christians. So many have accepted gladly and zealously the understanding of the Divine Plan which the nineteenth century produced but have failed to make increase with it. They have failed to live up to the opportunity and favour which was theirs. Like their prototypes, knowing not the time of their visitation, they have taken all that the favour of God held out to them and failed to make that progress in its light which would enable them in turn to contribute toward the further unfolding of the Plan of God.

So is it always. "They that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut." (Matt.25:10) The work of service to which the Father has appointed us is so stupendous, demanding so high a standard of Christ‑likeness and so great a depth of spiritual wisdom, that only those who have demonstrated their utter loyalty to Christ can hope to hear the final "Well done." (Matt. 25:21,23). Knowledge, of itself, will not bring one to this consummation; but knowledge rightly applied is an indispensable handmaiden to that spiritual development which is so essential; and without knowledge we shall be as those who, in the parable, were asleep when the Bridegroom came.

AOH