pursue christian virtues -...

Pursue Christian

Virtues

2 Peter 1:5-11

Part One

Pursue Christian Virtues

• In verse 3, Peter told his readers that God’s “divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.”

• In 1 Peter, Peter spent a lot of time explaining to his readers how to live as “aliens and strangers” in a world that wasn’t their own.

• Peter told them to endure suffering, look to Jesus as their example, and live godly lives regardless of the persecution they were facing.

1. Peter prays that “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.”

2. “seeing that (or because) His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness,”

3. We access God’s divine power for life and godliness “through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.”

4. “For by these (His own glory and excellence) He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises.”

5. “so that by them (His precious and magnificent promises) you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.”

• Verse 5 begins with the phrase, “Now for this very reason also.”

• There are at least 12 connecting words or phrases in verses 5-11.

• 2 Peter 1:5-11—5 Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, 6 andin your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness,

• 7 and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

• 9 For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins.

• 10 Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; 11 for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.

• In verses 2-4, Peter focuses on God’s provision for living godly lives.

• In verse 5-8, Peter focuses on the believer’s responsibility to live godly lives.

• In verses 9-11 Peter focuses on the result of living godly lives.

• Peter emphasizes how strenuously we need to pursue godliness in our lives.

• 2 Peter 1:5—Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence…

• The word “diligence” comes from the Greek word spoudē (spü-dāʹ).

• Spoudē (spü-dāʹ) emphasizes an earnestness in accomplishing, promoting, or striving after something.

• 2 Peter 3:14—Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless,

• Growing in godliness is a goal that we all need to continually strive for.

• If you’re coasting, you’re probably going downhill.

• When we coast along in our walk with Christ, we’re not getting any closer to Him.

• In verses 5-7, Peter lists eight Christian virtues that we must continually develop as part of our growth process.

• These virtues don’t need to be added in the exact order in which they are listed.

• The sorites links together virtues or vices in a series.

• The ancient writer didn’t always intend the order in which he put the virtues or vices to be the actual order in which they must always occur.

• Faith is the foundational Christian virtue.

• Romans 5:1—Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

• Love is the pinnacle of all the Christian virtues.

• 1 Corinthians 13:13—But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.

• There are other similar lists of Christian virtues found in the New Testament.

• Galatians 5:22-23—22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23

gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

• Four of Peter’s eight virtues show up in Galatians and two show up in both Romans and James.

• If we consolidated all four lists, we still wouldn’t have a comprehensive list of every virtue that we should exhibit as followers of Christ.

• In Galatians, Paul lists “love,” “patience,” “faithfulness,” and “self-control.”

• In 2 Peter 1:5-7, Peter lists “love,” “perseverance”, “faith,” and “self-control.”

• Paul says that the virtues are a result of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer.

• Peter, on the other hand, calls on believers to diligently pursue these virtues.

• Sanctification in the life of believers is the result of both the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and a personal pursuit of godliness.

• 2 Peter 1:5—Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge,

• The Greek word that’s translated “supply” means “to provide at one’s own expense.”

• God’s divine power has already given us what we need for godliness.

• We need to make plans and put forth the effort to grow.

• 1 Timothy 4:7-8—7 But have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women. On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; 8

for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.

• In verse 8, Paul used the word gymnasia(güm-nä-sēʹ-ä), which refers to any kind of exercise.

• In verse 7, Paul used gymnazō (güm-näʹ-zō), which literally means “to exercise naked” or “to exercise vigorously in either body or mind.”

• We need to begin our pursuit of godliness by identifying the things that might hinder our pursuit.

• Spiritual disciplines include Bible intake, prayer, worship, service, stewardship, and evangelism.

• 1 John 3:2—Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.

• Philippians 3:12—Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.

• The closer we are to Christ, the more we exhibit the virtues that are listed in 2 Peter 1:5-7.

• 2 Peter 1:5-7—5 Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, 6 and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, 7 and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love.

• Faith in God is the starting place for every relationship with Him.

• Hebrews 11:6—And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

• “Moral excellence” has to do with exhibiting outstanding moral character.

• Peter’s clearly using “knowledge” in a spiritual sense.

• He’s referring to having an intimate knowledge of God, through His Word.

• The more “self-control” we have, the better we are at avoiding the temptations and fleshly lusts that are constantly within our reach.

• “Perseverance” is generally used in the New Testament to describe the believer’s ability to remain steadfast in their faith during times of trial.

• The simplest way to define “godliness” is to say that it is a pure reflection of Christ in our lives.

• “Brotherly kindness” comes from the Greek word philadelphia (fē-lä-del-fēʹ-ä), which is literally the “love of a brother.”

• Peter closes out the list by saying that in our “brotherly kindness,” we should have “love.”

• Obviously, he’s talking about a different kind of love here.

• Agape (ä-gäʹ-pā) is a Spirit-driven love of the will.

• Peter closes out the list by saying that in our “brotherly kindness,” we should have “love.”

• Obviously, he’s talking about a different kind of love here.

• Agape (ä-gäʹ-pā) is a Spirit-driven love of the will.

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