Today’s message was part 2 of a four part series on GROWTH.
II Peter 1:3-11
In verse 3 we’re told that because we know Jesus, He has given us His divine power. This power makes it possible for us to live a godly Christian life. Thus anyone who truly knows Christ can grow in Christ-likeness.
Verse 3 also says that He “called us by His own glory and excellence.” His majesty and moral excellence or goodness attracted us to Jesus, while simultaneously revealing our sin and need for forgiveness.
Verse 4 reminds us that Has given us “magnificent promises,” which includes the fact that at the second coming of Jesus when we receive our resurrected bodies we will share in Jesus’ glory. As Revelation tells us, there will be no more sin, pain, sorrow, death, etc. But what about now – the years of life between the day we answered Jesus’ call to salvation and that future day when we share in His glory? Now is a time of growth! As verse 4 says, we have “become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.” This does not mean we have become divine or little gods. It means we have a new spiritual nature, we are being changed, and we are becoming more like Christ. It means we can overcome sin and live godly. It means we can grow!
In verses 5-7 Peter tells us some specific ways we are to grow in Christ-likeness. After making our faith decision to commit our lives to Christ and because His power is in us, we are to add to our faith qualities that Jesus exhibited. Those qualities are:
- ”moral excellence” – a high standard of morality that pleases God.
- ”knowledge” – not information that fills the head, but experience living for the Lord that means we are getting to now Jesus better.
- ”self-control” – mastering our human impulses instead of allowing them to master us.
- ”perseverance” – not giving up or quitting when life gets hard.
- ”godliness” – pure religion and absolute devotion to Jesus.
- ”brotherly kindness” – treating other believers the right way.
- ”love” – agape, a love that is sacrificial and puts the needs of others before our personal wants.
Verse 8 teaches that having these qualities and continuing to develop them in our lives makes us effective or useful and fruitful or productive in our relationship with Jesus. In other words, allowing God’s power to grow these Christ-like qualities in us is how we get to know Jesus better and grow as a Christian. It is not enough to just learn more Bible verses. We must allow the Bible we know to transform how we live – that is growth.
An important questions is – how do I develop these qualities in my life? The answer is similar to how one develops his or her muscles – you exercise them. You will never develop more self-control until you begin using the self-control you already possess. It’s the same with each of these qualities. If you want to be stronger and not give up in the future when bad things happen, then stay true to Jesus today. Stop quitting when things don’t go your way now.
God tells us in verse 9 that the Christian who does not grow in these qualities is “blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins.”
The question I encourage you to ask yourself is this: “Since my faith decision to trust Jesus as Savior, am I now standing still or am I adding to my faith these qualities of Christ-likeness?” Jesus does not want you to get saved and then stay put. He wants you get saved and then grow. Change and be transformed, by allowing His power that is already in your life to make you more like Him. That is growth!
Pastor Steve Hogg
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