2 Peter 1:5-11

2 Pet. 1:5-11

Growing, Showing, & Knowing

I. If we truly belong to Christ, our lives will show it, so we must be diligent to cultivate our faith into fruit (Vv. 5-9)

a. In light of what we’ve already received from God through Christ, we’re called to supply diligence, eagerly and lavishly, to build on the foundation that’s already been laid within us. We can’t save ourselves through any amount of effort on our own part, God has to provide salvation through Christ, but our relationship with Him is to be a growing, flourishing, and fruitful relationship. God provides all we need for that to happen, but He calls us to the responsibility, motivated by love and a desire to live pleasing to Him, to cultivate our faith, which is a gift from God, into growth and fruit. Peter’s appeal for growth is followed by seven very practical characteristics that must be present and growing in one who belongs to Christ. (Vv. 5-7; Luke 18:19; Rom. 3:10-12, 23; 15:7; 1 Cor. 13:13; 15:10; Gal. 5:22-23; 6:10; Eph. 2:8-10; 4:3; Col. 1:29; 1 Tim. 4:7-10; 6:11; 2 Tim. 4:7; Heb. 12:4; 1 Pet. 2:9-11)

1. “Moral Excellence”—This is the basic goodness that no one has, but which is richly supplied by God’s grace through Christ. We cultivate goodness by desiring habits in life pleasing to God, and turning away from fleshly desires.

2. “Knowledge”—This word for knowledge, refers to practical understanding and wisdom. It’s a call to grow in exercising good judgment in order to grow to live an increasingly virtuous life.

3. “Self-control”—Our ability to control the passions inherent to our flesh depends completely on submitting to God’s control of our lives.

4. “Perseverance”—When we encounter stress and difficulty in life, we’re the most vulnerable to temptations and false teaching. We must trust in God’s strength in our weakness.

5. “godliness”—Godliness refers to being practically aware and in awe of God in all areas of life, which naturally moves us to deepening trust and obedience.

6. “Brotherly Kindness”—A relationship with God which is deepening will manifest itself in our horizontal relationships with others, especially others in Christ.

7. “Love”—We must grow in showing others the same type of sacrificial love we’ve been shown by God. It speaks of a growing desire for the highest good of others.

b. If we display these characteristics prominently in our lives, then our faith will be properly paired with increasing works which bear fruit for God’s glory and grow us deeper in the “true knowledge” of our Lord Jesus Christ. Peter contrasts the motivation which leads to faithful and fruitful lives, with those who are “blind or short-sighted”. This phrase means these people have become near-sighted, spiritually blind, and intentionally stopped living diligently and fruitfully because they’ve lost sight of the amazing gift of salvation in Christ. (Vv. 8-9; Jas. 2:20; Tit. 3:14)

II. If we truly belong to Christ, our lives will show it, so we must be diligent to cultivate our faith so as to validate our salvation (Vv. 10-11)

a. Salvation is the starting line of the racecourse of our lives in Christ. We’re to begin to run the course He’s set before us then, not just sit at the starting line content that we gained entry into the race, or hoping that we’ve gained entry. So now, Peter calls us to continue diligently building on our faith by expending all our effort and energy to live fruitful lives that increasingly display the character of Christ, in order to validate in our hearts that we truly belong to Him. To be clear, Peter is in no way calling us to earn our salvation, he’s already made clear that it’s a gift from God, but he does call us to live lives that demonstrate that our salvation is real, so it becomes certain. (v. 10a; Rom. 6:1-7; 2 Cor. 13:5; Phil 2:12-13; 1 John 2:3, 28; 3:18-21)

b. Peter’s wants these Christians, and us, to be diligent to make certain our salvation, so we’ll also be assured by our continually growing in Christ, that we won’t stumble and fall along the course where we won’t finish. He’s certainly not saying that if we’re diligent to supply effort to grow continually in Christ, that we won’t sin. But he is saying, and he should know, that as long as we continually humble ourselves before Christ, and desire to obediently and diligently serve Him and grow in Him, He’ll graciously and continually restore us and keep us. We can certain that through Christ God gives us all we need to live lives growing in the true knowledge of Christ, and glorify Him in the world, but He calls us to supply the diligence to cultivate this growth. We can also be certain that He honors our diligence and effort and welcomes us to Him in His eternal Kingdom. (Vv. 10b-11; Matt. 25:21; Luke 22:31-32; John 21:15-17; Rom. 3:23; James 2:14-20; 3:2; 1 John 1:8-9; Jude 24)