Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power was given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge (1 Peter 1:2-5).
Most believers do not seem to understand why they are believers. I find that the only thing most of us really know is that we do not want to go to hell, and since this vehicle (salvation) is supposed to get us to heaven, we get on it. We do not know really why else we are saved. But God has begotten us to a “living hope” through Jesus’ resurrection. Our lives are vibrant with hope. We do not go through the same circumstances in the same way as we did before we were saved. Because of His life in us, our spirits are instantly reborn, and our souls begin undergoing the process of being made new. He does not leave us like He finds us, though.
You are kept by the power of God. So I must have the view that I am cooperating, I am obeying, but I am kept by God. I realize my confession is a part of it, but it is a miniscule part of it. I am kept by God because God initiated my salvation; God initiated everything that is going on in my life. God has already started things going in the right direction for me whether or not I feel it, and I am going to see it as I continue to walk by faith in what God has started. If you have a proper view of God, you can have a proper walk before God, but if your view of God is wrong, your walk will be wrong. If you cannot see God, you will never be like God; you must see God in everything. The Bible says that the pure in heart shall see God, and the purpose of your seeing Him is not just to be in awe, but that you will have likeness of character and likeness of walk. Everything that happens in our lives will evoke a response that is based on our roots, and those roots will produce a certain fruit. He works within us to root us in Himself so that we are no longer rooted in our own selfishness. Not until the end will we see whether or not the fire of God consumes the fruit we produce or whether it will remain, despite the fire of a holy God. In the meantime, we are assured of trials that will refine us but also of His sweet presence to lead us and guide us, for He promised to ever be with us.