April 9th | Spotless - Blameless - At Peace with God

A SERIES OF DEVOTIONS BASED ON PETER’S SECOND LETTER   

SPOTLESS-BLAMELESS-AT PEACE WITH GOD 

2 Peter 3:14 “So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with Him.”   

Many things come in threes. Here are a few: Primary colors are red, blue, and yellow; traffic lights are red, yellow, and green; breakfast, lunch, and dinner; musical chords are root, third, and fifth. Today’s devotional verse adds another triplet to this list: spotless, blameless, peace. 

Peter says, “ . . . make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with Him (God.)” As you think about your life or even the past day of your life, you are aware your record is not spotless, your are not blameless and you have not always been at peace with God. How then is Peter’s exhortation possible? 

You know when a spot appears on an article of clothing you run for the “spot remover.” When you have become unjustifiably angry with your spouse or child you know you need to apologize and reconcile. You know when you are in turmoil, engaged in constant arguments, and have hurt those you love peace needs to be restored. 

So it is in your relationship with God. He requires you to be spotless, blameless and at peace with Him. However, you know your sins mess up your relationship with Him. They become a barrier, an obstruction, an impediment to peace with God. Thanks be to Him that He out of His undeserved love for you provides the “spot remover,” a “reconciler,” one who restores peace between you and Him.   

1 Corinthians 6:11 “But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” You were washed in the water of Holy Baptism. That water, connected to God’s word, washed away your sins. God sent Jesus to “reconcile” you, to restore you into a right relationship with Him. (Romans 5:10) Through your faith in Jesus you are at peace with God and He with you: “For He Himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in His flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in Himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which He put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through Him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.” (Ephesians 2:14-18) 

Prayer: Holy Spirit, again this day I pray You will through the Means of Grace connect me to Jesus by faith that my sins be washed away, I become blameless in God’s sight and have peace with Him. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Rock of Ages, cleft for me, Let me hide myself in Thee;  Let the water and the blood, From Thy riven side which flowed,  Be of sin the double cure: Cleanse me from its guilt and pow’r. 

Not the labors of my hands Can fulfill Thy Law’s demands;  Could my zeal no respite know, Could my tears forever flow,  All for sin could not atone; Thou must save, and Thou alone. 

Nothing in my hand I bring; Simply to Thy cross I cling.  Naked, come to Thee for dress; Helpless, look to Thee for grace;  Foul, I to the fountain fly; Wash me, Savior, or I die. 

While I draw this fleeting breath, When mine eyelids close in death,  When I soar to worlds unknown, See Thee on Thy judgment throne,  Rock of Ages, cleft for me, Let me hide myself in Thee.
(LSB 761)