The Essentials of Discipleship

Essentials for Discipleship

Discipleship is the process of training people incrementally in some discipline or way of life, Discipleship is the process of devoting oneself to another to learn from and become more like him. For the Christian this refers to the process of learning the teachings of Jesus and following after his example in obedience through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Discipleship is not only the process of becoming a disciple, but the making of other disciples through teaching and evangelizing.

Peter opens up this epistle in a very unique way:

A Prayer for Christians; (Vs.1-2) 2 Peter 1:1-2 “Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ: 2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,”

The Privilege's of the Christian: (Vs.3-4) 2 Peter 1:3-4 / 3 “as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 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.”

The Practice of the Christian; (Vs.5-7) 2 Peter 1:5-7 / 5 “But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.” / For this very reason: because of our new birth and the precious promises and divine power offered us in Christ we cannot sit back and rest content with faith. Diligence = to make haste, be eager, to do ones best, to take care, to exert oneself. Virtue - goodness, excellence, a moral goodness.

The Productivity of the Christian; (Vs.8-9) 2 Peter 1:8-9 / 8 “For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.”

The Possession’s of the Christian; (Vs. 10-11) 2 Peter 1:10-11 / 10 “Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; 11 for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”