The Additives of Faith

2

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Peter 1:3-9

2

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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 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.

Everything You Need

• Vs. 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” • Life – Everyday existence in general • Godliness – Our spiritual walk in particular • It comes from His divine power • It comes through knowing Him • It comes because He called us

Promises to Claim

• Vs. 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.” • They flow from Christ’s glory & virtue • They enable us to become Christ-like • NIV: “and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires” (to escape by flight) • NAS95: “precious and magnificent promises”

Faith: It All Starts Here

• 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

Add

• Vs. 5 “But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add… • add—literally, "minister additionally, "

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.

• 2 nd 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 1 “Everyone who competes in the games goes into st Corinthians 9:25 (NIV) 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 • Because trials or persecution can wear us down • Because in the life of faith (and deferred results) we are tempted to lose hope • Because there are days it would be easy to throw in the towel and to quit trying • 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” …piety • Living all of my life in reference to God • Living all of my life in the awareness of God’s presence… 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 lose the internal dynamic that makes us do so... Love, faith, hope

Brotherly Kindness

• Vs. 7 “to godliness brotherly kindness” • Philadelphia • Love of brothers and sisters • 1 st 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 church family, then our love is still of a self-centered nature.

• There are no “bonus points” for loving your friends.

• 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.” • Self-giving love develops as we are transformed to bear the divine nature.

Why Develop These Qualities

• 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.