Spiritual Growth Chart

Transcription

1 Spiritual Growth Chart 2 Peter 1:5-15 Lesson 15 Growth is a natural part of life and represents a healthy person. So it is when we are born again into our new life in Christ. As we learned last week, we have been given everything we need to lives godly lives. Now, it is our responsibility to nurture that new life. Because spiritual growth is not automatic, there are spiritual disciplines that we must apply in order to grow. 2 Peter specifically lists seven of these disciplines that are necessary for our growth. We will look closely at these qualities as we do our homework this week. We will be reminded that once we are made sons and daughters of God, we must not sit idly by hoping these qualities will grow in us. We need to be diligent to add these good things to our faith. Our recipe for spiritual growth begins with faith. When we accept Christ as our Savior, it is the beginning for us, not the end. From there, we add virtue or moral excellence to our faith. Then, we mix in knowledge, self-control, perseverance or patience, godliness, brotherly kindness and love. Left to ourselves, it is impossible for us to produce these seven qualities of Christian character. But thankfully, we are not left alone. We have the Holy Spirit at work in us helping us to grow! For growth to take place in our lives, we must be adding to our faith. This kind of spiritual growth requires cooperation with God! That is one of the reasons the Lord allows trials. If it were left up to us, we would simply bypass trials and the hard things of this life. But God, in His remarkable love, allows difficulties to shape us into His image and to grow us up. Remember, our Christian life is a continual growth process. As we consistently add these qualities to our faith, we become more and more like Jesus. The end result will be a woman who looks like her Savior and has the flavor of a godly life! 1

2 Open your Bible and begin with a word of prayer This Week s Scripture: 2 Peter 1:5-15 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. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. 10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; 11 for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 12 For this reason I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present truth. 13 Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you, 14 knowing that shortly I must put off my tent, just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me. 15 Moreover I will be careful to ensure that you always have a reminder of these things after my decease. NKJV This Week s Memory Verse: Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble. 2 Peter 1:10 1. What Christian attributes will we receive if we are diligent, according to verses 5-7 of this week s scripture? a. Which of the above attributes do you most desire and why? b. Are you willing to do whatever it takes to achieve this goal? Why or why not? 2

3 We say, then, to anyone who is under trial, give Him time to steep the soul in His eternal truth. Go into the open air, look up into the depths of the sky, or out upon the wideness of the sea, or on the strength of the hills that is His also; or, if bound in the body, go forth in the spirit; spirit is not bound. Give Him time and, as surely as dawn follows night, there will break upon the heart a sense of certainty that cannot be shaken. Amy Carmichael ( ) 2. What promise is given in verse 8 of this week s scripture? a. According to verse 9, what causes some to lack these godly attributes? 3. Peter begins verse 10 with a therefore and states that we must be diligent to make our election sure. In other words, we must be firm in our faith so that we will not be in danger of falling away. Look up the following verses and note what they say about our faith and the assurance we have in Christ Jesus. a. 1 John 5:12-13: b. John 5:24: c. Romans 8:16: d. John 10:29: e. Romans 8:38-39: f. Which of the above verses gives you the most assurance and why? 3

4 Assurance grows by repeated conflict, by our repeated experimental proof of the Lord's power and goodness to save; when we have been brought very low and helped, sorely wounded and healed, cast down and raised again, have given up all hope, and been suddenly snatched from danger, and placed in safety; and when these things have been repeated to us and in us a thousand times over, we begin to learn to trust simply to the word and power of God, beyond and against appearances: and this trust, when habitual and strong, bears the name of assurance; for even assurance has degrees. John Newton ( ) 4. In verses of this week s passage, Peter stresses that he will continue to remind us of the truths he stated at the beginning of this book. We tend to forget what we have learned, especially when we go through trials. To remember, we must have devotion. We have personal devotions because we need daily reminders to keep our focus on the Lord. How do the following verses encourage you to be in the Word every day? a. Psalm 1:2: b. Romans 15:4: c. 2 Timothy 3:16-17: 5. Another way to remind ourselves of God s truth is by spending time with other believers. What does Hebrews 10:25 tell us about hanging out with fellow Christians? a. Why do you think we need to exhort or encourage one another? b. Have there been occasions when you were encouraged by spending time with other believers that you would like to share about? 4

5 Reflect and Respond What has touched your heart and encouraged your spiritual growth during this week s study? Result In what practical ways can you apply what you have learned this week? 5

6 Thoughts & Prayers 6