Infused

Intro: 2021, we are a couple of days in, and in most ways it is not any different than the last week, and much of last year. Yet, January 1 marks the beginning of a new year and a day when many people try to the way 2021 and hopefully the rest of their lives will progress for them. They do this by making New Year resolutions, of which year after year, the most common is to lose weight. Others pick a different way they want to improve themselves or their perception of themselves. The problem is many people only make it a matter of a few weeks before they falter and fail. It is not that people are not making the right resolutions; many times they are, therefore the question be asked “what would make people more effective.” The answer to that question is assistance and accountability.

One of the great things about a new year is that it can mark the beginning of new spiritual routines. In the second letter that he wrote to the church, Peter writes not about New Year’s resolutions but about new life qualities they need to pursue. That’s where we want to go today, taking a look at spiritual life qualities that will benefit us all whether we have been following Christ for a few days, few years or a few decades. We will look at them from 2 Peter 1:3-11. While most New Year’s resolutions would have us being healthier, more productive, better spouses and or parents, or some other earthly benefit, Thomas Schreiner is certainly correct when he writes “Eternal life is not merely the experience of bliss but also involves transformation, so that believers are morally perfected and made like God.” That’s what this passage is about.

2 Peter 1:3–11 NASB95

seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. 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. For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins. Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.

I. The Assistant

A. God who granted us everything

1. His Word

2. Salvation

B. The Holy Spirit

1. Not mentioned here

2. Note that the emphasis is on progressive personal growth. God does not magically infuse them in us through the Spirit. We are expected to work very hard at putting them to practice in our daily lives. Grant R. Osborne, “2 Peter,” in Cornerstone Biblical Commentary: James, 1–2 Peter, Jude, Revelation, ed. Philip W. Comfort, Cornerstone Biblical Commentary (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2011), 294.

3. Promise of Salvation Acts 2:38

4. Part of God’s divine power in verse 3

II. The Qualities

A. Not a direct list

1. Not build one on another

2. Not inclusive

B. Chain

1. Faith

a. not salvation

b. Faith we have in God for everyday life.

2. Moral Excellence

a. God character

b. But more than just that, it acts.

3. Knowledge

a. of God

b. Reading Scripture

i. not specifically commanded

ii. instead, fills in for listening to the Apostles teachings, especially since we are not an auditory society.

c. study under others / discipleship.

4. Self-Control

5. Perseverance

a. Not primarily in the face of persecution

b. in faith

i. In the face of false teachers

ii. In things that will challenge our faith (i.e. 2020, disease, death)

6. Godliness

7. Brotherly Kindness

a. affection for one’s fellow believer in Christ

8. Love

a. For God

b. For other’s

III. The Outcome

A. Better Life

1. As we live more godly

2. As we become more valuable to the world

B. Eternity

1. Prepare us for eternity

2. Keep us steadfast in our faith so we do not stumble