Sunday Morning Message November 26, 2017 Add to Your Faith Part One Text for Today s Message 2 Peter 1:1-15 Congregational Reading 2 Peter 1:5-8 Introduction For the last several messages, we have been studying from the Scripture the subject of faith. We learned that "faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1) Faith is very important for many reasons, but three reasons come to the forefront: 1 We cannot be saved, except through faith in Son of God. "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9) 2 We cannot please God without it. "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." (Hebrews 11:6) 3 We cannot possibly abound in the work of the Lord, if we do not have and increase our faith in the Lord. We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth; (2 Thessalonians 1:3) 4 Our faith cannot grow apart from the Word of God "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17) Perhaps the greatest rebuke that Jesus gave His disciples was when he said, O ye of little faith (regarding provision, in the boat in the storm, feeding of the 5000). We want to hear Him say, great is thy faith. In order for our faith to go from little to great it must expand. 5 We also talked about things that will weaken your faith, such as laziness, lusts, and lacking of exercise. Today, we are going to begin to examine the attributes that Peter tells us need to be added to our faith. The Lord willing, we will discuss this passage in three messages. 1
First, we will read through the entire passage to be make sure that we completely understand the context. Read 2 Peter 1:1 15 "Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:" (2 Peter 1:1) V. 1 This is written by the Apostle Peter to saved people, those who have obtained like precious faith. Peter was talking to people who have the received the same kind of precious faith that he had. Your faith may be stronger than mine, and it may be weaker than somebody else s faith, but salvation faith is equally precious to all who possess it. Notice that saving faith does not come through our own righteousness, but only through the righteousness of Jesus Christ: "But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:" (Romans 3:21-22) "Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord," (2 Peter 1:2) V. 2 we receive grace and peace with God when we are saved, but the grace of God and the peace of God are multiplied to us through the knowledge of God. The word knowledge (ἐπίγνωσις - epígnōsis) has the idea of accurate and precise knowledge. It is critical that we do not just have a general idea about God based upon speculation, but rather that we know about God precisely through sound biblical interpretation. This can only come through a diligent study and accurate interpretation of Bible doctrine. "According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:" (2 Peter 1:3) V. 3 God has supplied everything that we need in order to live a life that is pleasing to Him. He would never call us to do something that He would not equip us to do. He has given us the Word of God, which we have the ability to understand because the Author of the Bible, the Holy Spirit of God is inside of us. Notice again the reference to knowledge. The Word of God is the source of knowledge. "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (2 Timothy 2:15) 2
"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works." (2 Timothy 3:16-17) "For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ." (1 Corinthians 2:16) The Scriptures give us the precise knowledge that we need in order to live a godly Christian life that is dedicated to fulfilling God s will. "Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust." (2 Peter 1:4) V. 4 - When we learn from the Bible about God s precious promises and apply them to our lives, we will avoid the corruption and heartache that the rest of the world is dealing with because of the sins and lusts that are prevalent in it. The Word of God will transform us so that we will not be like the rest of the world: "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." (Romans 12:2) "But ye have not so learned Christ; If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." (Ephesians 4:20-24) The Bible is filled with principles and promises that will prove to be invaluable as we serve the Lord here on this earth. Bible knowledge will reveal to us the promises. Increased Bible knowledge will help us to trust the promises, and eventually as we apply these promises to everyday life, we will continuously grow in our faith and dependence upon Him and all of His promises. The more we grow in the Lord, the more we will be able to escape from the influences of this world, and the temptations of our flesh. "And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity." (2 Peter 1:5-7) Vs. 5 7 are the center of these messages. We will circle back to these seven things and deal with them each individually. I will only point out here that we are supposed to add all of these 3
things with all diligence, meaning we are to begin this process quickly and we are also to give it every effort. We are to work hard at it. "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest." (Ecclesiastes 9:10) "And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;" (Colossians 3:23) Illustration Famed educator Booker T. Washington recalled the entrance exam that earned him a place at the Hampton Institute in Virginia as a young man. The head teacher ordered Washington to take a broom and sweep the classroom. Because he knew this was his chance, he swept the room three times and dusted the furniture four times. When the teacher returned, she inspected the floor closely and ran her handkerchief over the woodwork. Unable to find a speck of dust anywhere, she said, I guess you will do to enter this institution. Washington later said that this was the turning point of his life. 1 Adding to your faith is synonymous with growth: Wiersbe says this: Where there is life, there must be growth. The new birth is not the end; it is the beginning. God gives His children all that they need to live godly lives, but His children must apply themselves and be diligent to use the means of grace He has provided. Spiritual growth is not automatic. It requires cooperation with God and the application of spiritual diligence and discipline. Work out your own salvation For it is God which worketh in you (Phil. 2:12 13). 2 Later on in this Epistle, Peter writes: "But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen." (2 Peter 3:18) "For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." (2 Peter 1:8) V. 8 The phrase these things refers to the seven attributes or characteristics that were given to us in vs. 5 7. We will see this phrase four more times in vs. 9, 10, 12, and 15. Notice that if we are faithful to add these seven things to our lives, we will not be barren. The English word 1 Bible.org. https://bible.org/illustration/entrance-exam 2 Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, pp. 437 438). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. 4
barren carries with it the idea of not being able to have a child. The Greek word for barren (ἀργός argós) is often translated idle, which has the idea of laziness. What God is saying here is that as we add these seven things from vs. 5 7 to our lives, they will help us to be more productive and fruitful in the work of God. The knowledge that God gives us as we add and apply these seven characteristics to our lives will help us to reach lost souls for Christ, as well as impact the church in a positive and productive way. "But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins." (2 Peter 1:9) V. 9 Notice here, that the person who chooses not to grow, not to add these seven things to his spiritual life will eventually become blind to spiritual things, and could even devolve to the point where he does not remember that he is saved. He will struggle with eternal security. I spoke to a man recently who has made several professions of faith in Christ through the years, but because he had not grown in the Lord and had not added to his faith, he would often fall away in his Christian walk and would later doubt the genuineness of his salvation, and when he eventually hit bottom again, he would start the process all over again. I do not know if his salvation was real in the first place, but I do know, according to this passage, that genuinely saved people can lose the assurance of their salvation. If you and I are not growing, we are dying; if we are not adding, we are subtracting. McGee says: Out in the woods two things are happening, things which are actually transfigurations. The vegetation that is living is growing, and the vegetation that is dead is decaying. Those are the two processes which are taking place out there. And one of those processes is taking place in your Christian life and mine. 3 "Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:" (2 Peter 1:10) Notice that we make our calling and election sure if we do these [seven] things. This does not mean that we will lose our salvation if we don t do these seven things, but it does mean that when we do them we will not doubt our salvation. We will be sure about our calling and election People who fail to get grounded in the Word of God and grow in their faith will continuously struggle with the assurance of their salvation. If you want to remain sure, you must grow in your faith, and you must add these things to your spiritual life. 3 McGee, J. V. (1991). Thru the Bible commentary: The Epistles (2 Peter) (electronic ed., Vol. 55, p. 24). Nashville: Thomas Nelson. 5
"For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." (2 Peter 1:11) V. 11 Notice here that Peter states that our entrance into the kingdom will be abundant if we add these seven things. As believers, we will not be judged for our sin in Heaven, because Christ was already judged for it, but we will be rewarded for our works done for Christ. We have already learned that if we add these seven things to our life, we will be fruitful and productive, which means that we will have more to be thankful for at the Judgment Seat of Christ. "Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth. Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance; Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me. Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance." (2 Peter 1:12-15) Vs. 12 15 Notice in these remaining four verses, Peter tells us that he is confident that the people that he was writing to already knew these things, but he wanted to keep reminding them. That what preachers do for the most part remind people of what they already know. Peter is especially concerned about them now as he states that he has only a short time left on the earth. Tradition has it that Peter was crucified upside down by Emperor Nero in Rome shortly after this letter was written. Transition Now, let s go back to verse five and look at each one of these things, these characteristics, these attributes, individually. I Virtue "And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue;" (2 Peter 1:5a) What is virtue (ἀρετή - aretē)? Webster defines virtue as: 1. Strength; that substance or quality of physical bodies, by which they act and produce effects on other bodies. In this literal and proper sense, we speak of the virtue or virtues of plants in medicine, and the virtues of drugs. In decoctions, the virtues of plants are extracted. By long standing in the open air, the virtues are lost. 2. Bravery; valor. 6
3. Moral goodness; the practice of moral duties and the abstaining from vice, or a conformity of life and conversation to the moral law. In this sense, virtue may be, and in many instances must be, distinguished from religion. The practice of moral duties merely from motives of convenience, or from compulsion, or from regard to reputation, is virtue, as distinct from religion. The practice of moral duties from sincere love to God and his laws, is virtue and religion. 4 Thayer s Greek Lexicon states that virtue is a moral goodness, or a moral excellence such as modesty and purity. 5 "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." (Philippians 4:8) Pastor Jeff Owens defined virtue as the subconscious doing of right Chuck Swindoll states that virtue implies moral fortitude, courage, the ability (based on internal motivators) to do what s right and to stand alone, if necessary. Here it emphasizes the inner disposition of moral correctness more than specific observable activities, which will come later in Peter s list. 6 Phillips says: The more we think about virtue, the more horrible and terrible vice will appear. The word virtue verbalizes for us the character of the Christian life genuine goodness. 7 Wiersbe states: A Christian is supposed to glorify God because he has God s nature within; so, when he does this, he shows excellence because he is fulfilling his purpose in life. True virtue in the Christian life is not polishing human qualities, no matter how fine they may be, but producing divine qualities that make the person more like Jesus Christ. 8 Virtue is excellence of character. We often would substitute the word, character for virtue. Bob Jones Sr. said the test of your character (or virtue) is what it takes to stop you. Another man said, the measure of a man s real character is what he would do if no one would find out. 4 Webster, Noah. American Dictionary of the English Language (1828 Edition) (Kindle Locations 236480-236488). Packard Technologies. Kindle Edition. 5 Thayer s Greek Lexicon, Electronic Database. Copyright 2002, 2003, 2006, 2011 by Biblesoft, Inc. 6 Swindoll, C. R. (2010). Insights on James and 1 & 2 Peter (p. 271). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan. 7 Phillips, J. (2009). Exploring the Epistles of Peter: An Expository Commentary (2 Pe 1:5 7). Kregel Publications; WORDsearch Corp. 8 Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 438). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. 7
Dr. Bill Rice said, character is doing right without regard to inward desires, outward pressure, or eventual outcome. Illustrate Many politicians are not loudly denouncing the immoral sexual behavior of those within their own parties, because they are worried about the outcome. Dr. Jack Hyles said, character is more important than talent because character will seek talent, but talent will often flee from character. There are many Bible examples of virtue or godly character: Joseph and Daniel are two men that come to mind. The scriptures do not record one instance of a weakness in their character. Unfortunately, we also have examples of men who displayed weaknesses in their virtue. Noah got drunk. Abraham lied about his wife. David committed adultery with Bathsheba and murdered her husband in order to cover it up. Solomon was at one time the wisest man that ever lived, but he married women heathen women who pulled his heart away from God. Sampson was the strongest man who ever lived, but his lust for women caused him to break his vow to God, which caused him to lose his strength. Even Peter who is writing this Letter, had a lapse in virtue, when he denied the Lord. Perhaps the best example in Scripture of someone who possessed virtue is the virtuous woman from Proverbs 31:10-31 She was hardworking. She was thrifty and diligent in managing her household and her businesses. She was giving. She took excellent care of her children. She had an excellent reputation in the community. She was faithful to her husband. She feared the Lord. She wasn t always virtuous though. Most theologians believe that all of the Proverbs were written by Solomon. Do you know who Solomon s mother was? Bathsheba. She at one time had a reputation for being anything but virtuous, but it seems that she got it turned around. Christian, you may have lacked virtue in the past, I suppose we all have; but, you can surely add it to your faith now. 1 Determine what is right from the Word of God. 2 Decide what God wants you to do about it. 3 Develop a plan that will enable you to obey God. 4 Don t change your conviction about your plan for any reason. 5 Defer to the Spirit of God when you are tempted. 8