Laying It All on the Line (2 Peter 1:4-7)

Introduction

Benjamin Franklin was a genius of a man. He was also a great inventor. He invented some tings that you will probably recognize. For example, he created these things (point or hold glasses). He was the creator of bifocals. He also invented the copy machine, the hot water system, the lightning rod, and the stove. How many of you have ever heard of a Franklin stove? He also created the design for the streetlamp. You younger people will not appreciate this and I hope it is a long time before, if ever, you have to experience this last item. Benjamin Franklin also invented the urinary catheter.

In his twenties, he came up with something called the “moral excellencies.” This was moral advice that he decided he would pattern his life after. There were twelve of them. Here are just a few of them: temperence, silence, order, frugality, sincerity, tranquility, and chastity. He was also a huge proponent of charity and benevolence.

Why was Benjamin Franklin so intent on following such things? Well, you need to understand that Benjamin Franklin was not a Christian. He wanted to do those “moral excellences” so that he might earn favor with God. When he died, if he was successful at doing all these good things, he would then get to go to heaven. In his theology, there was no room for the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ in salvation. His was a works-based salvation. He believed that he could earn his way to salvation.

The great evangelist, George Whitefield, would often witness to Franklin. When Whitefield died in 1770, Benjamin Franklin made this statement: “You know, that great evangelist prayed often for the salvation of my soul, but I’m sorry to say his prayers will never be answered.” Folks, unless something changed before he left this earth, Benjamin Franklin is in hell today. [read text]

The Apostle Peter wrote this epistle around A.D. 66 near the end of his life. We have evidence to suggest that Peter was crucified upside down because Peter did not deem himself worthy of being crucified in the same manner as His Lord. Nero was happy to oblige. As we come to the text this morning, our text is going to reveal eight virtues necessary to laying it all on the line in growing in Christ.

I. PRECIOUS PROMISES (1:4)

Who is God? Who is Jesus? Yes, Jesus is the God of all power (1:3). However, Jesus is the God of everlasting promises (1:4). There has never been a promise that God has ever broken and there has never been a promise that God could not keep. “By which” points back to and references Christ’s glorious and virtue or goodness. By Christ’s glory and virtuous goodness, He “has given us very great and precious promises.” [CSB] What has Christ promised us? This points us back to the very first chapter of Peter’s first epistle. First, Christ has promised us an inheritance with Him (1 Peter 1:3-4). Second, Christ has promised He will come again (1 Peter 1:13). These promises concern the promises of eternal life. These promises result in becoming God’s children now and sharing in God’s nature because we possess eternal life.

When Peter wrote this around A.D. 66, there were people who were literally laughing him out of the pulpit. They scoffed at him and called him an idiot. They screamed, “Jesus is not God and Jesus is not coming again!” The false teachers of Peter’s day were teaching just like the false teachers of our day. However, the promises of God are true. Jesus is God and Jesus is coming again.

Verse four continues: “so that through them you may share in the divine nature.” “Through them” refers bak to the “precious and very great promises. “So that” points to the divine purpose of these promises. “So that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature.”

Mormonism has taken this portion of Scripture totally out of context. They say that God, the heavenly Father, was once a man just like us. One day we will be like God is today. In other words, we are all working our way to Godhood. The problem is that this is absoutely wrong. It is twisted heresy and is an affront to the biblical doctrine of God.

To share in the divine nature of God does not mean that we will one day be like God, and therefore gods ourselves. It means that there will be a moral perfection that we will be given one day because of our connection with Jesus Christ. We will participate (have fellowship with) and share in the divine nature. However, this in no way implies that deity will be granted to us. Why would we want to become little gods, when we have already become new creatures in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17)?

Further, because of these promises we will escape “the corruption that is in the world because of evil desire.” How do we escape the corruption of the evil desires that are all around us? To find out we now turn to the eight virtues God has given us to grow in Christ.

II.THE VIRTUE OF FAITH (1:5A)

Because of the promises of Christ and the evilness of the world we live in, we have some responsibilities. The first is to “make every effort.” This means that there is something we are to do. We are to supplement our faith. This is speaking of our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Many get confused here and think Peter is talking about a works-based salvation. This is the furthest thing from the truth. God calls us to salvation. Yet, we are responsible for working out our own salvation. It is not the idea of working hard to add something so that we can become saved. It is not a faith of works. It is a faith that works. Our faith is the foundational starting point, but it is only the beginning.

III.THE VIRTUE OF GOODNESS (1:5B)

The word used here for virtue is “goodness.” Goodness speaks of moral excellence. Faith is not the mere belief in a set of facts in Jesus Christ alone. Biblical faith always move to action. It must lead to growth in Christian character and the practice of moral discipline or it will die away. To say it another way, our lives ought to reflect something of the attactive character of Christ.

IV. THE VIRTUE OF KNOWLEDGE (1:5C)

In the first century there was a group of people in the first century called the Gnostics. There were a heretical group that believed that there was a secret knowledge that only they possessed. If you did not get it, you just missed out. That is not the knowledge that Peter is talking about here. Peter is talking about a depth of knowledge that we gain as we know Christ and walk faithfully with Him. The word knowledge as used here refers to the wisdom and discernment that enables believers to live godly lives. There are things that we are supposed to continue to learn and come to know.

What Peter is saying is that you need to have an increasing knowledge of the Bible so that you can live this life of godliness and spiritual maturity. Most peopleare living wicked lives are doing so because they are as dumb as dirt when it comes to the Bible. The church in America is increasingly ignorant of the Bible. The reason they do not know what is in the Bible is because they do not read the Bible. “Well, I don’t know where it’s at, but I know it’s in there.” It is the same way with sharing one’s faith. Many do not share their faith because they lack the confidence to even know what their faith is. We need knowledge, depth, and understanding of the Bible, because without it we cannot grow. We must be able to make a distinction between what is true and what is not true.

V. THE VIRTUE OF SELF-CONTROL (1:6A)

It is a word that refers to controlling the passions instead of being controlled by them. It is the inner strength to control one’s desires and cravings in all of life.

Peter is saying that you need to get a grip on yourself and get hold of your emotions and bad attitudes. Why? Because a person who possesses such a lack of self-control is a person who is not walking with God and gives evidence of immaturity and godlessness. Some people are always in an emotional mess because they are unable to do this.

You will never experience self-control until you are truly yielded to the Spirit’s control. We live in an undisciplined world and this has made its way into the church. Increasingly, Christians have no self-control. Why? Because they are not under the surrender of the Holy Spirit. We are all about self-indulgence, not self-sacrifice. It is not the pastor or the church, it is not your mama and your daddy, and it is not even the government that is the biggest problem in your life. The biggest problem in your life is you. The man or woman in the mirror is the biggest enemy you have.

VI. THE VIRTUE OF STEADFASTNESS (1:6B)

This is the world that is often translated perseverance. It carries the idea of “patient endurance.” It literally means “to push through and continue on.” One of the things I have learned over the years being in the pastoral ministry is many times what people say and what people do are two entirely differeint things. Often all it takes if for one thing to happen and certain people quit. Hear me, God can do amazing things through a person who is faithful and a person who will persevere through hard times. However, God cannot work in and through and bless a person who quits.

Proverbs 24:10 declares, “If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small.”

A faith that cannot be tested is a faith that cannot be trusted.

I have been up, condemened, and criticized so many times of the years, but especially the last twelve months. In God’s providence, one of our people came up to me and said, “Pastor, I need to talk to you.” I hate when that happens. You don’t know whether to pucker up or to duck. She continued, “Pastor, I know people have been rough on you. But you keep on doing what you are doing. Please don’t quit. There is a reason the devil sends his crowd after you.” I asked why she thought that was. She said, “Because he has not caught you yet, so you keep running for Jesus.” Folks, just refuse to let the devil catch you and cause you to quit. Christ paid to high of a price. Keep running with Jesus and you will win.

VII. THE VIRTUE OF GODLINESS (1:6C)

Godliness is the Greek word “eusebeia.” It carries the meaning of reverence and obedience. It is a very practical awareness of God in every aspect of life. Godliness is manifested in a lifestyle that exemplifies Christ and is empowered by Him. It means looking and behaving more and more like Jesus.

VIII. THE VIRTUE OF BROTHERLY AFFECTION (1:7A)

Brotherly affection is one word in Greek. It is the word “philadelpho.” It is often translated “brotherly love.” Possessing this virtue is the opposite of possessing a bitter spirit. Godliness cannot exist without brotherly kindness. It is a concerned caring for others. That is why 1 John 4:20-21 says, “If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God who he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.”

IX.THE VIRTUE OF LOVE (1:7B)

This is the Greek word “agape.” It is the same word used in Romans 5:8. “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” This type of love is a love that suffers. Notice that Peter began with faith and he ends with this self-sacrificing love. It demonstrates itself in sacrificial action for another. It is this kind of love that God demonstrated to us in salvation through the cross.

I do not want to minimize what others have done to you. They have done it to me as well. In these days, it seems to be the pasttime to be beat up on in some form. However, what someone else has done to you is nothing in comparision to what you and your sin has done to Jesus. It is time to get over it. This is agape. Do not tell me how much you love me when you sit, sulk, and shun me. Love shows up. it does not run away.

CONCLUSION

There you have it. These are eight virtues, although not all, that we are to instill increasingly in our lives so that we will grow in the likeness of Christ. It begins with the foundation of faith in the one who saved us. We are to add to that foundation the goodness of moral character. We add to goodness the increasing knowledge of God through the Word of God. As we grow through God’s Word we are to become more and more under the control of the Holy Spirit. Though this control of the Holy Spirit we gain self-control. Thus, we had to self-control steadfastness or patient endurance. To this patient endurance we are to add godliness where we look and behave more and more like Jesus. Godliness will lead to brotherly affection. If you are truly saved, all fellow believers are your spiritual brothers and sisters. Finally, the crown of it all is love.

The foundation of faith can be likened to this chair. I sit down with confidence in this chair and I do not have to look underneath it and check out the legs to make sure this chair will hold my wait. I just sit down in this chair. Now consider this chair in comparision to this chair. You can take the foundation of faith and be selfishly redeemed and keep it to yourself. This second chair is a bigger chair. God has a bigger chair that He wants to give you. Do not think of trading this chair for the bigger chair. Think of it as increasing the quality and substance of that same chair. God comes along and says, “I want you to begin increasing the size of that chair. You need to get your nose off social media and get in the Bible.”

As we are adding to our spiritual chair, something is happenning to me every minute, every hour, every day, every week, every month of the year. No matter how long you have been saved, as you consistently add to your faith, you will find yourself walking closer to Christ and becoming more like Him.

You ought to be much less like the person you used to be whe you first got this faith than you are today. It is called sanctification. The purpose of redemption is to be redeemed from what you used to be. Sanctification is the process whereby the evidence of that redemption becomes clearer and clearer to a lost and dying world. The problem is that rather than living in an oversized recliner, there are adult believers trying to live in a baby’s high chair, still sucking on their spiritual thumb.

You know, some of us have spiritual spirituality. We really do not want all these virtues. We take what we want and put the ones we do not want back on the shelf. Do you know what will happen when you do that? You become more and more like you used to be. Is that the life you want? If it is, you will never experience the power and victory of genuinely walking with Christ. Why not lay it all on the line for the sake of the gospel.