****2 peter 1:5-8

(2 Peter 1:5–8

2 Peter 1:5-8 New Living Translation

5 In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone. 8 The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

More like Jesus

More about Jesus would I know,

More of His grace to others show,

More of His saving fullness see,

More of His love who died for me.

This should be the heart’s desire of every born-again Christian. Every Christian should want to know more about Jesus in their lives, and should want to show more about Jesus to this world.

A teacher once asked her class what each wanted to become when they grew up. The students answered one by one. One wanted to be the president, another wanted to be a fireman, and a third wanted to be a teacher.

When it came Billy’s turn to tell the class what he wanted to be when he grew up, Billy said that he wanted to be “possible.”

The teacher responded, “Possible? What do you mean you want to be possible?”

Billy replied, “My mom is always telling me I’m impossible. When I grow up, I want to become possible.”

There is something very wrong with a person who claims to be a Christian and has no desire to be like Jesus. Every Christian of every race, tribe, country, language, social standing or family position should all want to be like Jesus. God not only wants us to be like Jesus, but God has provided everything we need to become like Jesus.

Warren Wiersbe writes, “God gives His children all that they need to live godly lives, but His children must apply themselves and be diligent to use the ‘means of grace’ He has provided. Spiritual growth is not automatic. It requires cooperation with God and the application of spiritual diligence and discipline.”

With that in mind, Peter revealed the call to grow and the characteristics for growing in the Christian life. Growing in Christ-likeness is expected from us, but not accomplished apart from us. Christians need to begin to grow in their hunger for God’s will, their honor of God’s Son, and their heeding of God’s word.

In this passage of scripture, we see some declarations for knowing more about Jesus.

I. The reason for knowing more about Jesus. (vs. 5a)

“But also for this very reason”

To find out the very reason Peter is talking about, we need to go back to verses 3 and 4. Because we have received the divine nature and divine promises of God, we need to want to know more about Jesus and be more like Jesus.

When a person is saved, they receive God’s nature. They receive the Holy Spirit. We have power and purpose from God to live godly. Those who have experienced salvation through faith in Jesus should always want to grow to be more like Jesus. Verse 4 tells us, “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.” Those who have truly escaped the corruption of this world have no desire to go back to the corruption of the world.

1 Peter 2:2–3 teaches, “As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.”

Because we have been saved and indwelled by the Holy Spirit, we need to be growing more like Jesus. Louis Barbieri Jr. wrote, “God has provided the believer with the necessary power to live the Christian life, but the believer should not sit back and relax.”

Many of us know what we need to be doing, but we are just not doing it. Remembering what God has done for us and given to us will help us. Many of us are like a farmer I heard about. A young book salesman was assigned to a rural area. Seeing a farmer seated in a rocking chair on his front porch, the young man approached him with all the zeal of a newly trained salesman. The young man said, “Sir, I have here a book that will tell you how to farm ten times better than you are doing it now.”

The farmer continued to rock and after a few seconds he stopped, looked at the young fellow and said, “Son, I don’t need your book. I already know how to farm ten times better than I am doing it now.”

Because we are saved we should want to be more like Jesus. Our lives should be lived all out for Jesus and His glory because of who He is and what He has done. Johnny Hunt has well said, “We are living in a culture where there is a temptation for the preachers to try to preach in such a way that the people could be satisfied with who they are instead of coming to the place that they live their lives to satisfy Him.”

As a pastor, I pledge never to cut back or cut out what God has called me to preach. People might not like what I say, or agree with the way I preach, but it is my responsibility to challenge God’s people to be more godly.

In verse 5, Peter declares the reason for knowing more about Jesus. Next, we see Peter declares:

II. The requirements for knowing more about Jesus. (vs. 5b–7)

(A.) We are to be aggressive in our pursuit. (vs. 5b)

“Giving all diligence”

Have you heard it said, “No pain, no gain?” That’s not only true in physical sports, but also in spiritual growth. If we are going to know more about Jesus, and show more of Jesus, we must know the requirements. Peter here teaches the church that we are to aggressively pursue the things of God. One scholar wrote, “God’s precious gifts and promises should stimulate us to earnest effort.”

The Christian life is one of striving, working, and laboring on our part. Philippians 2:12–13 states, “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.”

We are to be aggressive in our pursuit of Jesus. The church today needs to know more about Jesus—not only in our heads, but also in our hearts. The church today needs to show more of Jesus—not only in His house, but in our homes—not just on Sundays in worship, but on Mondays at work. A Christian who loves Jesus and desiring to be more like Jesus is easy to spot.

Giving all diligence translates to “making maximum effort.” What God works in us, we are to work out by our obedience, persistence, and daily, active pursuit of Jesus. One Sunday, Tracy and I were invited to lunch at James and Joann Ingram’s home. Their grandson, Robert, his wife, Mandi, and their baby son, Titus, were there as well. During lunch, Robert was holding Titus and preparing to feed him. The bottle of milk was on the table. As Robert picked up the bottle to see if Titus wanted it, Titus reached his arms out, grabbed the bottle and pulled it to his mouth. Mandi said, “I’ve never seen him do that before!”

Titus knew what was in that bottle and he wanted it. He aggressively took the bottle because he was hungry. We can learn a great lesson about pursuing Jesus from Titus’ desire for his bottle.

Peter teaches us that we are to be aggressive in our pursuit. Next, we see:

(B.) We are to be adding to our practice. (vs. 5c–7)

“Add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.”

Peter declared the requirements for knowing more about Jesus. He teaches the church that it is our responsibility to respond to God by actively working out what He has put in us. Johnny Hunt said, “Salvation is a work of grace, but sanctification is a will to grow.”

Add is an interesting word. It makes reference to a choirmaster. It means to give lavishly and generously, to fit out the choir with additional supplies, or to provide beyond the need. In the Greek culture, it referred to a choirmaster that was responsible for providing everything needed for his choir.

Every Wednesday night, Robert has planned and has ready everything the choir needs to practice for Sunday. On Sundays, Robert has supplied everything the choir needs to sing and bless the Lord.

I read a story about a gardener who had in mind what his soil and seed should produce. He knew the kinds of flowers and fruit that he wanted to grow, but he realized one day that the flowers and fruit are only produced by labor and obedience to the laws of nature. When the garden has been made beautiful and fruitful, it has been made so only by intelligent cooperation with nature.

Similarly, we Christians have the mind of Christ. We know full well what a Christian life should be. The fruits of the Spirit are only made evident in our lives as we wholeheartedly cooperate with the Lord in full submission and obedience to Him by letting His Spirit have full control of us—body, soul, and spirit.

Peter teaches us that we are to add to our faith. Every Christian has faith in God, but faith is not the end. Faith is only the beginning.

A week ago, I had Tim Jackson to put power steering on my car. The first time I drove the car, I could tell a major difference. I’m now able to do things with that car that I couldn’t do before. I can actually make sharp turns, turn into tight parking places, and swing around gas pumps with ease all because of the power steering.

The Christian life is like power steering on a car. The engine provides the power for the steering, but the driver has to turn the wheel.

We are to be adding to our practice. Peter lists seven characteristics of the Lord Jesus that will make us more like Him when they are added to our daily living.

Virtue means moral energy or moral excellence. This refers to concrete deeds of excellence. America and the world are in desperate need of people with moral excellence. Virtue is never hidden, but always displayed in the person’s life. When you add virtue to your faith, you can say no to immorality and ungodliness.

Knowledge means practical knowledge or discernment. It refers to the ability to handle life successfully. Peter dealt with the false wisdom of the first century gnostics. True knowledge comes from God. Louis Barbieri Jr. wrote, “Faith is never achieved through the mental process only, but is founded upon knowledge. Faith apprehends that which knowledge cannot comprehend.”

We cannot have true knowledge of Jesus without faith in Jesus. When we have faith in Jesus, we begin to have knowledge of Jesus. Peter teaches us to add knowledge to our faith.

A Good Word: Christians can actually know the word of God, the will of God, and the ways of God.

Self-control translates as “holding oneself in.” The word means to have one’s passions under control. Have you ever heard it said, “Let it all hang out?” When we are like Jesus, we will know and practice self-control. Proverbs 16:32 declares, “He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.” Proverbs 25:28 also teaches, “Whoever has no rule over his own spirit is like a city broken down, without walls.”

Perseverance means “staying under.” It refers to constancy or steadfast endurance under adversity, without giving in or giving up. This word means to remain under trials and testing in a way that honors God. Jesus had patience in the face of trials. We need perseverance in our daily lives and in the church of God. When we are adding perseverance to our faith, we will not fall out or fall away from the Lord, His church, His work, or His word.

The simple meaning of the word, godliness, is Godlikeness. In the original Greek, the word meant “to worship well.” The word described a man or woman who was right in their relationship with God and with their fellowman. It is impossible to worship well if our relationships are strained on any level.

G. Campbell Morgan once said, “Man can be restored to God by Christ, can know God through Christ, and can become like God in Christ.”

We are to add to our faith, godliness. Christians should have a deep and strong desire to worship God and please Him above all. Being godly means that we are aware of God in every area of life, i.e., when buying a car or a home, when getting married, when taking a new job, when spending money or when responding to life’s circumstances.

Brotherly-kindness means brotherly love. The word Philadelphia comes from this Greek word. When we love Jesus and are full of Him, we will have a love for the brethren. Brotherly-kindness refers to love by deliberate choice.

Some people say, “I love God, but I don’t like those people at the church.” This is the wrong attitude to have. 1 Peter 1:22 admonishes, “Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart.” Warren Wiersbe wrote, “The fact that we love our brothers and sisters in Christ is one evidence that we have been born of God.”

1 John 4:20–5:2 teaches, “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also. Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments.”

Finally, we are to add to our faith love. This word refers to an agape love. This is the kind of love God shows toward lost sinners. Romans 5:8 declares, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

We are to be adding these seven characteristics to our lives. When we are focused on adding one to our lives, God will be adding some others as well.

Peter declares the reason for knowing more about Jesus, the requirements for knowing more about Jesus, and finally he declares:

III. The result of knowing more about Jesus. (vs. 8)

“For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Here is a promise from God’s word. If these characteristics are abounding in us, we will be fruitful for Jesus. When we add to our faith these characteristics, and they are increasing in our lives, this world will know that Jesus is in us. This world will see Jesus in us.

John Wesley once said, “Give me one hundred men who love nothing but God, hate nothing but evil, and know nothing but Jesus Christ, and I will change the world.”

If these characteristics are not abounding in us, we will be barren and unfruitful.

We’ve all seen these signs while driving, “Begin construction” and “End construction.” These big orange signs are there to warn us that road work is ongoing. One thing about these signs is that they tend to remain around long after the construction work is over.

If one of us was to announce that—for the time being—God’s construction in our lives was going to be halted, would our family, friends, and co-workers say, “I didn’t know any construction was going on?”

Barren (argos) means “inactive, unemployed, lazy or useless.” The word means “yielding no return because of inactivity.” Something that is not producing is barren.

Unfruitful (akarpos) literally means without fruit. When God’s qualities and characteristics are not increasing in our life, we will be barren and unfruitful.

Farmers add seed to the land. They cultivate the land and the plants, but only God can provide water to make the crop grow. Only God can produce the crop. In contrast, the Christian life is different. God adds His seed, the Holy Spirit, when we believe, but we are the ones who are to water and allow the fruits to come forth.

Peter warns us that if we are not increasing, we are decreasing, and when we decrease, we become barren and unfruitful.

The word knowledge means full knowledge. Many people are saved, but they have only a partial and very limited knowledge of Jesus because they have not grown in their walk. We are to grow in His likeness by submissively allowing Him to live through us.

Peter’s last words to the church are given to encourage them. 2 Peter 3:18 states, “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.”

Are you growing in your Christian life? Do you know more about Jesus? Are you showing more about Jesus?

God wants our total obedience and faithful commitment. Have you ever been saved? You cannot add to your faith if you have never placed your faith in Jesus Christ! Would you trust Him today?

Ted Traylor, Pastor at Olive Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida, gives six evidences that a person has eternal life. I want to give these to you. If you are saved, these evidences will be in your life.

1. A new awareness of what is right and wrong.

2. A hunger for the word of God.

3. A desire for a changed life.

4. An increase in testing.

5. A love for other Christians.

6. A desire to tell others about Jesus.

Are these in your life today? Are you adding to your faith? Do you want to know more about Jesus?