2 Peter 1 - part 1

Reading is in 2nd Peter chapter 1, Peter 2nd epistle and chapter number 1. Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ. Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness through the knowledge of him that has called us to or through or in glory and virtue.

Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And beside this giving all diligence add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge temperance, to temperance patience, to patience godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you and abound they make you that shall be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

But he that lacketh these things is blind and cannot see afar off and hath forgotten he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather brethren give diligence to make your calling and election sure for if these things for if you do these things you shall never fall. For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things though you know them and be established in the present truth. Yea I think it meet as long as I am in this tabernacle to stir you up by putting you in remembrance knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath showed me. Wherever I will endeavor that she may be able after my deceased to have these things always in remembrance.

For we have not followed cunningly devised fables when we made known unto the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the Father honor and glory when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory. This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.

This voice which came from heaven we heard when we were with him in the Holy Mount. We have also a more sure word of prophecy run to you do well that she take heed unto a light that shineth in a dark place until the day dawn and the day star arise in your hearts. Knowing this first that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation for prophecy came not at old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

Now we trust God will add his rich blessing to his word. Just a few introductory remarks I'll try to be aware of the time and only take perhaps 10 or 15 minutes to introduce the epistle. As far as the time of this epistle was written Peter was put to death under the reign of Nero and history would say that Nero himself ended his reign died in AD 68.

So sometime prior to that is when this epistle was written and since Peter likely died before the Apostle Paul and Peter speaks here of his soon departure likely sometime in AD 65-66 this letter was penned. So such a short time after the institution the day of Pentecost so we're looking perhaps at 35 years after the events that comprise the early chapters of the book of the Acts we have the problems that are confronted by the epistle before us. As far as the time it was written the atmosphere is so different in 1st Peter you remember that opposition was from without.

The people of God were being persecuted and there were fiery trials and all of the difficulty was from without and Peter wrote to strengthen the believers in light of what they were dealing with that was coming on them from without. 2nd Peter it all changes. Problems are coming from within from those professing to be Christians and yet as we shall see the danger of apostasy and it almost would seem as though the danger in 2nd Peter is greater than the danger of 1st Peter.

Problems from within being greater than problems from without. The audience I guess it depends on how you understand the very first verse those that have obtained like precious faith with us so is he writing to Gentiles who have been brought into the blessing the Jews have is he writing to believers who have the same blessings the Apostles have at least his audience is the same as 1st Peter perhaps a bit wider and I think we can say the audience comes down to us today to appreciate the writing that Peter has placed by the Spirit of God upon the inspired page the time. As far as the theme of what we are looking at in this epistle I think it's very obvious there are many many sub themes but I think the overall theme that we will consider is the theme of growth.

He begins in chapter 1 with telling us to add he wants to see progress in the Christian life being fruitful and he ends in chapter 3 with these words but grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Interesting that those two words grow in grace and in the knowledge. Grace would be the characteristic word of 1st Peter perhaps eight times over he speaks of grace and he ends that epistle with that wonderful and unique title the God of all grace used only once in our Bibles ending 1st Peter.

So 1st Peter is about grace 2nd Peter is about knowledge and so he brings both together at the end and says grow in grace and in the knowledge. When we come to our brother's reading in Jude we will see the same principle. He will begin in the beginning of that epistle with earnestly contending for the faith and among the many things that are necessary he will come at the close to the need for edification building up yourselves.

So we will learn this great principle that the best way to defend against error is by growth. Growing in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior so that he's not just suggesting a defensive posture keep the enemy at bay and have all your arguments in line but he's suggesting Christian growth a positive Christian life that is able then to counteract the error of the day that he was addressing. As far as topics then that we will look at in this epistle and you'll notice that in chapter 1 he isn't going to be encouraging growth in the believers and we'll be looking at that especially this morning.

He will be establishing as well their confidence in the Word of God a very vital thing to notice as we work our way through this epistle here and in chapter 3 especially. He will be enlightening them as to the error of the apostates and showing us their motives and their methods and their manners and so on as we come to chapter 2 and explaining to them the long-suffering of God that was a source of ridicule on the part of the those who wish to live a life of license and liberty and he will explain to them about that. Just a word about titles.

When you are looking in 1st Peter and reading in 1st Peter the characteristic title is Christ. Christ also hath once suffered for sins the just for the unjust. He speaks of the precious blood of Christ, the spirit of Christ which was in the signify when it testified before him the sufferings of Christ.

Christ has suffered for us in the flesh so as you're going through 1st Peter it is Christ. When you come to 2nd Peter it is Lord. In fact after verse number 1 you never read of the Lord Jesus apart from the title of Lord.

In fact that word Lord occurs 15 or 16 times in the epistle and certainly unequivocally 10 times referring to the person of Christ. Five times he will be the Savior and we will see that in our reading today as we go through this epistle. He is mentioned as Savior five different times in five different ways, five different thoughts link themselves together with that.

Also a very very important doctrinal statement to make that we have actually in verse number one the only time that his name occurs without the title of Lord and if you just look at that in verse number one where we read of the righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ a better rendering of that would be the righteousness of God even our Savior Jesus Christ. It is a statement of the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ. Believers should be especially young believers should be aware of at least eight clear statements in the Word of God that show the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ without any question.

Sometimes cults would say well where in the Bible does it say the Lord Jesus Christ is God? Well it says it at least eight times clearly and directly as well as innumerable indirect references to it and indirect allusions to it. John chapter 1 the word was God. John chapter 20 my Lord and my God Thomas's confession.

You have it as well in Romans chapter 9 God over all blessed forever. You have it in Colossians chapter 2 in whom dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. You have it in Titus chapter 2 the appearing of our great God and Savior even Jesus Christ.

Hebrews chapter 1 thy throne O God is forever and forever. Here in 1st Peter 2nd Peter chapter 1 and in 1st John chapter 5 he is the true God. So you have at least eight clear statements and we have one of them here that we will consider in 2nd Peter chapter 1 where we have read together of God even our Savior Jesus Christ.

So the titles are very very significant. There are other terms that we will look at that keep recurring in the epistle. The idea of diligence is found in a number of different cases at least three or four.

The idea of giving all diligence of the need of exercise the need of personal commitment to what we are looking at as we shall see. The word knowledge as I mentioned is a characteristic word of the second epistle and the base word to know occurs 16 times in this letter but very especially six times over a special word is used meaning full knowledge the full knowledge. Wherever you have apostasy introduced it is always against the background of full knowledge of divine things.

It is never a misunderstanding it is never a lack of teaching it is never a lack of knowledge. Apostasy means knowing completely the truth and turning from it and not just turning from it but repudiating it and denying it openly in a very very marked way. So apostasy is always against the background of full knowledge and he will use that expression six times here.

Godliness righteousness reserved will have in chapter 3 three things that are spoken of as being reserved we have their angels the unjust the false prophets come to chapter 3 and you've got the heavens and earth being reserved so God reserving things in light of a coming day of judgment and we'll consider those as well. Just a word about the truth of God that is so vital force to underline I mentioned that he will be encouraging and establishing our confidence in the Word of God so in chapter 1 he will remind us about the Old Testament and in chapter 3 he will remind us about the New Testament. In chapter 1 we have the Old Testament we have the prophecies confirmed and in chapter 3 he will speak about Paul what he has written and the rest of the scriptures and we will see that both are brought together here for us and we have confidence then in the old as well as the new as he brings them together in this epistle.

Just a word or two about the outline of the epistle chapter 1 is the rich provision made for our growth we will see what God has provided for believers to grow the rich provision for growth. Chapter 2 the righteous principles of government the righteous principles of God's government how he has judged why he has judged whom he has judged all looking for all pretending and all giving assurance of future judgment as well despite the scoffing of men. Chapter 3 the radiant prospect of glory we will look at that in our brother's reading in chapter number 3. Chapter number 1 his majesty now I know the context and the wording may not quite support this but it speaks of the kingdom speaks of the king our brother here from the UK originally would speak about her majesty the Queen I like to think of his majesty the king and his kingdom so chapter 1 we have his majesty chapter 2 we have his might none can withstand him in judgment chapter 3 we have his mercy his long-suffering a very valuable I don't know if we'll have time to do this a very valuable study for young Christians would be to go through this this letter and just to look at the attributes of deity that are seen for example here just in in chapter 1 alone we're reminded of his of his divine power we are reminded of his virtue we are reminded as well of his righteousness of his majesty of his of his eternality divine attributes that are revealed to us in the just the first chapter alone and that can be traced in all of the chapters and likewise aspects of the person of Christ in each of these chapters chapter 1 is the chapter of three legacies three things that God has given us and that is what are going to occupy us particularly this morning three legacies chapter 2 is a chapter of three lives you've got Noah you've got lot and you've got Balaam and it only takes a moment's recollection to think that there you have the spiritual the carnal and the natural so chapter 2 is the chapter of three lives chapter 3 is the chapter of three looks and our brother will consider that and just keep tuned to chapter 3 chapter 3 is the chapter of threes three worlds three days three looks and so there are lessons to be learned in that chapter as well now just to come to the chapter before us for just a moment or two before we open it up for discussion the rich provision God has made for our growth verses 1 to 4 are going to look to the past the foundation from the past what has God given us and we will see a foundation in the past we will come then to verses 5 to 11 and look at fruitfulness in the present what God expects now from each and every believer and we will come then in verses 12 to 21 to a focus on the future and what lies ahead chapter 1 then our foundation from the past the endowment of God verses 5 to 11 fruitfulness in the present the exercise of believers and then verses 12 to 21 focus on the future the expectation that is before each of us now much of the value of this chapter will come through an understanding of words that may not be as obvious in our authorized version those of you with a newberry or with other other Bibles will give marginal readings that will be very helpful and we'll look at some of those things for example the word for ad super ad is the idea provide and we'll see that we provide and then God is going to provide something for us as well same exact word that is being used as we'll as we consider it the word virtue could be translated courage excellence manliness will consider that as well as we look at it so with that before us much more could be said we'll try to intersperse that in the comments that we make as we go along we'll look now at chapter one some of our brethren may have some general comments to make about the epistle that would be good to do now and then we will try to follow it in an orderly way and there is so much here forgive if we have to move a little bit quickly because of all the material that could be looked at in this chapter all that could be gleaned from it so you'll just bear with me if we move perhaps a little faster than some would like but this would be a time to come in with some general comments before we begin a verse-by-verse understanding of the epistle so in the first epistle brother you say the the trials are more physical difficulties are more physical they're being persecuted whereas here it's maybe more a spiritual attack certainly I think brother has mentioned that in chapter 1 and sorry first epistle the attacks are physical there's physical persecution also there's mental persecution in the sense of being put down being verbally abused by forward masters and so on but yes here it is of a spiritual nature but I think he is writing in the first epistle because even physical and mental abuse can begin to affect spiritual life and question the over overruling care of God and purposes of God in it so in the first letter then the devil was seen as a roaring lion good is the devil mentioned in this book okay our brother has mentioned a very very helpful thing in chapter in the first epistle Satan is a roaring lion in this letter he is seen as an angel of light and we will look at that more in our brothers reading in chapter number two but where he is professing to give light to believers but it really is darkness David did you want to come in the structure of this is somewhat like Jude in that we begin very positively then we move to some very critical negative material and then we end positively we have the importance of faith at the beginning and the importance of faith at the end we have a great emphasis as you well know on the Word of God both of the Old Testament the prophets that have gone before and of the Word of the Apostles it's interesting that in general the revelation of the New Testament is considered to be something that is largely passed at this point toward the end of the era when the New Testament was written so rather than coming up with a lot of new material Peter is reminding us that we need to be reminded of what has already been granted very good what our brothers mentioned is also interesting because you recall the Lord Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration that's chapter one was followed by the valley where Satan was active binding the child and the Lord Jesus had to cast the demon out that's chapter two and all second epistles stress the importance of the Word of God what is being left to the people of God to live on the Word of God in fact isn't it true that over the first epistle we could write Matthew 16 the cross and suffering over the second epistle we could almost write Matthew 17 the mount very good I think we should move in then to the first section verses 1 to 4 and consider something of the gracious endowment that God has given the expressions that are here are very very valuable and very helpful to notice and he begins with a mention of Simon Peter different again from the first epistle he mentions both names Simon Peter here at the very beginning and also a bond servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ we should just mention for the sake of young believers who study that you will come across a lot of controversy or controversy as to whether Peter was the author of this epistle we are assuming that Peter is the author of the epistle there is both internal and external evidence for it we're not going to take a lot of time going over all of that but Peter was the penman and much of his personal experience is seen here in the letter itself isn't one of the proofs of his authorship seen in the first two words he doesn't introduce himself as Peter but he introduces himself as Simon Peter he also speaks about his death knowing that he wasn't going to die as a young man but as an older man so Simon Peter that's his Hebrew name and his Greek name so would that make his writings particularly relevant to both Jews and Gentiles yes so we make it relevant to both plus also it was a name that Greece gave him he was changed from the natural man to the spiritual man and that's what he's dealing with throughout this epistle is growth from what is natural to what is spiritual Simon would be the name that the law gave him Peter would be the name that the Lord gave him very good I'm going to say there's quite a transformation from Peter when he was bragging and boasting now it seems he's taking a very low place isn't it a bond servant and with like precious faith Peter's maturity is lovely to notice in the epistle as her brother Lavery has drawn our attention to he is it's nice to think of not getting old and getting crotchety and getting negative and getting miserable but just growing more and more like the Lord Jesus and Peter can be seen in that light in this in this epistle I understand the word Simon from the Hebrew has the idea of diligently hearing and that is something that is going to be emphasized thank you so the man in the second chapter are described as servants or bond servants but here Peter describes himself different connotation it's a bond servant of the Lord Jesus yeah we'll just mention now the the difficult one of the difficult expressions here to them have obtained like precious faith with us with the righteousness of God what does it mean to obtain like precious faith is the faith here the body of truth they have come into the good of is faith here something that has enabled them to trust Christ is this saving faith is this subjective is this objective and it is a difficulty and there'll be a difference of opinion on it and I guess part of your view would be your view on election but it could be grammatically could be either he does not mention the faith which would be more in keeping with the body of truth he doesn't he does however speak about having obtained like precious faith with us so probably believers along with the Apostles coming into the good of the same salvation a common salvation that all had and that all enjoyed but certainly this is open for discussion and I think we can be well the objective is safer ground to go on right the truth that we have all received he talks about we and he talks about you whether he's talking about we meaning the Apostles and you being the believers who have received our message or we being Jews and you being Gentiles it's really important to realize and it's the same is true of everybody in this room that we have the same precious faith we share it in common no one has more of it or less of it it's available to all of us and it is really the grounding that will keep us safe as we grow in it we will be protected against the problems of chapter 2 we only have that faith as we believe it we only possess it as we lay hold on it right that's true I mean really the subjective versus the objective meaning of faith and also the idea of fealty or faithfulness cannot be absolutely divorced from each other yeah when the word pistis is used there's usually nuances of all three so I think those who believe will grow in that faith and will become more faithful themselves that's the power of God's Word yeah what our brother had been mentioning just so none are lost and confused the faith is the body of truth that we have all been given our faith lays hold of that body of truth and as a result as we lay hold of it then we become faithful in it so that is the issue here in this verse which nuance of it is in view and I think our brethren have suggested that it's very difficult to always cut and divide in a nice clear pigeonhole type of manner with the with the next part help through the righteousness of God is that word faithfulness well the righteousness of God here is they could be the idea number one that God has not shown partiality Jew and Gentile Apostles and believers have all together come into the good of the very same truth or it could be the righteousness of God even our Savior Jesus Christ not his righteousness but the righteousness he has provided as a by virtue of his death and sacrifice the only time the expression is used in our New Testament this precious faith and it's the thought to that in the context under the trials the difficulty within it was something of rare value if something could be exercised otherwise wouldn't be very helpful can we move then to verse 2 of course grace and peace be multiplied through the knowledge of this is the word for full knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord now let you work it out you can get on this chapter there is addition multiplication subtraction and division this is the arithmetic chapter so you can look at that yourself and work that out here we have something that is going to be multiplied multiplied grace and peace be multiplied what a tremendous thing to think that it God doesn't dole it out on little deuces it's available in in profusion and we'll look at that same idea same concept is here relative to what God gives he gives generously we have a God that gives generously copiously abundantly and whatever he gives it's something we're going to enjoy eternally isn't it the thought of undeserved favor and tranquil completeness that will be developed and we will enjoy that right into eternity so the measure of grace and truth that we grace and peace that we enjoy now is based on a enjoyment of the Lord Jesus amen for the full knowledge of him and just just something I deep exercise about that in our ministry and teaching we do need assembly truth we do we do need correction as to our pathway rather than we do need to hear about the Lord Jesus and as we learn about him we begin to meditate on him and we'll enjoy more and more grace and truth and peace in reality brother Duncan is there any truth that is actually divorced from the person of Christ shouldn't be there shouldn't be that's the key all truth should come back to him and spring from him very good do you see the phrase God and of Jesus our Lord to be equivalent to the phrase in verse number one I grammatically I don't think so because it is the knowledge of the God and of Jesus the Lord so I would take it doesn't quite have the same construct so there are two articles in verse two but only one inverse correct yeah very good so this is a knowledge that builds up when we come to 220 it's a knowledge that puffs up so it's important to have the true knowledge of the Lord and of course as linked with as you have said I believe with salvation grace and peace really are the whole summary of the gospel aren't they God moves in grace his unmerited favor he brings the Savior to us and we receive him and we therefore are beneficiaries of his peace peace with God but those objective truths also are what make the Christian life so meaningful because grace is something that enriches our lives and peace is something that we enjoy in our hearts as well the secret as we've been saying is by the knowledge of God and Jesus Christ our Lord and as we grow in that knowledge the grace and peace are multiplied to us is that what you see in chapter 2 how our verse 2 I mean how can these things be multiplied to us is it by the knowledge by acquiring increasing knowledge yes I think that what is in view here is as I come into a fuller knowledge of all that God is and of all that Christ is then grace and peace become multiplied or greater to me so that this verse points out a danger that we as Christians face and that is living our Christian lives on emotion rather than on truth you know you're going to get up some mornings and not feel very Christian like you're going to have occasions where you it really don't feel like a Christian whatever that means but Christianity is based on truth not on emotion truth does control emotion but never let emotion control or cloud or question truth he says here is how you will have grace and peace it is through truth that is appreciated of divine persons not just doctrines now doctrines are linked with persons but knowing the person and as we'll see we can know what God is like by going to this epistle and just looking at his attributes and how he acts and all of his glories the graces came by Jesus Christ and you know the grace of our Lord Jesus who is rich yet it became poor and peace he says my peace give I unto you not as the world giveth so if we want to know peace we're not going to find it in the world we'll find it only in the knowing Christ so peace would be very important when I have those that are teaching wrong things wouldn't it nothing so upsets yeah nothing so shakes and assembly as we could look at second Thessalonians they were shaken in trouble because of false teaching so error does disturb the believers and truth unites and brings peace verse verses wanted to remind us we all had the same birth we will find now we all have the same blessings and we all have the same book so the provision God has made for our growth the common birth the common blessings the common book so we'll come to verses 3 and 4 and look now at some of these blessings that we have received and in what way do we I know I'm jumping ahead but in what way then do we become partakers of divine nature and we'll look at that so we are reminded that in verse number 3 that his divine power has given us everything that pertains unto life and godliness through the full knowledge of him who has called us to glory and virtue so these verses now will tell us our resources that we have in for growth can I ask you about that phrase to glory and virtue is it that Peters telling us that we've been called or us possibly it's still the Apostles in that verse but is it that they were called to a destiny of glory and virtue or is it that they saw the distinctiveness of glory and virtue linked to a person I take it here that the idea is not that they were called to glory and virtue as their destination to heaven as we could look at in other places but rather that as a result of God's glory and virtue God's glory and his excellencies were involved in other words there has been absolutely no compromise in the character of God in saving and blessing each one of us he has not compromised his character in fact it actually displays his glory and his excellencies to us so it's the instrumentality it's the instrumentality of his glory and virtue in operation rather than the inducement of glory and virtue before right some similar the call is calling it as an accordance with his glory and virtue right that's the standard by which we've been called it is it possible or would you rule out the fact that Peter saw the excellency of glory and virtue in a man that was the Lord Jesus similar to John 1 we beheld his glory what about the virtue full of grace and truth no question that that what our brother has just said is very true he's going to speak about seeing his majesty that's really abrasive of everything isn't it the glory the excellency the person all of that is was revealed and was appreciated so what are these all things then that is given as all things you be specific things he has given us everything we need to grow like would you include a high priest and advocate certainly that is also part of but I think he's going to he's going to mainly give us those things here that are going to follow in fact that expression all things is used I forget exactly how many times in the epistle but it's found a number of different times through the epistle I would take it here all things are going to be the resources necessary for spiritual growth but we would certainly include in that although not part of the context here a high priest above an advocate a shepherd all of that is part of what we have been given for the power according to divine power would that be that salvation or when God saved as he saved us now he wants to develop that salvation very good so rather than divine grace which is the freedom of the bestowal divine power the certainty of the bestowal and the certainty of the resources we have the source divine power we have the supply he's bestowed upon us lavishly everything sufficiency we have the sustenance for spiritual life and godliness we have the simplicity comes to us through the knowledge of him and the security it's underwritten with his own glory and virtue and excellence and the salvation is called us and we are sure but I just go back and underline one word that our brother has just mentioned and that is divine power had given to us different words in the New Testament the two words in this section that are used for the word given suggest lavish giving abundant giving not just the matter of giving something but lavish giving God giving gratuitously God giving abundantly to us so his divine power has given us everything that we need for life and for godliness through the knowledge of him and then he says whereby have been given again that same word abundantly given unto us exceeding great and precious promises they are great in that they are extensive they are precious in that they were expensive so we have only extensive promises and the expensive promises that God has given to us in his son would you not see this section from two to four as really an explanation of the grace that begins the section in other words grace is really divine enablement this is this power that's being referred to the promises that are being given and the Godward side of our attaining the divine nature is all God's grace at work in the next section we're going to say we're going to see rather our responsibility to add but here we see God's side of it that he has given us the power he's given us the promises and his purpose is not just to see us saved but to see us grow and develop so that we begin to be like him morally and are said to be there for our takers of that divine nature that's what God wants for us sometimes when we give promises we don't have the power or ability to carry them out but as according to his power and every promise that we have in the Word of God there is an enablement to be carried out through the power of God not through my power through his power so doctrine here can be divorced from practice we're learning that the two things are complete accord again life and godliness is linked to the doctrine we receive yeah practice must be based on doctrine otherwise it becomes mere legalism and mere habit that really brings no pleasure to God I would take it so from the moment of the inception of divine life in us we have become partakers of the divine nature is that way I think that what is in view here we have a divine nature a new nature but I think what he is stressing here is the development of that that you might become increasingly more and more whatever other just so because the wording is not maybe clear to some of you reading in your authorized version the actual reading in verse number four in the latter half of that verse is that through these you might become partakers of the divine nature how do you escape the corruption so the idea of becoming is becoming more and more like Jesus more and more godly in my life so yes you received divine life divine nature at conversions day but now he wants us to develop that by and more and more to escape the corruption that is in the world through lust it would be the thought of laying hold wouldn't be laying hold on eternal life so the outward development if you like of what took place on conversions day so after the knowledge of the Lord we need more than the knowledge we need the spirit we need the power so we're definitely the sequence the power so that we can work these things out the false teachers didn't have that they didn't have a life yeah so the power will be necessary here but a brother David has already reminded us we're looking here at the endowment what God has given to us what grace has provided and now as we come to verse 5 in a moment or two we will notice the personal responsibility that we have to supply to our faith certain other aspects and as a result then to grow their line just a little more on that endowment perhaps the word given there as it is a contrast to the other word that could have been used where a petition is made for a certain item and that is given according to the asking whereas God has given here before we even ask and the idea is that when we come in need he has already supplied that for which we are need of or that which we are so the divine nature is not that we become little deities he's not talking about the ontological nature of God he's talking about moral likeness to God and that is something that although we have a new nature the same same word we use the idea of a new nature when we're saved this is an acquired nature where we become more and more like him and the natural thing for a new life is to grow a little plant to evolve in the ground right now is growing because that's its nature to grow and so he's encouraging us to show our salvation theologians will talk about the non-communicable attributes of deity omniscience omnipotence omnipresence so on God does not communicate he cannot communicate those attributes to us we will never sorry even in heaven will never know everything will continue to learn I don't ask me you know eternity is gonna be one long learning process but even at that will still not be omniscient will never know all that God knows he will always have something fresh to reveal to us those are non-communicable we don't become little deities but there are attributes that we are to develop that are Christ's like and should be manifested in our lives and that's what we're looking at now in this epistle the communicable the infectious if you want the that which we can catch and develop from the divine nature so before Peter closes his epistle in chapter 3 he tells us the growing grace and the knowledge of the Lord Jesus the two things are linked together and actually I think the tense of that is grow and continue to grow isn't it the idea of a never-ending process so we'll never stop knowing so when a baby is born it has life from its parents but that little individual is an unknown quantity in terms of relationship but as time passes and it takes in nourishment that little child develops a relationship with its parents and vice versa so it's similar to this isn't that that analogy very good yeah or it could even be so much that as the child gets to know the parent more they take on the characteristics of that parent because the idea is sharing in common that which is passed along and unfortunately is very scary in the human realm now just before we go on to the next section though any of our brethren who normally would take part in their home Bible readings any have any comments or questions where things are moving quickly here and a lot of participation we don't want to we've had your chance ok you'll notice the very last word in our in our version in verse number 4 is the word lust do not think of lust just in one dimension we tend to think of it in terms of just in a sexual immoral way but lust is anything that doesn't belong to me what the world craves the corruption that is in the world because of lust is because of men's longing for power prestige popularity possessions down a long list this is that's what the world prizes now I want to tell you what you should prize and go in for in contrast to what the world goes in for what men prize here's what I want you to prize supply in your faith and so on look at that now just to mention when you are in the epistle to the Galatians Paul is going to write about the fruit of the Spirit when he writes about the fruit of the Spirit love begins the list when Peter writes about fruitfulness and growth love is at the end of the list now the list really aren't that different when you are in Matthew chapter 5 sons of the kingdom you've got virtues that should mark sons of the kingdom we are seen in this chapter as sons of the kingdom children of the kingdom we belong to the king we belong to the kingdom we should be marked by the virtues that are seen here in this chapter he is going to speak about giving all diligence add or supply add to your faith and so on it's not the idea of building one on top of the other it's the idea rather of here is this virtue now in its supply this to balance it and to make it what it ought to be so it's not the idea of building blocks but rather I don't know we were kids we had these things that kind of expanded like a telescope almost that you would pull out the idea of supplying something in the previous virtue let me just give you an illustration that I think is very apropos there's a boy in the Old Testament who when he was born he was given the name he will add of course that's Joseph now you take Joseph's life and put it side-by-side with these seven things add to your faith courage add to courage knowledge add to knowledge self-control add to self-control endurance add to endurance brotherly love add to brotherly love love that is Joseph's life on a continuum perfectly he supplied he had this and then this was added to it to balance it then this virtue was added to balance those and as you went on and you see you see a life developing and and maturing until you see him dealing with his brothers in such such grace and displaying such unconditional love to them you meant it for evil God meant it for good and so you have Joseph's life here in this picture of he will add in verses 5 through verse number 8 so we'll look at some of these and this is a very very practical section and very very necessary for us to consider could I just ask you just before you touch the features themselves someone reference the Holy Spirit there there is only one reference to the Holy Spirit in the book yes so I take your point that this is the responsibility of the believer in this section but then practically how can I do this how can I add every section of the Word of God that speaks about fruitfulness will emphasize a different aspect here it is responsibility when you're in John 15 the whole secret is abiding in Christ letting his word abide in you when you're in Galatians 5 it is walking in the spirit yielding my life to the Spirit of God in 1st Peter chapter 2 it is feeding upon the Word of God so in each section you are getting a different emphasis on what is necessary for growth so the only answer is you bring them all together because none of them can be divorced from the other abiding in Christ means feeding upon the Word of God allowing that word to control me that involves yielding my life to the Spirit of God that involves a commitment on my part to do so so we're looking at the fact that this growth is not going to be a passive here I am I'm saved that's just going to happen there needs to be commitment now my brethren can help me where do you separate natural you know I'm going to do it natural determination from spiritual commitment maybe it's a fine line I'm not sure but there's the commitment there is the time spent in the Word of God there is a yielding of my life willing to obey whatever God says and there is the abiding in Christ but you have some other things I'm sure I would endorse what you said one thing is is this the practical outworking of the knowledge because you'll notice the end of verse number 80 says onto the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ so he starts with the knowledge at the beginning and he concludes or if you he concurs with the knowledge just at the end of verse number eight very good I would also say without jumping too far ahead he is going to show them why this kind of life is worthwhile because there's a kingdom coming and that kingdom is going to reflect what you were for Christ here so he's going to give them an incentive that will make them want to commit themselves to this kind of life and to and to this kind of diligence isn't the first word for knowledge brother John that's a thought of inquiry where is the word in verse eight is a thought of full knowledge so in our life there should always be a seeking for knowledge and that's not just to know the scriptures mentally but to know what the scriptures are about it was pointed out the Lord Jesus what about the fact then in verse number five that he didn't have to add faith he's adding to faith well this is a person who's already a believer so he begins this is where we begin with faith and we begin with the faith so here is here's the potential and now build on it so you've linked all these things to the life of Joseph it's possible to go through them and link them to the life of Peter himself go ahead so you've got courage you think of the garden he has developed courage maybe it was the wrong kind of courage but but but you can go through each one of them temperance and you can see self-control developed in the life of Peter patience endurance under pressure and maybe he didn't I go a fishing maybe he should have showed more patience that morning but you can go through each one of them and see pictures at least in the life of Peter very good it helps to remember to that Peter was a restored man wasn't he throughout this whole epistle and so he's writing with I think an understanding of what it means in life to learn how to add these things there was a time when he was deficient in these things he would admit himself and so we too can take courage from that and realize that it's by diligence and by just the not not the lust as you say at the end of but but the same kind of fervor that's in that word now directed toward the good and to add to our faith virtue the question I would have is why is virtue second now it could be that the order I mean I think the order is important the Spirit of God has it for a reason you would think maybe knowledge would be second your faith and then you learn and then you grow I was reminded though or that the same word virtue we've already met in verse 3 pertaining to Christ and in first Peter chapter 2 as you know verse 9 that we the royal priesthood may proclaim the excellencies are actually the same word so I wonder if one of the secrets to progressing up this ladder of virtue I'm sorry I said ladder okay is to get a full glimpse of the the value of the person of Christ of his virtue we desire it for ourselves the word is difficult because there's so few uses in the New Testament and in classical Greek that really thinks of someone who is heroic or someone who is excellent in the sense that the ancient Greeks would think but we're looking at the excellencies of Christ here as the object before you can grow or go anywhere you need to know where you're going you need to have your eye on some sort of goal right well that goal after faith is to look at the arete the excellencies of Christ is it the moral courage to do the will of God that courage to do it now Peter was misdirected in the garden so then it needs to be qualified with knowledge it needs to be given direction but what to can be it's the word then it can be in your faith yeah so I'd super add in your faith virtue so faith becomes part of that which is allowing you to complete these other things to underline what our brother a balance has mentioned we're going to come in a few verses to God saying this is my beloved son and whom is all my delight what was it God delighted in these virtues seen in Christ here is what God appreciated in Christ now he says I want you to add them to your life as well here is what marked him so you can trace these we've been mentioned him in Joseph and I just brought it in because his name means he will add our brother mentioned it in Peter as the author but certainly every virtue that God delights in was found in its fullness I appreciate what you said about the continuum I like that but the word super odd that mr. Newbery shows in his margin how would you see that here could you explain it a lot I think it's the idea of supplying I think it's also gonna be translated to supply make this available in your faith make virtue available in your virtue make knowledge available in it make temperance endurance and so on I think I think idea of supplying to it to balance it to develop it to its fullest usefulness I see that in the word that it's just a super odd yeah I don't fully understand well I just take it as being supplying is a measure of supply a deep supply or richly supply richly supply yeah yeah it's nice to nice to notice that just not dragging it back brother Higgins but Simon Peter I think just the sort of disagree with you brother John come as far as say I think you wouldn't be the first time would it I don't know the last I think that Peter's speaking from his own experience and saying this is where I failed okay and he sees this is where I have regained this yeah that my faith fail not okay yeah you go each of these and say you mean the virtues that's right yeah things that so he sees them just the opposite yeah I would I could go with yeah I'm not saying I changed my mind in the Bible just change your notes for you just don't both preach the same thing well he's not Peter's not teaching something he hasn't experienced himself that's right yeah we'll see that too in a few minutes just to go back to your question to our brother about the super ad we're going to come in verse 11 God shall add to you supply you an abundant entrance same word so he's going to be working on that idea of God providing richly providing for you you richly provide to each of these virtues God is going to richly supply to you sowing and reaping principle here it's something to which there is no limit there's not we do things today in our normal life so what level to which we go there's no level here as much as you can you can handle could we just get a maybe a word or two about these individual virtues so that young believers especially understand what we're speaking of when we speak about temperance and speak about patience and godliness and brotherly love and so on why is godliness singular there can you help us with that godliness it especially in the pastoral epistles but somewhat here as well in Peter is not maybe the way we use the word godliness has the idea of God fearingness the idea that above all I want to please God in my life so I don't want to take away from the thought that this is becoming more and more like the Lord Jesus but I think the word godliness would carry more the idea of wanting to please God and desiring above all else to please him in my life had you seen it that way sure the three references in fact in your chapter the word diligence I think is really important these things aren't going to happen by mistake or by accident and they're not going to happen to the lazy Christian these are things that we need to seek for and strive for we have faith we received well we exercise that I'll say at the moment of conversion ouch I'm sorry yes I'll move on from faith we have this idea of moral courage I'll accept that this is a courageous thing for Christians to ascend up the scale or to widen their circles in your analogy and of course knowledge you can't get anywhere without knowledge now that includes but is not limited to scriptural knowledge because they think it's the knowledge of the Lord it's the knowledge of how the truth of Scripture is to be applied in my life self-control has a lot to do with what I'm going to do with pleasure in my life am I going to curtail worldly pleasures and appetites for the sake of God the next word has to do with what I'm going to do with pain in life or difficulty am I going to run from it or am I going to endure under it sometimes the Bible uses the word macro through Mia which means long-suffering with people but this is the word hoop Oh money which is usually circumstances some of which contain people and we are to bear up under the pain not being running after pleasure and not being afraid to experience pain in this pursuit we need to get a proper perspective on God and on the priority of worship and I'm pleasing him in our lives what about the Christian believers are they important of course they're important we need to learn to love them and to have affinity with them but the crowning thing of all is to end up where God begins which is with love which is the selfless expenditure of yourself for the good of others whether they deserve it or not very good but I just I know this is a bit off the track but just to underline again the value of young believers brethren ancestors both studying words in your Bible brothers mentioned two different words for patience or endurance one of them is under the circumstances just moving forward and not allowing the circumstances to overcome you the other is long-suffering with people it never uses the first word for God God is never under circumstances he's always above them we are under the circumstances we have to endure under the circumstances our long-suffering our patience our endurance is under circumstances and we move forward for God but God is above circumstances so it never uses that first word for divine persons just for for us in our condition so the idea of self-discipline is not something which is archaic or for a past generation it is vital vital to the Christian life you will not make any progress for God without some measure of self-discipline learning to say no to yourself learning to discipline yourself with your reading with your prayer with your involvement with different things using the world not abusing it the wording of Paul and to Timothy and second Timothy being a soldier not entangled not allowing I mean anyone here who works in business especially business for yourself you know what it's like you can become entangled with the affairs of this life sometimes you have to make tough decisions where you have to say no to some things so self-discipline is vital for growth as a believer not only is life extremely busy but life is also fraught with a lot of distractions today with media let's face it we can be distracted to death to spiritual death we can let these little devices like little leeches on our belts suck all the spiritual life out of us not just by going to places on websites we shouldn't be visiting or going to the salacious side of the thing but perfectly legitimate things that are fun and interesting and clicking here and clicking there and I'm not on any sort of anti-technology tirade I'm just saying there's too many distractions in life and Christians who have the inner control of this word the discipline that is required here have got to learn to say no absolutely limit these things even ruthlessly limit them any comments or questions up to verse number seven