What Do I Do With Faith?

Faith Like Ours

2 Peter 1:1–2 ESV

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

Faith - belief that Jesus is the Messiah, through whom we obtain eternal salvation in the kingdom of God

Equal standing - of equal value or honor:—like precious.

Grace - unmerited favor

Peace - the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ

Through the knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ

What do you think we need to know about God the Father and Jesus?

What do you look for in a friend or someone you can trust?

What they are like?

How they treat people? Jesus was moved with compassion

Do they tell the truth? He is full Grace and truth

Can I depend on them? His loving kindness is everlasting.

These are the same things we need to find out about God the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ.

The more you get to know Jesus and in turn the Father, the more you will grow to Love Him! And in turn grace and peace will be abundantly poured out on you and your life!

How do I do that?

2 Peter 1:3 ESV

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,

LIFE - Zoe life - Full life live for the glory of God

Godliness or holiness

How, through coming to a true and accurate knowledge of Jesus Christ and the Father.

He called us for his own glory and excellence.

2 Peter 1:4 ESV

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.

Precious and very great Promises:

Isaiah 41:10 ESV

fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Isaiah 26:3–4 ESV

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.

John 16:33 ESV

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Jeremiah 29:11 ESV

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

So, if we grow in our knowledge of the character and person of Jesus, which gives us a perfect representation of God the Father, and believe Him for His precious and Very great promises, we have the opportunity to share or be a partner to the very nature of Jesus!

Part of the way that we do this is when we are born again, or spiritually remade, we are delivered from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desires.

The real question is, are you going to choose to walk with Jesus or are you going to chose to be a friend of the ways of the world?

Jesus set for us an example in His own life.

John 15:7–12 ESV

7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. 12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

God has positioned you and placed you both in your parents home, your church and in this school, so that you learn from multiple sources the same truth, grow in your knowledge of God and His son, Jesus Christ, in order to realize just how much He loves you so you would hopefully, in turn, learn to love Him and follow Him. We remain in Him and show Him our love by keeping His commandments, just as Jesus, God’s son, remained in the Love of His father in heaven, by keeping His commandments. As we learn to do this, His joy will be in us, and our joy will be made full!

Let’s pray.