2 PETER 1
7
Outlines
2 Peter 1:5-7 - CHRISTIAN
CHARACTER CLINIC
2 Peter 1:5-14
DILIGENT!
I would like to pay John Kerry, John Edwards, the
Democratic Party and Move On.org, a compliment.
I would like to pay President Bush, Vice President
Cheney, the Republican Party, and the Swift Boat Veterans a compliment.
For all of them it is the same compliment. They are diligent. They want their candidate to win the
presidential election, and they are diligent, doing all they can to win.
I’m not saying I agree with all of their tactics. I’m saying that these highly motivated people
are diligently working to achieve their goals.
Diligence is a word often foreign to Christians.
It is foreign because we all know that Christians are
saved by grace through faith. Ephesians 2:8-9
Being diligent does not save anyone.
Notice that salvation is a gift. It is God who does
everything necessary to save us. He only
asks that we place our faith in Him as Savior. 2 Peter 1:3-4
Here’s the ironic thing. Although Peter tells us that salvation is the
gift of God, and therefore can not be earned, he goes on to tell us that we are
to be diligent.
2 Peter 1:5 - And
beside this, giving all diligence…
Peter is telling us that after the Work of God for
salvation is performed in our lives, that we are to be
diligent in our service to Christ. We do
not earn salvation, but we are to live Godly lives because we are saved.
2 Peter 1:5-14 is a call to diligence.
BE DILIGENT TO ADD – Vss. 5-7
Vs. 5 - The word “add” here carries the idea of giving
abundant supply. There are 8 “graces”
mentioned here that lead to a Christian’s maturity, and each one is supplied
out of the last one.
Out of our faith we are to supply virtue. Out of our
virtue we are to supply temperance etc.
As one part of a tree grows out of the other, one grace grows out of the
other. We are to produce them one by
one.
˜
FAITH
As we just stated, we start with faith. It is faith that saves us. But it is also faith that must be present
throughout all our lives. Faith is a
daily requirement if we are going to please God. Hebrews 11:6, Proverbs 3:5-6,
Mark 11:24
˜
VIRTUE
Virtue is supplied out of our faith. Virtue is moral excellence. The Christian who truly trusts Christ as
Savior is going to want to please Christ as Lord. We please our Lord when we are beyond
reproach in our behavior and attitudes.
The problem with us being virtuous is that we are not.
We are sinners who have failed God.
After we are saved we are still sinners who have been
declared righteous by God, but who still need help being virtuous.
So, who is the most virtuous person you have ever
heard of?
Yes, it is the Lord Jesus Christ. Wouldn’t it be neat if He could or would live
His virtuous life through us?
The good news is that through our faith in Christ we
can live that life of virtue. Galatians 2:20
˜
KNOWLEDGE
As I live a life of virtue, the Lord Jesus Christ living
His virtuous life through me, I am to supply or add knowledge.
A continuous reliance on Christ leads to knowing Him
better, as I become more intimate in talking to Him and as I trust Him to live
virtuously through me.
And the more I trust Him to live through me, the more
I will be drawn to the Bible, which His Word.
I can’t really know Jesus well unless I feed on the
Word of God. John 5:39
˜
TEMPERANCE
Temperance is self control.
The more intimately I know the Lord Jesus, the more He
will control my life.
His total control of my life is the only way I can
control things that need to be controlled.
˜
PATIENCE
Patience is endurance.
Patience is being able to hang in there during bad
situations.
Patience is being able to be calm and in control when
others rattle your cage.
Patience is not “losing it” when others are “losing
it”.
I think you can see that patience is a natural
outgrowth of self control.
˜
GODLINESS
Godliness is piety.
Godliness is acting in a way pleasing to God.
Godliness is acting as God would want you to act.
Is God patient?
Of course he is! Lamentations 3:22-23
The more patient I become, the more like God I become.
God wants me to act like Him! 1 Peter 1:15-16
˜
BROTHERLY KINDNESS
The more Godly I become, the
kinder I will become to my fellow man.
God is kind to all. Matthew 5:44-45
As a child of God, I am to be kind to all. Galatians
6:9-10
˜
CHARITY
The end result of being kind is an attitude of love.
This is agape love, the highest form of love.
It is the type of love that God shows to us.
We are to be extremely diligent in supplying each of
these qualities in our lives.
BE DILIGENT TO AVOID – Vs. 9
2 Peter 1:9 - But
he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see
afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
The last thing that a Christian should want to be is Spiritually blind in the sense that He is nearsighted.
The last thing that a Christian should want to be is
forgetful that Jesus has purged his old sins.
The person who lacks faith, virtue, knowledge,
temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness and love is blind and
forgetful.
This person has no spiritual insight.
This person has no spiritual memory.
Such a person has become worldly and unappreciative.
BE DILIGENT TO ABOUND – Vss. 8, 10-11
Vs. 8 - If we are diligent to add the graces
mentioned in verses 5-7, we will also be diligent in abounding in the knowledge
of Christ. We will be very productive.
If these graces abound in our lives, we will not be
barren.
The word “barren” here means “idle” or “useless”.
How many Christians live lives that are “idle” when it
comes to the things of God?
How many Christians spend time developing that which
is useless?
There is nothing idle or useless about faith, virtue,
knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness and love
Also, as these graces abound in the Christian’s life,
the Christian will not be unfruitful.
Jesus saved you so you would be fruitful.
Jesus empowers you so you will be fruitful. John 15:8
Vs. 10 – We are to be more increasingly
diligent to prove that our calling from God, being chosen by Him, is a sure
thing.
Who we trying to prove this to? To God! No! He knows!
As we abound in the graces mentioned in verses 5-7, we
are showing ourselves that we are truly born again and that we are the “real
deal”.
We should be concerned if we are not showing evidences
of salvation.
Vs. 11 – In school there were times when I just did
pass.
There were other times when I passed with flying
colors.
The times of passing with flying colors are much more
enjoyable.
When I go to Heaven, I don’t want it to be by the skin
of my teeth.
I don’t want my time of Judgment to be a time of
embarrassment and shame.
I want it to be a time of a warm welcome and the
personal approval of my Lord, as is mentioned in this verse.
I want my Lord to say “Well done!” and “Here’s your
reward.” 1 Corinthians 3:11-15
BE DILIGENT TO ACCEPT – Vss. 12-14
Vs. 12 – Peter describes the job of the preacher in
this verse.
He tells his audience that he is going to continue to
remind them of these Bible truths.
He was going to continue to remind them even though
they knew them and though they practiced them.
Because we are human, we need continual reminders of
what the Word of God says, and preachers need to repeat themselves. You never know when you or one of your church
family need a reminder. Accept the reminders that the preacher gives
even though, to you, it may be old truth.
Be thankful when a preacher practices 2 Timothy 4:2 - Preach the word; be instant in season, out
of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
Vs. 13 – Peter is simply saying that it is fit
or right for him to remind believers to remain faithful as long as he had the
opportunity.
Peter wanted to stir Christians up by reminding them.
Accept the fact that those who preach the Word are
trying to stir you up. Respond by allowing
them to stir you up.
Vs. 14 – Peter knew that his time was
limited. He only had so much time to
stir Christians up. This is true for any
preacher.
So it is time to be diligent.
BE DILIGENT TO ADD – Vss. 5-7
Faith
Virtue
Knowledge
Temperance
Patience
Godliness
Brotherly Kindness
Love
BE DILIGENT TO ADD – Vss. 5-7
BE DILIGENT TO AVOID – Vs. 9
BE DILIGENT TO ABOUND – Vss. 8, 10-11
BE DILIGENT TO ACCEPT – Vss. 12-14
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2 Peter 1:2-4
GREAT RESULTS
Here are five great
results of knowing God through Christ:
GRACE - Vs. 2
PEACE - Vs. 2
LIFE - Vs. 3
GODLINESS - Vs. 3
DIVINE NATURE - Vs. 4
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1 Peter 1:3-11
CHRISTIAN DEVELOPMENT
Just as a baby develops into adulthood, we as Christians should
develop in our Christian lives. 2 Peter 3:18
WHAT TO APPRECIATE? - Vss. 3-4 - We are partakers of the
"divine nature".
WHAT TO ADD? - Vss. 5-7 - These qualities are to be added to our
faith:
Virtue
Knowledge
Temperance
Patience
Godliness
Brotherly Kindness
Charity
WHAT TO ANTICIPATE - Vs. 8 - Fruitfulness
WHAT TO AVOID - Vs. 9 - Forgetfulness
WHAT TO ATTEMPT - Vss. 10-11 - Making "your call and
election sure"
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2 Peter 1:5-11
GROWING UP
A Christian is to
"grow up" in the Lord (2 Peter
BUILDING BLOCKS - Vss.
5-7
Faith
Virtue (moral
excellence)
Knowledge
Temperance
(self-control)
Patience
Godliness
Brotherly Kindness
Charity (love)
BLESSINGS - Vss. 8,
10-11
If we do these things, we will not be
"barren" or "unfruitful".
If we do these things we
will make our "calling and election sure".
If we do these things we
will have a victorious entry to "glory".
BLINDNESS - Vs. 9
If we fail to add the
building blocks, we are "blind, and can not see afar off".
If we fail to add these
building blocks, we have forgotten that we have been purged from our old sins.
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2 Peter 1:12-21
FAITHFUL TO THE
END
Most of us
remember Peter as the man who often put his mouth in gear before he engaged his
brain! Peter was the one who denied his
Lord three times. What we might forget
is that Peter went on to be a faithful servant of the Lord until the end of his
life. Here are some of Peter's comments
about that faithfulness.
CURRENT
RESPONSIBILITY Vss. 12-13, 15
Peter knew that
people needed to be reminded of the truths that they already knew. He wanted
them to be so reminded of the truth that they wouldn't forget it after he
died. Praise God for a preacher who
continues to remind his people of the
truths which they must never forget!
CERTAIN REMOVAL
Vs. 14
Peter knew that
there would be a day when he went home to be with the Lord.
CONCLUSIVE REASONS
Vss. 16-21
Peter's
faithfulness was based on two things:
1. His vision of
the Lord Jesus in His glory on the Mount of Transfiguration. Vss. 16-18
See Matthew
17:1-8, Mark 9:1-8, Luke 9:27-36
2. The Word Of
God. Vss. 19-21
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2 Peter 1:12-21
A GOOD PREACHER
(COMPLETE NOTES)
· Not including anyone
present, who are some of the best preachers that you have ever listened to,
either live or by way of the media?
· What makes a good
preacher good?
· What makes a bad preacher
bad?
· Why must we be careful
about our evaluation of preachers?
Those of you who have studied Acts 2, 3 and 10 know that God
made Peter a good preacher.
This passage shows us some of the reasons that Peter was a good
preacher.
· Peter’s method was to remind
his hearers of truths which they had already been taught.
· Does God ever repeat
Himself?
· Is there such a thing as
“new Spiritual truth”?
· How can a preacher repeat
himself without being boring?
· Why is repetition good
even though we know certain truths and even practice them?
· Why do we need to be
“stirred up” from time to time?
· What are some positive
motives that preachers should have?
· How should possible death
or a change of ministry effect how preachers preach?
· What does verse 15 tell
you about Peter as a pastor?
· What are some “cunningly
devised fables” that are being taught today?
· What advantage did Peter
have over preachers today?
· According to verse 16,
what are some of the things that Peter was preaching about?
1 Peter 1:13 - Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be
sober, and hope to the end for the
grace that is to be brought unto you at
the revelation of Jesus Christ;
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2 Peter 1:12-21
PASTORAL CLINIC
1. A PASTOR IS
TO REMIND – Vss. 12-13
2. A PASTOR IS
TO REMEMBER – Vs. 14 (Ministry is temporary.)
3. A PASTOR IS
TO REINFORCE – Vs. 15
4. A PASTOR IS
TO RELY – Vss. 16-21 (On a more sure word of prophecy.)
Note – Points 1 and 3 could be combined either under
the word “remind” or “reinforce”.
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