2 Peter 1:5-11
Fruitful Growth in the Faith
But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Faith - Virtue - Knowledge - Self-control - Perseverance - Godliness - Brotherly Kindness - Love
What a list! I believe that today the church as a whole needs to take this scripture to heart. If we start out with just enough faith to accept Christ's gift of salvation, and we end there and do not add to it all these other things I believe we are fooling ourselves. Peter says to give all diligence (perseverance in carrying out action) as we add these things to our faith. These things do not come easy...it will take much time, discipline, work. We must actively work at it, it will not happen on it's own.
So how do we add these things to our faith? Let's look at what each item means, and what we need to do to make it a daily part of our lives.
Faith - Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. Faith is something God gives us, when we lack faith, God will help us to grow and develop stronger faith in Him. Prayer and Bible reading and daily spending time in God's presence is required if we want our faith to grow.
Virtue - The definition is "honor, integrity" - So how do we go about adding virtue, we must work to be honorable, to have integrity in all we do. What we say and do should be honest, and good. People should be able to trust that when we speak, or make promises, that we will follow through, that we are good on our word. We will only be able to truly do this with God's help...the Holy Spirit will lead and guide us so that the things we say and do align with God's Word.
Knowledge - mean's "a person's understanding; information". In 2 Timothy 2:15 (AMP) it says it like this... "Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing [rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth"
So how do we add knowledge to our faith? By studying God's Word.
Self-control - the definition of self-control is "willpower over one's actions". This is not an easy one. Many of us today lack self-control, and the only way to add it to your faith, is by daily asking God for His help, working daily to control your actions and words. We will one day give an account of the things we've said and done. God does not take this lightly. We must work to control ourselves - and following the Holy Spirit's leading is the best way to get started on developing this skill.
Perseverance - Paul said it like this in 2 Timothy 4:7(NKJV) "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." Now that is perseverance! Through the good times and bad times, continuing to push forward, never giving up, never turning around, always continuing on toward the goal! It is hard work and may be painful at times, but in the end when you stand before God and you are able to say as Paul said, "Lord, I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." and God's reply is, "Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord." It will all be worth it!!
Godliness - by definition is "Holiness". On our own we will never be holy, righteous or Godly. The bible says in Isaiah 64:6 that "all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags". So how do we become Godly? By once again allowing the Holy Spirit to work in us and through us. If we have not accepted Christ gift of forgiveness of sins, God looks at us and sees someone He loves dearly, but also he sees our sin, and He cannot have anything to do with sin (thus the reason we need salvation). But when we've accepted Christ's gift and have been cleansed from our sins, the Holy Spirit comes and fills our lives, and when God looks at us He see someone He loves dearly, but instead of all our sins, He see's Christ blood washing us and making us new, clean, white as snow. And In God's eyes we are perfect, righteous and Godly! Not because of what we've done, but because of Christ in us!
Brotherly Kindness - Luke 6:31"And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise." Brotherly Kindness, is so important! When we love other people, treat them the way we always want to be treated, and put their needs above our own needs, what a wonderful way to show the people around you the love of God. Jesus said in John 13:35 (NKJV) "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” Brotherly Kindness should be the Christian trade mark!
Love - Here is what love is...
1 Corinthians 13:1-8(NKJV)
The Greatest Gift
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift ofprophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.
Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.
I did a study called "Loving Well" written by Beth Moore way back when I first started this blog. And one of the things I remember most from that study is this...We cannot love others with God's Love, if we ourselves do not have God's Love filling our lives. We cannot give out something that is lacking in ourselves...it is only when we are filled up with God's love, that we can truly give it away. If we try to do it on our own, we will fail, our love is limited and conditional. But God's love is unlimited and unconditional...we need to allow God to so fill us with his love that it overflows and spills out into the lives of those around us!
What an incredible scripture...I am so glad for this reminder, to add all of these things to my life. God is gracious, loving and so good. He will help us to do it, if we will just ask.
Heavenly Father,
Thank you so much for Your love, and for Your Word, for Your Son who gave His life so we could be called Your sons and daughters, and for the Holy Spirit - who teaches, guides, protects, and teaches us in all things. You have given us everything we need in order to add Faith, Virtue, Knowledge, Self-control, Perseverance, Godliness, Brotherly Kindness, and Love to our lives. And we ask today that you will help us to grow in each of these areas. Thank you for working in our hearts and lives changing us from glory to glory! We love you so much!
In Jesus Name, AMEN
So how do we add these things to our faith? Let's look at what each item means, and what we need to do to make it a daily part of our lives.
Faith - Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. Faith is something God gives us, when we lack faith, God will help us to grow and develop stronger faith in Him. Prayer and Bible reading and daily spending time in God's presence is required if we want our faith to grow.
Virtue - The definition is "honor, integrity" - So how do we go about adding virtue, we must work to be honorable, to have integrity in all we do. What we say and do should be honest, and good. People should be able to trust that when we speak, or make promises, that we will follow through, that we are good on our word. We will only be able to truly do this with God's help...the Holy Spirit will lead and guide us so that the things we say and do align with God's Word.
Knowledge - mean's "a person's understanding; information". In 2 Timothy 2:15 (AMP) it says it like this... "Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing [rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth"
So how do we add knowledge to our faith? By studying God's Word.
Self-control - the definition of self-control is "willpower over one's actions". This is not an easy one. Many of us today lack self-control, and the only way to add it to your faith, is by daily asking God for His help, working daily to control your actions and words. We will one day give an account of the things we've said and done. God does not take this lightly. We must work to control ourselves - and following the Holy Spirit's leading is the best way to get started on developing this skill.
Perseverance - Paul said it like this in 2 Timothy 4:7(NKJV) "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." Now that is perseverance! Through the good times and bad times, continuing to push forward, never giving up, never turning around, always continuing on toward the goal! It is hard work and may be painful at times, but in the end when you stand before God and you are able to say as Paul said, "Lord, I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." and God's reply is, "Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord." It will all be worth it!!
Godliness - by definition is "Holiness". On our own we will never be holy, righteous or Godly. The bible says in Isaiah 64:6 that "all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags". So how do we become Godly? By once again allowing the Holy Spirit to work in us and through us. If we have not accepted Christ gift of forgiveness of sins, God looks at us and sees someone He loves dearly, but also he sees our sin, and He cannot have anything to do with sin (thus the reason we need salvation). But when we've accepted Christ's gift and have been cleansed from our sins, the Holy Spirit comes and fills our lives, and when God looks at us He see someone He loves dearly, but instead of all our sins, He see's Christ blood washing us and making us new, clean, white as snow. And In God's eyes we are perfect, righteous and Godly! Not because of what we've done, but because of Christ in us!
Brotherly Kindness - Luke 6:31"And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise." Brotherly Kindness, is so important! When we love other people, treat them the way we always want to be treated, and put their needs above our own needs, what a wonderful way to show the people around you the love of God. Jesus said in John 13:35 (NKJV) "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” Brotherly Kindness should be the Christian trade mark!
Love - Here is what love is...
1 Corinthians 13:1-8(NKJV)
The Greatest Gift
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift ofprophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.
Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.
I did a study called "Loving Well" written by Beth Moore way back when I first started this blog. And one of the things I remember most from that study is this...We cannot love others with God's Love, if we ourselves do not have God's Love filling our lives. We cannot give out something that is lacking in ourselves...it is only when we are filled up with God's love, that we can truly give it away. If we try to do it on our own, we will fail, our love is limited and conditional. But God's love is unlimited and unconditional...we need to allow God to so fill us with his love that it overflows and spills out into the lives of those around us!
What an incredible scripture...I am so glad for this reminder, to add all of these things to my life. God is gracious, loving and so good. He will help us to do it, if we will just ask.
Heavenly Father,
Thank you so much for Your love, and for Your Word, for Your Son who gave His life so we could be called Your sons and daughters, and for the Holy Spirit - who teaches, guides, protects, and teaches us in all things. You have given us everything we need in order to add Faith, Virtue, Knowledge, Self-control, Perseverance, Godliness, Brotherly Kindness, and Love to our lives. And we ask today that you will help us to grow in each of these areas. Thank you for working in our hearts and lives changing us from glory to glory! We love you so much!
In Jesus Name, AMEN
