Slides: Know and Grow (2 Peter 1:1-11)

¹ Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ,
To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:

² May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

³ His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, ⁴ by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. ⁵ For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, ⁶ and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, ⁷ and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. ⁸ For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹ For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. ¹⁰ Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. ¹¹ For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

 

All you need

• Standing with God: obtained faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ
• Power for godly living: His divine power has given us all we need for life and godliness

 

Know and grow

² May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord… ³ the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence… ⁵ supplement your faith… ⁸ For if these qualities are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ… ^3:18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

 

Know and grow

• Know whom and what you believe.
• Person: savor Jesus’ excellence
• Promises: embrace future grace
• Propositions: grasp Bible truths
• Grow closer to and more like Christ
• By divine power for godly life
• As partakers of divine nature

 

False teachers
 don’t know or grow

• Heresy: rejects true knowledge of Christ, denies God’s interventions, scoffs at Jesus’ return and judgment
• Immorality: unspiritual filthy pigs, self-centered, power-hungry, money-loving, sex-crazed, boastful phonies

 

Know and grow
Stable, not stagnant

^3:17 Take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. ¹⁸ But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

 

Spiritual growth

• Faith
• Virtue
• Knowledge
• Self-control
• Endurance
• Godliness
• Affection
• Love

 

Effort to supply

Make every effort in your faith to supply virtue, in your virtue knowledge… (1:5) Make more effort to confirm your calling and election… For in this way there will be richly supplied for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (1:10-11)

 

Benefits of growth

• Makes you effective and fruitful
• Opens eyes to past and future
• Confirms your calling and election
• Prevents you from falling away
• Provides entrance into kingdom