Growth by Addition
“Goodness”
Last week we began a series titled Growth by Addition. In this series, we are challenged by a passage of scripture in 2 Peter to never stop growing in our faith. We are challenged to add to our faith certain things in “increasing measure.”
2 Peter 1:5-9 (NIV)
5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.
You could almost see each challenge like a new level in school. When you were in first grade you were learning the basics in reading, writing and mathematics. At the end of the school year if you had learned enough, you graduated to the next level to add to what you had already learned.
Did that mean you stopped using the basics? No, they became a part of your intellectual repertoire, and as you continued through school you became more prepared for where life was going to take you.
But, just as in school, the less you invested in adding to your knowledge, the less you grew. Our spiritual growth is no different. We’re going to have to truly discipline ourselves to see growth take place!
Last we discussed our faith, and even though it is the foundation (or starting point) in a life of spiritual growth, we can still be growing at this level. Today, we graduate to the next level, “Goodness”.
On the surface level, this might seem like the natural next step. Through salvation, Christ has set us free, therefore we ought to naturally change our lifestyle completely with no problem right? It’s harder than we think.
So today, just as last week, let’s look at how we can Grow by Adding to our Faith Goodness:
1. Define Good
A couple years ago I asked Pastor Geri to quiz some of the kids in Children’s Church with the question What is Good?
Abby – to share
Liberty – prayer
Mavric – the crackers
Megan – Not yelling at Mom and Dad
Chase – Not disobeying Mom and Dad
Jamieson – Not lying to Mom and Dad; obeying
Adam – Being kind to others and giving
Jimmy – Giving rides to people walking
Hudson – What you do
These are cute, but they are also quite telling aren’t they? This shows me that from early age we can comprehend some basic understanding of goodness.
Everyone will define “Good” at some point during their lifetime, but not everyone will get it right! Imagine if we took some of these kids 15 years from now, and through whatever circumstance, this was the only real definition of what it means to be “Good” that they had developed. Chances are they’re going to be living life “The Hardway” aren’t they?
This example may seem extreme, but there are Christians living life today with the same simple mindset of Goodness. “As long as I don’t do certain sins, I’m good!” Meanwhile their family is falling apart, or they’re struggling with some kind of addiction, or sitting in church feeling unfulfilled and empty.
Goodness in us goes beyond our perception of what is Good. Goodness has to become a lifestyle! But before you take on something as fully as this, you’ve got to understand it!
Goodness
In man is not a mere passive quality, but the deliberate preference of right to wrong, the firm and persistent resistance of all moral evil, and the choosing and following of all moral good.
(Easton Bible Dictionary)
I like this definition because it says that we have to choose, goodness. It doesn’t just happen! Automatically, this should challenge the heart to go beyond the “Salvation Experience.” Yes, you have been forgiven and set free, but now you have to choose to continue to live that out!
But what does that mean? Goodness can be subjective nowadays right? Just ask someone their opinion on any given movie, or book!
So for sake of discussion, let’s define Goodness as Moral Excellence; and in doing so recognize that we need a standard by which to judge what is morally excellent:
A. GOD IS GOOD.
We must believe that God is infallible.
Psalm 100:5 (NLT)
For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation.
We must recognize His word and commands as truth (Importance of Reading God’s Word)
Psalm 119:105 (NLT)
Your word is a lamp for my feet, and a light for my path.
We must trust that His ways are mysterious yet perfect
Romans 8:28 (NLT)
And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.?
Do I believe that God is Good? If not, what is your standard?
Remember, if we want to grow in Goodness, we must start with a proper definition of Goodness, or we simply will not be good.
2. Follow Good
Based upon what we consider our definitive truth, Moral goodness basically means “conformity to God’s laws and principles.”
Now we’ve got to get behind that. We cannot just “know” what is Good, right? We’ve got to apply that knowledge and follow what is good!
A. Follow Good In God’s Word
Romans 7:14-16 (NLT)
So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin. 15 I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. 16 But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good.
This passage is great in that it acknowledges that God’s laws are Good and we are not. It also addresses the struggle with sin in every believer. However, the hope we find is that even though we struggle, we know what Good is because we know where to find the definition: in God’s Word!
As if you needed more reason to daily read his word, but: knowledge, encouragement, wisdom, guidance
B. Follow Good In Others
3 John 1:11 (NIV)
Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God.
3 John is basically a letter from John to Gaius. And John is exhorting Gaius to keep living a life of goodness. But he also warns him to watch who he surrounds himself with, because even though he is living a life of goodness, he is still susceptible to sin.
The easiest way to slide back into sin, is to surround yourself with the influence of those who don’t have the same standard of truth you do. Notice I said the word, “influence.” This is important because what I’m not telling you is to avoid unbelievers altogether. If we did that, evangelism would cease! Jesus didn’t come for the “believers” did he?
I’m saying, don’t be ignorant. You know that if you are around certain people long enough, you will slide back into your old ways. Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you’re strong enough to be above those ways of sin, because if it’s something you struggled with, you’re not strong enough!
“It’s easier to pull someone down a hill than up one.” -Jordan Klatt
2 Corinthians 6:14 (NIV)
Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?
Remember, it’s not about cutting off relationships (even though some cases it is the best option) it’s about removing that influence. Yoke (or bond) yourself with those who are like-minded with you in your standard of truth!
C. Follow Good In Practices
Romans 6:13 (NIV)
Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness.
We know the “things” that will pull us down also, and we must choose, to abstain from them as well. Avoid activities that are going to lead you back to sin.
This ties back into seeking Goodness with others—You’ll need support!
3. Be Good
A. In Example
The bible is pretty clear on telling us how we can spot “Good” in ourselves, and that is based upon what our life shows.
Matthew 7:16-20 (NLT)
You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? 17 A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. 18 A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. 19 So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. 20 Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.
Let’s look at this command strictly from an evangelistic perspective. If those outside the church see your lifestyle and actions as the same as yours, why should they seek Christ in their own hearts?
The only difference to them is that you have to be in church on Sunday morning and they can sleep in! To be an example of Moral Excellence is to be different. Others won’t understand at first, but eventually they’ll see the results of pursuing True Goodness and want it for themselves.
B. Be Good In Actions
We asked the question last week, “Why did god save us?” Did He send His Son to die for us so we could just live self-indulgent lives or were we saved for a higher purpose?
Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)
For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
I love how we are called “A Masterpiece”. That is not a word that is used flippantly. And here it has even greater meaning, because not only are we a great masterpiece, but we were created to be used for God’s glory.
One of the ways you grow in Christ is to work for Christ. You will not find fulfillment in life working and serving your self. You will find fulfillment in Christ and His work.
And so to Be Good in Actions, is not just simply “keeping you nose clean.” It’s also being Jesus’ hands and feet extended to those in need around you.
Do all the good you can, to all the people you can, in all the ways you can, as often as ever you can, as long as you can.
Charles Haddon Spurgeon
We are called to add Goodness to our Faith!
-Prayer
Go Further! – Personal Study Questions
1. Read Titus 3:4-8. What is the promise of mercy listed, and how are we called to repay this act of love?
2. Take an honest inventory of your life. Are you living a life of moral excellence? We can always improve, so what steps can you take to live a life of moral excellence? If you need help in this step, seek counsel of someone you trust to give you excellent spiritual advise!
