“For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:8).
The word translated “abound” (2 Peter 1:8) is from the Greek word meaning “to superabound, to exist in abundance, to increase, be augmented” (Thayer, p. 516). Therefore, the thought is that one not just possess the qualities of 2 Peter 1:5-7, but that those qualities develop to their fullest potential in life. Such would reveal the full knowledge of the Lord from a practical standpoint. Therefore, abounding is a Biblical concept that needs exploring. Consider three areas where abounding is found in other places in the Bible.
1. In Love. Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, “And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you” (1 Thess. 3:12). Again, “We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth” (2 Thess. 1:3). Paul wrote to the Philippian brethren, “And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment” (Phil. 1:9). Agape love is the trademark of God (cf. 1 John 4:7-8, 16) and God’s people (cf. John 13:35). This love is the bond of completeness in all that the Christian wears in his spiritual attire (cf. Col. 3:14). Has the world ever seen a grandmother abound in her love for her grandchildren? Has the world ever seen the closest of friends sacrifice for their friend out of genuine love? Peter exhorted those Christians who had obeyed the truth, “Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently” (1 Peter 1:22). A heart and life that abounds in love is a beautiful sight to behold.
2. In Labor. Paul wrote in view of the assurance of the resurrection, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Cor. 15:58). Paul wrote further to the Corinthians, “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work” (2 Cor. 9:8). Truly, just as love is to abound then the expression of that love is to abound. It is faith that works by love that avails (cf. Gal. 5:6). How many Christians look at the work of the Lord in this way? To abound in the work of the Lord is not just to see how little one can get by with in serving. To abound would involve looking for more and more opportunities to do good.
3. In Liberality. “How that in great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. . . . Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also” (2 Cor. 8:2, 7). Paul used the Macedonian brethren as an example of abounding in giving to stir the Corinthian congregation. One would not see covetousness in such a quality. An abounding congregation in this regard is far from a “worldly church.” A giving God should be modeled in a giving church.
Jimmy Clark