I recently attended a prestigious track and field event, the 52nd annual Tennessee Relays staged at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. Many athletes were world class. Were they ever gifted!

What particularly caught my eye was the pre-event coaching they received at the track. Regardless of the event, coaches pinpointed various micro-movements their athletes must replicate over and over, stride after stride, to perform their best. 

The coaches then pushed back and peered intently for evidence of movement mastery upon the sound of each starting gun. 

God’s Word spells out a similar coaching approach in the Book of 2 Peter. Here are the first fundamentals that explode right out of the chute in verse 1:

RIGHTEOUSNESS STARTS WITH CHRIST, NOT ME. God made the first move, sending us a righteousness we could never earn. Righteousness FROM God, not righteousness FOR God, is the way our personal theology must build. That fundamental cannot get twisted around. 

God declares us legit because of Christ. Our good works don’t put points on the salvation scoreboard. They simply express our gratitude and proper worship. 

JESUS IS BOTH GOD AND SAVIOR, nothing less. That means that my power for living and the ultimate rescue I need is found outside of me. It means He is deity, not just humanity, that what He says is the way it really is. 

It means I can’t self-justify or save myself; I must learn to trust Him. 

FAITH IS RECEIVED, NOT JUST SELF-PRODUCED. It is a spectacular gift of God that helps us see and trust both the seen and the unseen. Thank Him for this precious provision, possess what you’ve been given, and put it to work. 

GOD IS BUILDING A HUGE FAITH FAMILY. God’s gift of faith is shared, common, universal. It crosses all economic, racial, ethnic, cultural lines. Enjoy being part of something really big, really special. Join Him. 

Reflect: Who or what makes you feel fully legit (accepted/confident/complete)? Is Jesus your God and Savior (1 Peter 3:15)? Are you receiving and exercising God’s gift of faith or relying on yourself to get things done? 

Are you connecting well to God’s bigger family or going it alone?

A prayer to consider: LORD God Almighty, coach me! Captain my heart. Keep these four fundamentals foundational and playing out in me. Thank you for the gift of Your Son’s strong example and Your Spirit’s faithful prompts. Amen.