Transcript The Additives of Faith

The Additives of Faith
2nd Peter 1:3-9
2nd Peter 1:3-9
3 As His divine power has given to us
all things that pertain to life and
godliness, through the knowledge of
Him who called us by glory and virtue,
4 by which have been given to us
exceedingly great and precious
promises, that through these you may
be partakers of the divine nature, having
escaped the corruption that is in the
world through lust.
5 But also for this very reason, giving
all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to
virtue knowledge,
6 to knowledge self-control, to selfcontrol 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.
Add
• Vs. 5 “But also for this very reason, giving
all diligence, add…
• add—literally, "minister additionally, "
Faith
• Vs. 5 “But also for this very reason, giving
all diligence, add to your faith…”
• Faith is trusting Jesus Christ to do for you
what you cannot do for yourself
• Romans 3:28 “Therefore we conclude that
a man is justified by faith apart from the
deeds of the law.”
• Romans 1:17 “The just shall live by faith”
• All of the other virtues flow from faith
Virtue
• Vs. 5 “But also for this very reason, giving
all diligence, add to your faith virtue”
• NAS95: “moral excellence”
• Weymouth: “noble character”
Why Faith Needs Virtue
• James 2:26 “faith without works is dead”
Knowledge
• Vs. 5 “…add to your faith virtue, to virtue
knowledge”
• Insight, understanding
• As in, “Let’s ask Bill, he’ll know what to do”
Why Virtue Needs
Knowledge
• Morality without a reason is empty tradition
• Morality without a reason cannot be
transmitted to the next generation.
• 2nd Timothy 3:5 “having a form of
godliness but denying its power. And from
such people turn away!”
Self-Control
• Vs. 6 “to knowledge self-control”
• One holding himself in
• One who masters his desires and passions
rather than letting them master him
• Same word in 1st Corinthians 9:25 (NIV)
“Everyone who competes in the games
goes into strict training.”
Why Knowledge Needs
Self-Control
• Insight can be misused
• Insight is power… without self-control we
will abuse it
Perseverance
• Vs. 6 “to self-control perseverance”
• Literally, “To remain under”
• Steadfastness (patience, endurance),
Why Self-Control Needs
Perseverance
• Because temptation can wear us down
• Galatians 6:9 “And let us not grow weary
while doing good, for in due season we
shall reap if we do not lose heart.”
Godliness
• Vs. 6 “to perseverance godliness”
• Literally, “good worship”
• Living all of my life before God and in
deference to God
• Practicing the presence of God
Why Perseverance
Needs Godliness
• Revelation 2:2-4 “I know your works, your
labor, your patience, and that you cannot
bear those who are evil… and you have
persevered and have patience, and have
labored for My name’s sake and have not
become weary. Nevertheless I have this
against you, that you have left your first
love.”
• It is possible to persevere in doctrine and
morals and yet forget why we do so.
Brotherly Kindness
•
•
•
•
Vs. 7 “to godliness brotherly kindness”
Philadelphia
Love of brothers and sisters
1st John 3:14 “We know that we have
passed from death to life, because we love
the brethren.”
Why Godliness Needs
Brotherly Kindness
• To keep us from living in isolation with our
heads in the clouds
• Brotherly love provides us an opportunity to
demonstrate our love to God in concrete
ways
• Matthew 25:40 “…Inasmuch as you did it
to one of the least of these My brethren,
you did it to Me.”
Love
• Vs 7 “and to brotherly kindness love”
• Love: meeting your needs at my expense
• This kind of love flows from the nature of
the one loving rather than from the
lovability of the one being loved.
Why Brotherly Kindness
Needs Love
• If we love only those in the family, then our
love is of a self-centered nature.
• Luke 6:33, NIV “And if you do good to
those who are good to you, what credit is
that to you? Even ‘sinners’ do that.”