A Salvation Supplied and Applied: Part 3

3. An Exercised Salvation (vs. 5-7)

Intro: Physical Exercise/Nutrition

Its good to steward the gift of the physical body that God gave us

Its strenuous and can be painful, thus making it unenjoyable at first.

Its takes discipline to accomplish it

If consistent, it always delivers positive results

1 Timothy 4:7–8 “7 …discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; 8 for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.”

Its better to steward the gift of spiritual life that God gave us for it nets greater results

A. Spiritual exercise is necessary in the Christian Life

2 Peter 1:5–7 “5 Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, 6 and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, 7 and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love.”

Peter transitions in v 5 from the initial verses. 1-4 highlight the gift of salvation and the fellowship of the divine nature that we have in God and from God. This is a work of grace and it is a demonstration of His powerful transformation.

V 5 pivots to the 2nd person. In grammar, verbs of the 2nd person mean you are performing the action. Add the Active tense to the 2nd person and you get continual action. v 5 could read, “because of this very thing, applying all diligence YOU SUPPLY CONTINUALLY”

What does Peter mean by Supply?

It means to add to that which is already present. God gave you muscle fibers but you must exercise those fibers by movement and exercise. Idleness is the lack of discipline to use the muscles God gave our bodies.

In a greater way, God gave you spiritual life and that new life means that you and I are responsible to nuture or develop that spiritual life. This means that we must continually perform spiritual actions or habits that produce growth in our spiritual lives.

Don Whitney wrote an excellent book entitled Spiritual Disciplines of the Christian Life. In his introduction, he wants the Christian to see that spiritual disciplines are not boxes to be checked on some religious to-do in order to occupy our time until Jesus returns. Instead of looking at these disciplines as busy work given to us like a substitute teacher, we must see that they lead to a purpose. He writes,

"Discipline without direction is drudgery. ... But the Spiritual Disciplines are never an end in themselves. They are means to an end, and that end is godliness."

This is Peter’s point as he lays out the actions steps that are a result of the work that God has done in Salvation. Peter’s turn to our effort is in every way a call for the believer to respond to the work of salvation by faithfulness to the task of godliness in the Christian life.

B. Spiritual exercise requires purposeful consistency

To accomplish faithfulness, we must add consistency.

Peter writes,

2 Peter 1:5 “5 Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge,”

Peter adds this important phrase “applying all diligence”

The word diligence finds its root in the word we translate zeal or eager. Zealousness, Eagerness and Diligence all point us to doing something faithfully BECAUSE we believe in the purpose or the cause. Other translations say “make every effort.”

The disciples were zealous for their faith until the end of their lives, dying as martyrs, because they were witness of the Risen Christ so their purpose was solidified. Therefore they were faithful until the end. The Lord Jesus models consistency and zealous purpose as he faithfully carried out the redemptive mission He was sent to accomplish as the sinless Son of God.

Spiritual exercise in believers requires consistency and behind that consistency is a person seeking the goal of a godly life that represents the Lord and Savior who changed them.

C. Spiritual exercise will be achieved by God’s power

I think it is important that Peter says “in your faith…Supply” after he has already said, “you received your faith by the rigteousness of Christ” in v 2. This is a remind that your spiritual exercise will bring about healthy results because it is the spirit in you that brings about such fruit.

Matthew 5, Gal 5 and Phil 4 are also lists of virtues or characteristics of people who are changed by Christ, who are guided by the Spirit and who belong to the kingdom of heaven. All of these are transformative works that wed both the power supplied by the Spirit and the actions of responsible believers working out their faith.

The results are guaranteed results. Diet pills, peptides, and workout plans all want to promise a guaranteed result but they will not always deliver favorable results. The church can without fail see that the results of spiritual exercise because the same Spirit that regenerates also sanctifies.

This is why in Gal 5 the list that Paul gives are called FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT. They are fruit or results of the work of the Spirit in all saved individuals. Peter also says the same thing in v 8

2 Peter 1:8 “8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Peter uses negative terms here but is no less speaking in the positive. You will be useful to the kingdom and fruitful in godliness if you practice spiritual discipline.

D. Spiritual exercise should include:

We will now use the remainder of our time looking at this list of the some of the exercises of the spiritual life. You can see that the first 4 of the virtues deal with the individual and internal person while the last half deal with our godly actions with others.

Faith

If we are going to supply anything or add to anything, that thing must first exist. What does Peter say is the foundation that will be added to?

Supply your Faith. Faith must exist and as already seen, our faith is the work of God to draw us to salvation. Our faith must be established for these virtues to be correctly exercised.

What happens if these virtues are sought after when there is no faith present?

The results is a moralism that a person strives for throughout their lives but never finds satisfying moments in that moralism. They strive to do godly things but they fail at them and because there is no faith, there is no understanding of the grace found in Christ that allows us to be satisfied in Him and not in our spiritual accomplishments.

Similarly, because there is no faith, there is no Spirit living in them and so there moralism is produced by human energy is always destined to fail. All of this is connected also to the “knowledge of Jesus Christ” that the Spirit connects us to. Moralism is disconnected from learning. Moralism is always doing and never learning and growing.

Therefore, faith is the foundation as we add these godly virtues.

Moral Excellence

Peter has already used this term “virtue” or “moral excellence” previously in these section. Earlier, it was the focus of God’s moral excellence or his perfections that were connected to the calling of the believer to Christ. We could say that God’s effective call of the believer is a power or energy of God’s perfections that always has an effect on those dead in trespasses and sins.

Peter is stating that believers are partakers of the divine nature so that we can put on or practice a moral excellence with the Spirit of God bearing fruit in us. This word carries a sense of the energy of the activity of the Christian life so that Peter is calling Christians to a fervent moral character.

Martin Lloyd Jones poses this question in relation to this word:

“Is there no this curious tendency for the element of passivity in our conception of the Christian faith to predominate us, as if we regard faith as nothing more than this attitude of waiting? A kind of lethargy and langour spreads over us.”

I think this is true for so many Christians who are inactive in their faith. I did not say inactive in their church, I said in active in their faith. There are always people willing to serve on committees, help set up tables, sign up for security or children helpers. But are they growing in their prayer life. Has their knowledge of the Lord Jesus and their affections for Him developed over time as a Christian?

Peter seems to be calling the Christian to an effort and energy directed at moral character of the Christian life.

Paul says that Christians are to “work out our salvation in fear and trembling.” This energy put forth in the Christian to develop oneself, by the power of the Holy Spirit, in spiritual maturity and moral purity.

Knowledge

With that inner drive for an Christlike character, we center that growth squarely on the knowledge and the application of that knowledge attained in the Scriptures. Simply put as we pur forth effort to grow in our faith, we strive with spiritual energies and that moral character must be filtered through the wisdom we gain from the word of God. We study it and we apply what we learn. We are surrendered to that goverance because we know that it comes down from heaven with full authority. This means whatever it says we put forth effort to do it.

Ezra states in the book of Ezra 7:10

“10 For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the Lord and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel.”

It is by the knowledge of God that we come to faith in Christ and it is by the knowledge of God alone that we grow in Christ. We must labor in the word in order to produce fruit of spiritual growth like a farmer that plows a field and plants a crop. We cannot just expect to grow deeper in our understanding of the bible if we are only satisfied with store bought spiritual produce.

Self-Control

The third exercise on this list of Peter’s is self control. This exercise of self-discipline is also found in Paul’s list of spiritual fruit in Gal 5. This is the action of the believer to take steps to submit their bodies and minds under the lordship of Christ. This of course follows in line with the teachings of Jesus when he said,

Matthew 16:24 NASB95

24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.

Denying oneself is the foundation of our surrender to Christ and continually necessary for a growing walk with Christ. Self-control is allowing the Spirit to be master of the mind and body so that it exerts energy toward heavenly and Christlike activity. In the same action, it is the denial of the mind and body of fleshy and worldly activity.

Paul’s message to the churches of putting off the deeds of the flesh and putting on the things of the Spirit is the very same message of self-control. We manage the resources that we are given by the Lord so that mind and body are spent focused on Christ and his mission for His people.

The danger in self-control is the unhealthy desire for all people to be master and Lord over something. Peter is not advocating that you be Lord over your self but that you instead submit to the Lord Jesus as Lord over yourself in all areas of life. It would be just as easy for some in the church to master their body for the sake of idolatrous hunger for control over self. This type of activity only leads for a greater drive for dominance.

In medieval Christianity, this period had a sharp increase in the practice of self-mutilation of the body for the sake of self-control over the lure of the flesh. Flagellation, which is the practice of beating or whipping the body as a spiritual discipline was thought to bring the body under submission as well as, in some skewed theology, suffer with Christ for sin.

Peter instead is not invoking a self-injury for this is a pagan practice of self-control and not a heart surrender to the soverignty of the Lord. Instead, we discipline our body by submitting it to the gospel and the instruction of the Holy Spirit by the word of God. We put off evil deeds and we put on holy living.

Endurance

The fourth and last of the exercise that are more internal activities of the Christian life is perseverance or endurance. Paul gives a similar connection in Romans 5:3–4 “3 And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 4 and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope;”

Paul and Peter both identify the need for endurance under trials and tribulations a building block for the Christian life. This is connected to the above exercises because they are ingedients to help us presevere as we rely on the word of God, practice self-discipline in the midst of trials to not give ourselves over to doubt or to retaliate with revenge.

The Lord Jesus is our model for perseverance and endurance as he took it upon himself to endure the physical beatings and ridicule on his way to giving his own life for the sacrifice for sinners. Our perseverance in the Christian life is a steady and unwavering energy to please and serve Christ until our last dying breath. It is a daily commitment to not allow the pressures and the tribulations of this earth restrain us from loving and serving the Lord and His church.

Peter writes in 1 Peter 3:13–17

“13 Who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. And do not fear their intimidation, and do not be troubled, 15 but sanctify (set apart) Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; 16 and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame. 17 For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong.”

Peter instructed the churches in his first letter to suffer well under harsh persecutions for it was the pathway by which a believer can truly demonstrate that the Spirit of God lives within them.

Godly Living

The final 3 exercises seem to be directed toward the outward relationships that believers have in this life. Peter has already used the greek term EUSEUBIA which translates godliness as a promise when he stated that in Christ we have all that is necessary for life and godliness. Now Peter calls the believer to exercise that godly living so that the world truly sees Christ in them.

We looked at this verse earlier but lets see again Paul’s use of the same term

1 Timothy 4:7–10 “7 But have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women. On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; 8 for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. 9 It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance. 10 For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers.”

Paul promises that as we labor and strive for godly living whereby we are set apart from the world, we will see a profitable result. This means that God will bless our efforts when we align ourselves to reflect his holy attributes within our lives.

Love for God’s People

The last two exercise we can combine because they both contain the godly characteristic of love. First, Peter calls us to produce a life of love for our brothers and sisters in Christ. According to 1 John 3,the heart that does not love the brothers and sisters of the faith does not belong to God. He writes,

1 John 3:14–16 “14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death. 15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. 16 We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”

Our lives must demonstrate a continual display of redirecting our love and service of self to a love and service of others in the church. John even goes as far to say that love leads to point that we might even risk our own lives to help, care and protect others.

This plays out in so many practical ways among God’s people. When we minister to others with the truth, we are denying our own fears and we are sharing the truth of God’s word and applying to areas of their lives. This is loving the breathren.

When we redirect our time and schedule to cook someone a meal, or help fix vehicle or go clean their home, or stop and pray for their needs, it is showing the love of God to others in the church. This of course is the priority for our love because we are a family that has been knitted together by the salvation in Christ.

Amy and I observe frequently those in our lives without a church home, who go through suffering with the absence of care from others. It is hard to watch them suffer alone without people walking with them along the way. It always leads us to thankfulness that the Lord would so graciously give us brothers and sisters in Christ and demonstrate sacrificial love to us so we know how to love others. Support groups, book clubs, civic clubs, and any community of people in the world always fall short of providing the love of community of faith in Christ. These are all substitutes in comparison to how the people of God love one another in the power of Christ.

Love for All and In all

Lastly, Peter ends this list with agape love and he intends here to mean a godly love for all people and all things. In context, this broader term is rooted in the covenant love God has for His people but it seems Peter is calling the church to display that love to the world.

This is rooted in God’s love as we see in 1 John 4:7–8 “7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.”

Pauls states in 1 Cor 13 the many qualities of the love of God that is displayed in His people.

1 Corinthians 13:4:7

4 Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, 5 does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, 6 does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”

Paul, John, and Peter both see love as a discipline of the life of the believer because we are reflecting the very character of God living in us by His spirit. We will sacrifice and show kindness to all people if we love God. We will be patient and endure difficult people if we love God. We will be humble and subservient to all people if we love God. We will proclaim God’s truth and His saving message of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the nations, if we love God.

These are the exercises that we set out to accomplish daily in our lives if we are to mature day by day into the image of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Let us commit together as God’s people to grow and be strengthened in these holy exercises knowing that By His power, we can see fruit in our lives!

Dick Lucas-

The Message of 2 Peter and Jude c. Producing the Results

No Christian can ever claim to have arrived as a model believer; indeed, one of the hallmarks of Christian maturity is a growing dissatisfaction with our level of godliness. That should not produce despair, but make us aim to possess these qualities in increasing measure and become even more self-controlled, persevering and loving. Peter insists that this growth is our own responsibility