The Specifics of Christian Development
Part 1
2 Peter 1:1-11
Intro
God’s people get in trouble when they fall to act like they are God’s people! That’s why Peter wrote in our passage for today about Christian character development.
Two Sundays ago, we began looking to this passage to see what peter had to say to us about developing Christ like character. We first considered what he had to say about the priority of it. We discovered five reasons listed by Peter as to why developing Christ-like character should be a priority for the Child of God. When we make Christian character development our daily pursuit…
• It will insure that my life is not wasted
• It will insure my proper appreciation of salvation
• It will present a positive witness to others
• It will prevent me from bringing reproach to the name of Christ
• And it will guarantee a rich welcome for us when we enter into Heaven.
We next looked at the path of Christian character development. We found that Peter tells us…
• It begins with a personal and growing knowledge of Christ
• It continues through reliance on God’s power and promises
• And it leads to real life change from the inside – out.
Now today, I want us to move on to consider the specifics of Christian Character development. Peter is very specific concerning what character qualities we should seek to develop as a Christian if we are going to progress toward Christ-likeness
READ 2 Peter 1:5-7
We note that as Peter gives us this list of Christian character qualities, he seems to list them in a particular order. Faith comes first, followed by goodness, then knowledge, to which we add self-control, then perseverance, then godliness, then brotherly kindness, and finally love.
While we are told that we are to “possess these qualities in increasing measure”, it would seem that peter is specific about what character qualities we are to pursue and in what order.
Upon careful consideration, we see that the first three character qualities (faith, goodness, and knowledge) have to do with my relationship with the God above me. The second three (self control, perseverance, and godliness) have to do with my relationship with the world around me. The last two character qualities (brotherly kindness and love) have to do with my relationship with the people around me.
As we consider each of the Christian character qualities Peter mentions here, we will also look at how they are linked to one another. This morning, let’s look at the first three which have to do with our relationship with God (faith, goodness, and knowledge).
I. Faith (v. 5)
a. The first characteristic of the growing Christian has a uniqueness to it – because the Christian is not instructed to supply faith.
i. Faith is a given, something upon which the Christian builds.
ii. According to Peter, the readers of this epistle are those who “have received a faith as precious as ours”.
iii. Faith is something we have received, not something we are to supply – because faith is a gift from God.
Ephesians 2:8-9 tells us, “God saved you by this special favor when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.”
b. But we cannot be content with having received my “fire insurance.”
i. As wonderful a thing as it is to know that through having received God’s gift of eternal life through faith in Christ, I should move beyond the gift of faith to developing a growing faith, which is what Peter is talking about here.
ii. Faith in Christ is the beginning, it is the foundation.
iii. If you have not come to a personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, you cannot possibly pursue the course Peter describes here.
c. But if you have saving faith, you must not content yourself with that alone.
i. Salvation is not so much about God taking us to be with Him in heaven one day as it is about God bringing heaven to us today.
ii. There are tremendous blessings that God wants to bestow upon His children – heavenly blessings – but the degree to which we experience the blessings of heaven on earth is determined by the degree to which we progress toward developing Christ-like character.
d. Through faith in Christ, we have received a new nature whereby we can live a life uncorrupted by the evil influences of the world.
i. Through faith in Christ, we have received everything we need to live in a godly fashion.
e. Through the promises of God’s Word, we can learn more about all we have through faith in Christ and the new life we can now live.
i. Everything I need to live a blessed life through developing Christ-like character is available to me.
ii. “For this very reason,” peter says, we should “make every effort” to add to our faith and progress toward Christ-likeness.
f. Peters says we should add to our faith…
II. Goodness (v. 5)
a. The word “goodness” in this verse is sometimes translated “virtue” or moral excellence.
b. We find that Peter uses this word to the qualities that attract us to god and for which he deserves to be praised.
i. The translation of the New American Standard Bible makes us think of how a person of royalty is commonly given the title, “His excellency.”
c. Previously, ascribed this quality to God.
i. Now in discussing Christian character development, Peter uses this word to describe a quality that should be found in God’s children – “goodness,” or excellence.”
d. In light of who we now are, by virtue of faith in Christ, children of the King – we should seek through everything we think, say, and do, to “proclaim the excellence of Him who has called us out of darkness and into His marvelous light.
i. Matthew 5:16 says, “Let your light so shine before men that they may see your moral excellence and your praiseworthy, noble, and good deeds and recognize and honor and praise and glorify your Father Who is in heaven.”
e. Peter says tat we should live according to who we are now through faith in Christ – as children of the Lord most high!
i. Peter is describing a life that is lived out of a commitment to behaving in a way that is consistent with the royal heritage that is now mine as a child of the king!
A good example of how not to live like a child of the King would be Prince Harry of England, who attended a costume party dressed as a Nazi! If this wasn’t bad enough, pictures of him were plastered all over the newspapers in England two weeks prior to the Queen participating in an event designed to remember the victims of the Holocaust! That is not how you live in keeping with your station!
ii. Rather than continuing to live in ways that are opposed to all that my heavenly king stands for, I should seek to live in a way to honor Him!
III. Knowledge (v. 5)
a. If we are going to live a life that is consistent with the royal heritage that is ours as children of the King, then I must seek to know the King’s will for our lives.
i. Just as children in an earthly royal family are schooled in the ways of royalty, our heavenly King desires that we be schooled in the ways of royal living.
Aha! Process, Inc. is an organization devoted to helping people learn how to advance from one social niche to another. Not long ago, a representative gave a presentation to a school district, in the effort to help teachers understand how to better help students better themselves in life. The organization has done extensive study to relating to three social classes: the poor, the middle class, and the wealthy. What they have discovered is that each class in our society has a different set of “hidden rules” of acceptable behavior. The key to moving from one social class to the next is learning and living according to these “hidden rules.” The two primary factors which help a person move from one level to the next are education and relationships.
b. In our bulletins is a quiz from this company to indicate how well you might grasp the “hidden rules” associated with surviving in each of the three social classes.
i. You can fill that out later, for fun if you want, to see what class you are in or could be in.
c. Now, through faith in Christ, we have been born into the royal family of God. By virtue of our RELATIONSHIP with God, we are now part of a different class of people – we are part of the royal family of God.
i. 1 Peter 2:10 (Amplified Version) says, “Once you were not a people [at all], but now you are God’s people.”
d. Because of whose we now are and who we now are, we should live differently than we once did.
i. But relationship isn’t enough if we are to life differently, if we are to live royally.
ii. We must be EDUCATED concerning the “hidden rules.”
iii. This is where knowledge comes in.
iv. This knowledge comes from the Word of God.
Closing
Through the combination of our relationship and the instruction of God’s Word, we can live as children of the King of Kings!
A King is seated in the den of his mansion. A person enters, carrying a tray with a beverage on it. He walks over to the king and serves him the beverage and then leaves. Who is this man? A servant! Another man enters then room. He is announced by the servant and introduces himself to the king. They visit for a bit, and then the man leaves. Who is this man? A guest! A little girl enters the room with a book in her hand. She is not announced by anyone, nor does she bother to introduce herself. She simply bounds into the room and leaps into the lap of the king. He responds by setting aside what had occupied him and he hugs the little girl. Then together, they look at the book as he explains it to her. Who is she? A child of the king!
Such is our position and privilege. Because of our relationship through faith, e can live lives that reflect the Excellencies of our royal heritage, by growing in our knowledge of the rules associated with being a child of the King
Hidden Rules Quiz
(For Use during Morning Sermon)
COMPLETE THE QUIZ: Put a check by each item you know how to do.
Could you survive in poverty?
__ 1. I know which churches and sections of town have the best rummage sales.
__ 2. I know which grocery stores’ garbage bins can be accessed for tossed food.
__ 3. I know how to get someone out of jail.
__ 4. I know how to defend myself physically.
__ 5. I know how to keep my clothes from being stolen at the Laundromat.
__ 6. I know what problems to look for in a used car.
__ 7. I know how to live without a checking account.
__ 8. I know how to live without electricity and a phone.
__ 9. I can entertain a group of friends with my personality and stories.
__ 10. I know what to do when I don’t have money to pay the bills.
__ 11. I know how to get and use food stamps or benefits card.
__ 12. I know where the free medical clinics are.
__ 13. I am very good at trading and bartering.
__ 14. I can get by without a car.
Could you survive in middle class?
__ 1. I know hot to get my children into Little League, piano lessons, soccer, etc.
__ 2. I know how to set a table properly.
__ 3. I know which stores are most likely to carry the clothing brands I like.
__ 4. I know hot to order in a nice restaurant.
__ 5. I know how to use a credit card, checking account, and savings account.
__ 6. I understand term life, disability, medical insurance, as well as home insurance
__ 7. I talk to my children about going to college.
__ 8. I know hot to get one of the best interest rates on my new car loan
__ 9. I understand the difference between principal, interest, and escrow.
__ 10. I know how to decorate the house for the different holidays.
__ 11. I know how to get a library card.
__ 12. I repair items in my house almost immediately when they break
Hidden Rules Quiz
(For Use during Morning Sermon)
COMPLETE THE QUIZ: Put a check by each item you know how to do.
Could you survive in poverty?
__ 1. I know which churches and sections of town have the best rummage sales.
__ 2. I know which grocery stores’ garbage bins can be accessed for tossed food.
__ 3. I know how to get someone out of jail.
__ 4. I know how to defend myself physically.
__ 5. I know how to keep my clothes from being stolen at the Laundromat.
__ 6. I know what problems to look for in a used car.
__ 7. I know how to live without a checking account.
__ 8. I know how to live without electricity and a phone.
__ 9. I can entertain a group of friends with my personality and stories.
__ 10. I know what to do when I don’t have money to pay the bills.
__ 11. I know how to get and use food stamps or benefits card.
__ 12. I know where the free medical clinics are.
__ 13. I am very good at trading and bartering.
__ 14. I can get by without a car.
Could you survive in middle class?
__ 1. I know hot to get my children into Little League, piano lessons, soccer, etc.
__ 2. I know how to set a table properly.
__ 3. I know which stores are most likely to carry the clothing brands I like.
__ 4. I know hot to order in a nice restaurant.
__ 5. I know how to use a credit card, checking account, and savings account.
__ 6. I understand term life, disability, medical insurance, as well as home insurance
__ 7. I talk to my children about going to college.
__ 8. I know hot to get one of the best interest rates on my new car loan
__ 9. I understand the difference between principal, interest, and escrow.
__ 10. I know how to decorate the house for the different holidays.
__ 11. I know how to get a library card.
__ 12. I repair items in my house almost immediately when they break
Could you survive in wealth?
__ 1. I can read a menu in French, English, and another language.
__ 2. I have several favorite restaurants in different countries of the world.
__ 3. I know how to hire a decorator to decorate my house for the holidays.
__ 4. I know who my preferred financial advisor, legal service, designer are.
__ 5. I have at least two residences that are staffed and maintained.
__ 6. I know how to ensure confidentiality and loyalty from my domestic staff.
__ 7. I have at least 2 or 3 “screens” that keep people whom I do not wish to see
away from me.
__ 8. I fly in my own plane, the company plane, or first class.
__ 9. I know how to enroll my children in the preferred private schools.
__ 10. I know how to host the parties that “key” people attend.
__ 11. I am on the boards of at least two charities.
__ 12. I know the hidden rules of the Junior League
__ 13. I support or buy the work of a particular artist
__ 14. I know how to read a corporate financial statement and analyze my own
financial statement.
Could you survive in wealth?
__ 1. I can read a menu in French, English, and another language.
__ 2. I have several favorite restaurants in different countries of the world.
__ 3. I know how to hire a decorator to decorate my house for the holidays.
__ 4. I know who my preferred financial advisor, legal service, designer are.
__ 5. I have at least two residences that are staffed and maintained.
__ 6. I know how to ensure confidentiality and loyalty from my domestic staff.
__ 7. I have at least 2 or 3 “screens” that keep people whom I do not wish to see
away from me.
__ 8. I fly in my own plane, the company plane, or first class.
__ 9. I know how to enroll my children in the preferred private schools.
__ 10. I know how to host the parties that “key” people attend.
__ 11. I am on the boards of at least two charities.
__ 12. I know the hidden rules of the Junior League
__ 13. I support or buy the work of a particular artist
__ 14. I know how to read a corporate financial statement and analyze my own
financial statement.
