Danny Eldridge
In the Wednesday evening class a few weeks ago, we were discussing II Peter 3. The chapter begins, “This is now, beloved, the second epistle that I write unto you; and in both of them I stir up your sincere mind by putting you in remembrance.” In both of his letters, the elder and apostle Peter reminds his reader of those things they have been taught, and that such things will “stir [them] up.”
One of the members of the class offered an interesting analogy with which to illustrate this need that each Christian has. Many people enjoy a vinegar-and-oil type salad dressing. When a bottle of this dressing remains undisturbed in the refrigerator for a while, the contents begin to separate. Although all of the components of the dressing are present in the bottle, they do not continue to remain combined. If you pour from the bottle without first shaking it, the taste will be unpleasing, because the dressing is not in its proper condition. Something so simple as shaking the bottle will make the dressing pleasing to the taste.
Christians, like vinegar-and-oil salad dressing, need to be stirred up frequently, and such is accomplished by putting us in remembrance of those things that caused us to obey the gospel. Remembering that Jesus is the Son of God (John 8.24), remembering that we have turned away from sin and turned toward God in repentance (Luke 13.3), remembering that we have confessed with our mouths that Jesus is the Son of God (Matthew 10.32), remembering that God has forgiven our sins if we have been immersed in water to be united with Christ (Acts 2.38; 22.16), and remembering that God has added us to His church, the kingdom (Acts 2.47; Matthew 16.18,19; Colossians 1.13) will cause us to be “stirred up,” and to grow in grace and knowledge as Christians (II Peter 3.18).
