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 - For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: [9] Not of works, lest any man should boast.
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 - 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: [4] 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.
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. This is a diligence that is to last a lifetime. Diligence, of course, requires work. And what better theme for a Labor Day Weekend than to talk about diligence, about work! In these verses Peter teaches us to:
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
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 - 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.
Proverbs 3:5-6 - Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. [6] In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Mark 11:24 - Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
˜ 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 - I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
When Paul states I am crucified with Christ: he is saying that when Christ died on the cross for our sins, we died with Him. He took our place.
nevertheless I live; Although we are dead with Christ, we are also alive in Christ. Not only do we have part in his death, but in His resurrection.
yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: Christ is alive inside of me! The most virtuous man who ever lived, God the Son, is alive in here. What is the importance of His residing inside of me?
and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
I can now trust the Lord Jesus Christ to live His righteous life through me. As I say “no” to myself and “yes” to Jesus’ control in my life, I will live that virtuous life. It is matter of my faith in Christ developing into a life of virtue
˜ 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.
It is not as difficult as it might seem.
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 - Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
˜ TEMPERANCE
Temperance is self control.
Bob Deffinbaugh - “Living a godly life requires us to master the flesh and make it our servant, rather than our master:”
http://www.bible.org/docs/nt/books/2pe/deffin/2pet-04.htm
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.
It is through knowing Him that I can control my temper.
It is through knowing Him that I can control my habits.
It is through knowing Him that I can have control over eating.
It is through knowing Him that I can have control over worry.
It is through knowing Him that I can have control over wasted time.
˜ 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 - It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. [23] They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
The more patient I become, the more like God I become.
God wants me to act like Him!
1 Peter 1:15-16 - But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; [16] Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
˜ 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 - But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; [45] That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
As a child of God, I am to be kind to all.
Galatians 6:9-10 - And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. [10] As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
˜ 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.
2 Peter 1:5-7 - And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; [6] And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; [7] And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
BE DILIGENT TO ADD – Vss. 5-7
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.
Beloved, don’t let it happen to you.
Instead be diligent to avoid being this type of person.
BE DILIGENT TO ADD – Vss. 5-7
BE DILIGENT TO AVOID – Vs. 9
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 - Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
Vs. 10 – We are be more increasingly diligent to prove that our calling from God being chosen by 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 - For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. [12] Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; [13] Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. [14] If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. [15] If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
Are you building with the gold, silver and precious stones
of faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness and love?
Or are you building with the wood, hay, and stubble of barren and unfruitful works.
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
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