Scripture: 2 Peter 3:1-11

3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins. 10 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. --- 2 Pe 1:3–11

A healthy Christian is someone who is

1. Able to live a life that pleases God

2. Marked by fruitfulness

Jesus sets a high standard for a godly life.

For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven. --- Mt 5:20

---

I. The Reasons to Celebrate

A. We Have His Power

1. We Can Live A Godly Life

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life ... --- 2 Pe 1:3a

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. --- Ac 1:8

• The foundations of a godly life are God’s power and grace.

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. --- Ro 3:23-24

• Jesus is all you need to live a godly life.

2. Through The Saving Knowledge of Jesus Christ

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. --- 2 Pe 1:3

• By believing in Jesus, we experience Christ’s glorious radiance and His righteousness is imputed onto us.

B. We Have His Promises

1. The Promise of Glory

Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature ... --- 2 Pe 1:4a

• When we accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour, we began to be like God in that God’s image is restored in our life and we can reflect and radiate His glory to others around us.

11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. 12 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. --- Jn 14:11-12

2. The Promise of Escape

Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. --- 2 Pe 1:4

• Physically, though our bodies decay, we know when Jesus comes back, we will be raised to life with a new and glorious body - immortal and incorruptible.

42 So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; 43 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. --- 1 Co 15:42-44

• Morally, we can choose, by the power of God and the promises of God, to raise a standard against the devil, to not succumb to earthly desires and to choose to live a godly life.

You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. --- 1 Jn 4:4

---

II. The Markers to Consider

A. The Markers of Christian Character

5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. --- 2 Pe 1:5-7

• All the godly virtues in the Christian life find their source in faith - in trusting God for everything - and the culmination and climax of such faith is love.
• Christian faith is the root from which all these virtues must grow, and Christian love is the crowning virtue to which all the others must contribute.

And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. --- Co 3:14

• This is not a logical step-by-step formula to develop faith into love. Rather all of them are equally necessary, and all of them are to be holistically developed together.

B. The Result of Christian Character

For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. --- 2 Pe 1:8

• When we pursue these virtues, when we practice and grow in these virtues then we will be neither useless nor unfruitful, instead we will bear fruit and this is pleasing to God.

13 You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. 14 You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. --- Mt 5:13-16

• However, we must heed the warning.

But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins. --- 2 Pe 1:9

8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. 9 And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 10 The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. --- Mt 3:8-10

---

III. The Report Summary

10 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. --- 2 Pe 1:10-11

• We have to be sure and certain that we are truly His children, and His followers. And this is done by pursuing godly living - by living a life that pleases God.
• We are able to pursue godly living because we have His power and His promises, and through them we are to grow in Christian virtues and be fruitful.
• The call of God for all believers is to fulfill the Great Commission, and we are to live out our faith in such a way that reflects the image of God in our lives and draws people to desire to know Him.
• May we make every effort to hear these wonderful words at the end of our lives on the earth - "Well done, good and faithful servant! Come and share your master’s happiness!"