Vices
We tend to think of vices as being things like drug addition, smoking, alcoholism, gambling—those obvious physical addictions. We also know that good things can become addictive, like food and exercise. But what about those hidden vices, heart and mind addictions?
When I became a Stampin' Up! demonstrator, I laughingly said it was to support my habit, my addiction. I use my cards for ministry, but the constant desire to get more and more stamp sets is not really necessary. Here are some more examples of things that are not inherently bad but can become vices when they consume us: television, books, electronic games, texting, facebook, and even busyness.
It's a matter of their priority in our lives, whether they push away those things that should be priorities, such as our relationships with God and with others or our ability to accomplish necessary work. So often these "vices" are the things that consume our time—and yet we say we have no time to study the Bible, to spend in prayer, to reach out to our neighbors.
Confession: I recently downloaded a game to my phone that has become obsessive. I waste time. I seem to have lost the self-control I once had. John MacArthur writes in his commentary that "self control disciplines desires and makes it the servant, not the master, of one's life." Sometimes it seems that crazy game is my master and I'm its servant. It should be the other way around.
Self control is one of those spiritual qualities that Peter says must be added to our faith with every effort! [See 2 Peter 1:5-7]. Those qualities include virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, and love.
According to verse 8, if those qualities are not increasing, we will be ineffective and unfruitful in our knowledge of Jesus Christ. And in verse 10, he says that if we practice these qualities, we will never fail.
That admonition leads right into chapter 2 where Peter is warning against false prophets and teachers. He describes them as "those who indulge in the lust of defiling passion and despise authority", who are "bold and willful" (verse 10).
When I became a Stampin' Up! demonstrator, I laughingly said it was to support my habit, my addiction. I use my cards for ministry, but the constant desire to get more and more stamp sets is not really necessary. Here are some more examples of things that are not inherently bad but can become vices when they consume us: television, books, electronic games, texting, facebook, and even busyness.
It's a matter of their priority in our lives, whether they push away those things that should be priorities, such as our relationships with God and with others or our ability to accomplish necessary work. So often these "vices" are the things that consume our time—and yet we say we have no time to study the Bible, to spend in prayer, to reach out to our neighbors.
Confession: I recently downloaded a game to my phone that has become obsessive. I waste time. I seem to have lost the self-control I once had. John MacArthur writes in his commentary that "self control disciplines desires and makes it the servant, not the master, of one's life." Sometimes it seems that crazy game is my master and I'm its servant. It should be the other way around.
Self control is one of those spiritual qualities that Peter says must be added to our faith with every effort! [See 2 Peter 1:5-7]. Those qualities include virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, and love.
According to verse 8, if those qualities are not increasing, we will be ineffective and unfruitful in our knowledge of Jesus Christ. And in verse 10, he says that if we practice these qualities, we will never fail.
That admonition leads right into chapter 2 where Peter is warning against false prophets and teachers. He describes them as "those who indulge in the lust of defiling passion and despise authority", who are "bold and willful" (verse 10).
They promise them freedom,
but they themselves are slaves of corruption.
For whatever overcomes a person,
to that he is enslaved.
2 Peter 2:19
What a perfect definition of a vice: "whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved." Yet if we make every effort to add to our faith all those qualities of chapter 1 (virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, and love), we will not fall prey to those things that would enslave us.
His divine power has granted to us
all things that pertain to life and godliness,
through the knowledge of him
who called us to his own glory and excellence
2 Peter 1:3
We can conquer those vices. We can destroy those idols of the heart. God has given us His divine power!
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