For a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him. 2 Pet:2:19 Everything is permissible for me, but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible for me, but I will not be mastered by anything. 1 Cor:6:12 Habits are good. Hobbies are worthwhile to pursue. But whether you are a slave to it or not, depends on whether you are addicted to it or are mastered by it. Depends on the time you spend with it. Can you live without it? Can you survive without it? Will you become fidgety and restless if you do not get it? On that score, are you a slave to social media, phone, a performance oriented life, a substance? Will you be able to switch off and spend some time alone without these? If you are able to, then good. If not. Beware. Instead be enslaved unto God. Can you survive if you are not able to spend some time reading the word or pray or spend some time in solitude with God. Striking contrast! Image credit: gemini
2 Pet:1:10 Therefore my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. How can I be sure of my salvation? For if you do these things (v:10) V:5 and to your faith, add goodness To goodness add knowledge To knowledge add self control To self control add perseverance To perseverance add godliness To godliness add brotherly kindness To brotherly kindness add love. If you look back and see these qualities in your life, you can be sure that you are saved. These are not qualities that you can manifest without the power of the Spirit in you. The Spirit of God , if He resides in you, it is because you are saved. Am I growing in this ? Am I better than yesterday? These things will (also) keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (v:8) What good if the knowledge of Jesus Christ will not enable you to be Christ like? Image courtesy: chatgpt