This is the third message in the mini-series on Maturing in Christ. The first message examined the idea of bearing the burdens of others. Paul commands us in Galatians 6:2 to, “Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” Burdens may be of the soul, heart, mind, or body. We are to show no prejudice of any type and without censoriousness. The second message examined the first few verses of 2 Peter 1 - namely the gifts that believers have received from God and the character of the Giver Himself. Gifts include the written Word of God, the Incarnate Word of God, peace, provision, conviction of sin by the Holy Spirit, sealing by the Holy Spirit, eternal life, among many others. The gifts that we receive have nothing to do with anything that we have done; it is the very nature of the Divine Giver to give good gifts.

Today we consider 2 Peter 1:5-8, “For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.  For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Our emphasis this week is on verse 5.

1. Maturity in Christ starts with faith.

Right in the middle of verse 5, we have this word faith.  But before we dive too far into verse 5, it’s important to understand who Peter is writing this letter to.  He starts the letter with, “To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours.” (2 Peter 1:1)  He was specifically speaking to believers - those who shared the same faith as him.  But note that the term obtained here does not mean that faith is something we discovered or created on our own.  Rather, it means “to be given to by divine allotment.”  But not only is faith given specifically by God to whomever he desires to give it to, the faith given to Peter’s audience is of the same substance of that which God gave to Peter!  That’s both amazing and humbling if you consider the life of Peter.

So what is faith?  Hebrews 11:1 explains faith as, “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”  Faith is what we know to be true but not necessarily can hold in our hands.  Faith is not based on logic or wishful thinking, but in what God has said. Ephesians 2:8-9 explains how faith benefits us: “For by grace you have been saved through faith.  And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Both the faith that we possess and the grace that provides salvation are gifts from God.  Faith is the capacity to believe and fully trust in the work that Jesus Christ did, so that we can be reconciled to the Father.

Without faith it is fruitless to attempt to apply the attributes that Peter lists in the following verses.  Trying to apply these virtues without faith is like trying to make oneself right with God - without God.  It is analogous to saying I don’t need what Christ Jesus did for me, I have a better way.  To tell God that we don’t need His grace and mercy is a most egregious of evils - it’s blasphemous to be honest.  Although all believers will struggle with their faith from time-to-time, it is important to remember that the faith you have has been divinely allotted  from God, and it’s not substandard or lacking in any way.  In moments of doubt, maybe one should consider how one is exercising his or her faith rather than to question the allotment of that faith.

II. Maturity in Christ leads us to reflection.

Verse 5 begins “For this very reason”, implying that we are to be intentional as we reflect on what God has given us.  2 Peter 1:3-4 says, “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.”  God has given to those whom He has redeemed precious and very great promises.  His promises include that we would become partakers of the divine nature and become more like Christ and less like the world.

Believers would do well to reflect on what life would be like if Christ had not come into their life. We would also do well to reflect on what it cost Christ to redeem us.  The path of coming to faith in Christ may look different for everyone, yet there is a common denominator - we all have much to be thankful for.  Peter tells us later in this chapter why we might not be embracing the virtues listed in 2 Peter 1:5.  Verse 9 of 2 Peter 1 says, “For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins.” There is a real danger in forgetting what God has done for us.  And so our reflection on what God has done for us should lead us to action.

III. Maturity in Christ calls us to godly living.

Next, Peter exhorts his readers to “make every effort”.  Another way of saying this, which aligns a little better to the original Greek, is to “apply all diligence.”  Applying all diligence means to strive eagerly and earnestly for something.  But what is greatly encouraging here is that God does not leave us to do this on our own, and in our own strength.  Paul tells us in Philippians 1:6 says, “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”  And turning again to 2 Peter 1:3 we see that, “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence.”  God starts the work in us; He keeps it going; and He will complete it.  This means becoming more like Christ every day, and partaking in the divine nature.  It is a great encouragement to know that we are not left to grow by our own devices.

So what is the something that Peter wants us to apply all diligence towards?  Well it is to “supplement your faith.”  This implies to supply lavishly or generously.  Peter wants his readers to understand that they are to lavishly supply to their lives the qualities listed in 2 Peter 1:5-8 (virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection and love).  You may notice that this list is similar to that which Paul gives in Galatians 5:22-23, a listing of fruit of the Spirit.  The idea is not so much that virtue leads to knowledge and knowledge leads to self-control, etc., but is analogous to the idea of planting seeds in the fertile soil of faith. God supplies the soil, which is our faith, and God supplies the seeds, which are the virtues listed thereafter.  To supplement our faith means that we are to lavishly plant the seeds which God provides.  And what is the end result?  Peter summarizes in verse 8 with, “For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”  If we want to be effective or fruitful, we must plant the seeds.

The first seed Peter lists here is virtue, which also means moral excellence, or the quality of being outstanding in matters of right and wrong.  The Greek word here is arete, and Peter also uses it in 2 Peter 1:3 and 1 Peter 2:9.  Paul also uses this word in Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”  We can be sure that if we don’t constantly think or consider true, honorable, just, pure, lovely and commendable thoughts, then the world will be more than happy to fill our minds with what is morally deplorable.  But Paul doesn’t stop there.  He continues in verse 9, “What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”  Put these virtues into practice and be known by them!

What is accomplished by supplementing faith with virtue or moral excellence?

1. Moral excellence proves one’s faith.

The Greek word for virtue never meant cloistered or secluded virtue, such as being in a monastery, but it means that which is exhibited in the course of normal day to day living. We are to be in the world but not of the world. In order to shine light in darkness, we must be in the darkness, but we must be careful to keep the darkness out of us. Paul said to practice the things seen in him (Philippians 4:9) and he tells us to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12). James 2:18 says, “I will show you my faith by my works.” Neither Paul nor James said that our good works contribute to our salvation but, for the believer, salvation and moral excellence go hand in hand. Proving one’s faith is what Paul had in mind when he wrote to Timothy, “Practice these things, devote yourself to them, so that all may see your progress.” (1 Timothy 4:15)

II. Moral excellence helps us to know God better.

Our idea of moral excellence does not necessarily align with God’s definition.  In our flesh, it is easy to desire moral goodness to be all love, all joy, to be free of pain, free of trials, free to act and think and say, and to do whatever we want without any consequences, yet Scripture says something very different.  God’s goodness is spelled out all throughout Scripture, but Exodus 34:6-7 provides a beautiful description.  “The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, ‘The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation.’"  Here we see that God’s goodness includes His justice – He will not let sin go unpunished.  The punishment of sin is part of God’s excellence.  If we really want to know God, then moral excellence must be one of the seeds we plant in our garden.

III. Moral excellence carries us along in our pursuit toward holiness.

This quality of being outstanding in matters of right and wrong is not something that Peter is suggesting - it’s a command, and it’s for our good and for God’s glory. Paul’s words to the Colossian church is a great summary for pursuing moral excellence.  Colossians 3:1-17: “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.  Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.  For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.  When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.  Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.  On account of these the wrath of God is coming.  In these you too once walked, when you were living in them.  But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.  Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.  Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.

Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.  And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.  And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.  And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” To live like this is to live with moral excellence.

Selah:

1. What are some of the important things to know about faith?

2. As you reflect on your life, what would you change if you could?

3. How would you rate yourself on living a godly life?