As His divine power HAS GIVEN TO US ALL THINGS THAT PERTAIN TO LIFE AND GODLINESS, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue.
2 Peter 1:3 9 (caps added for emphasis)
God HAS GIVEN (past tense) to us...
There are many things that are stated by the Bible as being accomplished before they actually happen. One example is that, although salvation has been given to all men - yet not all men are actually or practically saved! Why? Is God being dishonest?
First, we must establish that God never lies! He does not deceive us; nor does He insert "fine print" into his contracts (covenants) with us - that He can later cite to deny us what He promised. It is more a matter of the clearly stated terms of the contract!
For example, I may give my son my car. I tell him he may have it, use it and keep it. He may argue that he cannot accept such a gift and wants to make his own way in life. I may sign the car over to my son, leave the keys on his table, and leave the car in his garage.
Taking Possession!
From my perspective, I fully gave him that car. From his point of view, he must "take possession" by licensing the car and actually driving it. It may sit in his garage indefinitely. He may never "take possession" of that car even though it is legally his! I have not lied by saying I "gave" him that car!
In the same way, God sets spiritual gifts like salvation in motion by doing His part. He makes them available to us and often goes much farther by placing them on our path. Yet we do not automatically take possession of them until we exercise our faith to "take" them!
Jesus is "Passing By!"
One day, Jesus was coming near Jericho with a great number of people. A blind man was sitting by the side of the road begging. He asked what all the commotion was about...
So they told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by.
Luke 18:37
He cried out and was told to be quiet - but he cried out even more!
40 So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be brought to Him. And when he had come near, He asked him,
41 Saying, “What do you want Me to do for you?"
Luke 18:40-41
Jesus sets many great blessing into motion. He will even "pass by" in close proximity to us to give us every opportunity to "take possession" of them!
All the blessings and promises of God are available to us through Jesus Christ! However, they will not come to us automatically! God has "signed, sealed and delivered" them to us - but we must "take possession" of them through faith - if they are to be ours in reality!
God does the big part - but we must choose whether we will do our small part to accept and receive them!
For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.
2 Corinthians 1:20
What a great and profound tragedy if we lose out on the eternal blessings that God has provided for us through Jesus Christ - simply because we neglect them or refuse to take possession of them!
How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him?
Hebrews 2:3
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