04. The Epistle of 2Peter 1:6-7

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1 04. The Epistle of 2Peter 1:6-7 (10/17/18) Last week in our study in 2Peter we started looking at verses 5 thru 7 of chapter 1. In the first four verses, Peter talks about the grace and divine power of God that saved us or in other words imparted spiritual life to us thru the Holy Spirit. He then proceeds to tell us that not only has God given us spiritual life thru the new birth He further has deposited into us His divine nature the very nature of God! And as we studied last time, by virtue of the new birth (divine nature) and the Holy Spirit living inside of us, supplying us with His divine power we have all that is necessary to live a life of godliness. You see, once we are born of God and have become His sons and daughters, that is not the end it is only the beginning! From that point on we are commanded to grow in the Christian life which means it becomes our responsibility to give all diligence (v.5) to our walk with the Lord. The goal of our Christian life is to make us more and more into the image of Christ (2Cor.3:18) but for that to happen, we must desire it, surrender to it and be determined, by God s grace, to live it. This is only possible thru a joint partnership and mutual cooperation between us and God s Spirit consisting of my will (surrender) and His power. 1

2 Of course, it all starts with saving faith which brings the new birth. But then Peter says we need to add seven characteristics or virtues to our initial or saving faith if we re going to be all that God wants us to be. 2 Peter 1:5-7 (NKJV) 5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. The word translated add doesn t mean to add one at a time (not as we achieve one we then add another) the Greek word really means to supply generously. In other words, we are not to limit the growth of these virtues in our lives thru carnal living, but we are to continue drawing close to Jesus every day because as we do these graces will grow and develop simultaneously and naturally as our walk with Jesus grows and matures (like the fruit of the Spirit). However, for any fruit of the Spirit or qualities of godliness to grow in a Christian s life we must be diligent to pursue godliness. God does not make us holy against our will or without our involvement there must be desire, determination, and discipline on our part if we re going to grow in our walk with Jesus. And so with that in mind, Peter continues, add [imperative in the Greek i.e. a command ] to your faith virtue (v.5) The Greek word translated virtue means moral excellence. When God saved us, His goal was to make us godly ( like God in particular, like Jesus) even as we read in Romans 8:29 that God saved us to conform us to the image of His Son. 2

3 And so, when we live lives of moral excellence (as Jesus did) we are fulfilling His purpose for our lives as His children. We could paraphrase what Peter is exhorting this way To the faith that saved you add a life of moral excellence that pleases (praises) God. to virtue knowledge (v.5) The word Peter used here for knowledge is an intellectual knowledge that comes thru the study of something so as to become proficient in that subject or field of study. And from the context, it s obvious that what Peter wants us to become proficient in is in our knowledge of God s Word. Peter is telling us that we must be students of God s Word if we re going to be able, thru the power of the Holy Spirit, to live the lives God wants us to live so that we can become all He wants us to be. In fact, this Greek word means full knowledge (a mature knowledge) or knowledge that is growing. Our spiritual growth as Christians is directly tied to how much we feed on the Word of God 1 Peter 1:22-23; 2:1-2 (NLT2) 22 You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart. 23 For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God 1 So get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech. 2 Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk [of the Word] so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment, 3

4 There is nothing worse than a Christian who has not studied God s Word and consequently doesn t know hardly anything with regard to their faith. to knowledge self-control (v.6) The word translated self-control is a word that literally means holding oneself in as in restraining oneself. The same word translated self-control in 2Peter 1:6 is the word Paul used in Galatians 5:23 when he listed self-control as a fruit of the Holy Spirit. I believe that the kind of self-control that Peter has in mind here can only come thru the Holy Spirit who lives within us. And again, I believe that God s grace to be all that He wants us to be, including bearing the fruit of the Holy Spirit, comes as we abide in Jesus. Remember, the power to be all God wants us to be can only come from Him not hard work and self-effort on our part no matter how determined or sincere we might be. to self-control perseverance (v.6) In other places in the N.T. this Greek word is translated patience which is how it s translated in James 1 James 1:2-3 (NKJV) 2 My brethren, count it all joy [carnal Christians have a real problem with this] when you fall into [ come across, encounter ] various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4

5 The word patience is the Greek word hupomone. This word comes from two words hupo (under) and meno (to stay, abide, or remain). And so, it s a word that means to remain under. It pictures someone under a heavy load and choosing to stay there instead of trying to escape ( bail on the circumstance ). Commentator and historian William Barclay believes that patience is too passive a word to use in the translation of the word hupomone. He said Hupomonē does not simply accept and endure; there is always a forward look in it. It is said of Jesus that for the joy that was set before him, he endured the Cross, despising the shame (Hebrews 12:2). That is hupomone Christian steadfastness. It is the courageous acceptance of everything that life can do to us and the transmuting of even the worst event into another step on the upward way. One ancient Greek philosopher called hupomone the queen of virtues another described it as the frame of mind which endures. Also, it s a word that means endurance or, as it s translated in 2Peter 1:6, perseverance. What James is saying, and Peter is no doubt alluding to is that trials are beneficial in that they build endurance in us to finish the race (our ministry) God has called us to. Long distance runners have to train by subjecting themselves to the pain of running everyday so as to build up their endurance if they want to finish their race and win the prize. 5

6 The same is true in our race for Jesus trials subject us to some pain but it s designed by the Holy Spirit (our Trainer ) to build our endurance so that we finish the race He has set before us. Wiersbe Patience is not something that develops automatically; we must work at it. James 1:2 8 gives us the right approach. We must expect trials to come, because without trials we could never learn patience. We must, by faith, let our trials work for us and not against us, because we know that God is at work in our trials. If we need wisdom in making decisions, God will grant that wisdom if we ask Him. Nobody enjoys trials, but we do enjoy the confidence we can have in trials that God is at work, causing everything to work together for our good and His glory. So, in that regard, trials are good, and perseverance is critical if a Christian is to grow and be all that God wants him or her to be Romans 5:3-4 (NKJV) 3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope. But once again, perseverance in the Christian life only comes thru the power of God working in our lives as we abide in Jesus Colossians 1:10-11 (NKJV) 10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience [hupomone] and longsuffering with joy; to perseverance godliness (v.6) As we have already pointed out godliness simply means God-likeness or the quality of being like God. The original Greek word literally meant to worship well and described the person who was right in their relationship with God and with their fellowman (Matt.5:23-24). 6

7 The words reverence, and piety probably come closer to defining this Greek word in our minds today. I m sorry to say that the concept of godliness has fallen on hard times in our culture. Many unbelievers associate the word with self-righteousness or a holier than thou attitude. Sadly, many pastors have moved away from promoting godliness in the church so as not to appear judgmental towards new people and others. In fact, in many churches holiness and godliness are out and cool and being culturally relevant ( being like the world to reach the world ) are in. But look, godliness is not a negative thing when it comes to reaching the lost it is in fact the greatest witnessing tool we can possess as Christians. When we act godly (like Jesus Who is God) to the people of this world that we come in contact with we show them what God is really like, and that is love! Far from being self-righteous and holier than thou true Spirit-filled Christians reach out to the lost with love and compassion. Look, the reason becoming like the world to reach the world never works is because the dynamic of the Christian life has always been in our differentness from the world. The power of a transformed life is the greatest power in the world to reach those whose lives have been damaged and destroyed by sin. (Elaborate) 7

8 And that s why Paul the apostle said 1 Timothy 4:8 (NKJV) 8 For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come. (Comment) to godliness [add] brotherly kindness (v.7) The Greek word Peter used is the plural form of the word philadelphos, which comes from two words: phileo (love) and adelphos (brother) and together they mean brother love. (Philadelphia City of Brotherly Love ) Phileo love is a reciprocal love the kind of love usually associated with family and close friends. It s the kind of love where people do for each other and meet each other s needs because they have a connection with each other as close friends or, in this case, as members of the family of God. I thought we were supposed to love each other with God s love (agape)? Of course, that s true and Peter finishes this list of things that we must pursue in the Christian life with and to brotherly kindness love And here Peter does use the word agape. Agape love is a love that is closely associated with God 8

9 1 John 4:7-8 (NKJV) 7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In these two verses, all the words for love are from the Greek word agape. But listen, brotherly love and agape love are not mutually exclusive and should go hand in hand in the lives of those who are children of God. 1 Thessalonians 4:9 (NKJV) 9 But concerning brotherly love [philadelphos] you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love [agape] one another; Now here s the thing we are commanded to love (agape) our enemies which doesn t require feelings because God s love is action (not feelings) oriented For God so loved the world that He gave His only Begotten Son (John 3:16) And so, to love our enemies means to practically help them or meet their needs if the opportunity presents itself. We don t have to have deep feelings of love for them to do that in fact, we don t even have to like them to show them God s love. Ideally, a church should be a family where brotherly love (genuine affection) is rooted in agape love (sacrificially giving to and serving one another). I believe that both will be present in a true Spirit-filled church. In other words, a place where Christians generally like each other (have feelings of affection for each other) and do for each other (brotherly love) because God s agape love has knit them together in Christ by the Holy Spirit. 9