c. How should we live while we are waiting for Jesus to appear?
Answer: While we are waiting for Jesus to appear, we
should live according to the teaching of God's grace.
His grace teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and
worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly
lives, being eager to do what is good, (verses 11, 12 and
14).
MORE INFORMATION AND/OR OTHER SCRIPTURE REFERENCES:
"His
grace teaches us to say 'No' to ungodliness and worldly
passions:"
Galatians 5:19-25: "The acts of the
sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and
debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy,
fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy;
drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before,
that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of
God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and
self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who
belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its
passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in
step with the Spirit."
2 Timothy 3:12: "In fact, everyone who
wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be
persecuted..."
Titus 3:3-7: "At one time we too
were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of
passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated
and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God
our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of righteous things
we had done, but because of His mercy. He saved us through the
washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, Whom He poured
out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that,
having been justified by His grace, we might become heirs having
the hope of eternal life."
Jude 1:14-21: "Enoch, the seventh
from Adam, prophesied about these men: 'See, the Lord is
coming with thousands upon thousands of His holy ones to judge
everyone, and to convict all the ungodly of all the ungodly acts
they have done in the ungodly way, and of all the harsh words
ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.' These men are
grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires;
they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own
advantage. But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of
our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. They said to you, 'In the
last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly
desires.' These are the men who divide you, who follow
mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit. But you,
dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray
in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait
for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal
life."
"And
to live self-controlled, godly and upright lives:"
Isaiah 57:1-2: "The righteous
perish, and no one ponders it in his heart; devout men are taken
away, and no one understands that the righteous are taken away to
be spared from evil. Those who walk uprightly enter into
peace; they find rest as they lie in death."
Proverbs 25:28: "Like a city whose
walls are broken down is a man who lacks
self-control."
Galatians 5:22-23: "But the fruit
of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things
there is no law."
2 Timothy 3:1-5, 12-17: "But mark
this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People
will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud,
abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without
love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not
lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of
pleasure rather than lovers of God--having a form of godliness
but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them...In fact,
everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be
persecuted, while evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse,
deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in
what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you
know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have
known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for
salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is
God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and
training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly
equipped for every good work."
Titus 1:8: [Of an elder, it is commanded
that] "Rather he must be hospitable, one who loves what is
good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and
disciplined."
See Titus 2:2, 5, 6
2 Peter 1:3-11: "His divine power
has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our
knowledge of Him Who called us by His Own glory and goodness.
Through these He has given us His very great and precious promises,
so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and
escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith
goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge,
self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to
perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and
to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these
qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being
ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus
Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted
and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his
past sins. Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to
make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things,
you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the
eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ."
