MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO LIVE A GODLY LIFE
II Peter 1:5-9
There is a common word of counsel that we Christians give to those who have a misunderstanding about living a Christian life. Many of us have encountered someone who has said “I am trying my best to live a Christian life”. Often, we seize that opportunity to inform them that they cannot live a Christian life on their own. There is certainly much truth in our instruction. Especially concerning the reality that one cannot be saved by the way that they live. This is why we tend to respond to such a situation by quoting Ephesians 2:8-9:
“For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift— not from works, so that no one can boast.”
There are also times when we are discipling new believers who are discouraged that their old sins keep creeping back into their lives. They may say “I’m trying to be a good Christian and I just can’t do it!”. This is when we encourage them by quoting the many verses that speak to the power and indwelling of the Holy Spirit of God who abides within us. Again, there is much truth in such counsel, and all Christians need to be reminded that it is impossible to live the Christian life apart from walking in the Spirit.
However, though the Spirit is essential, we are not exempt from all responsibility concerning living a godly Christian life. In fact, there are innumerable scriptures that tell Christians exactly how they should live. We are told what we should do and what we should not do. These passages are not suggestions, they are commands that must be obeyed.
2 Peter 1:5-9 tells us that it is our responsibility to make every effort to live in a way the pleases God. I would like to look at this passage and see that we are to “Make Every Effort To Live A Godly Life.”
In our selected text, the Apostle Peter lists several characteristics that should be present in the life of every Christian. Peter mentions such attributes as, virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and love. These are not traits we should pursue in a legalistic way, rather they are evidence of a heart that has been transformed in regeneration.
There are many people in this world who profess faith in Christ, yet there is no effort on their part to live in the way that He has commanded His followers to live. True faith is faith that follows Christ, imitates Him, and seeks to obey His commands. Therefore, we must heed the exhortation to “supplement” or “add to our faith” those characteristics that would please our Savior. This is not something that we can do on our own, we can never supplement our faith in the flesh. But God has equipped us with His power and given us everything we need to live a life that is pleasing to Him. In fact, Peter speaks of this reality in verses 3-4. He says that:
(God’s) divine power has given us everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. By these he has given us very great and precious promises, so that through them you may share in the divine nature, escaping the corruption that is in the world because of evil desire.
While it is true that God has transformed our lives, and that we are not saved by works, morality or any other human action, there is still a matter of personal responsibility when it comes to living a godly life. This is why Peter says that we are to “make every effort to supplement our faith”.
We are saved by grace through faith and not by works, but because of the extravagant grace that God has shown us we should be so humbled that we respond by making every effort to honor the Lord with our lives. We can do this by “supplementing our faith”. The Greek word for “supplement” or “add” means to give generously.
Concerning this, John MacArthur says “In Greek culture, this word was used for a choirmaster who was responsible for supplying everything that was needed for his choir. The word never meant to equip sparingly, but to supply lavishly for a noble performance.” (Source: MacArthur Study Bible 2nd Edition; Thomas Nelson Publishers)
A choirmaster was more than just a song leader. It was his duty to supply everything that his choir needed. When they arrived he would have the music prepared, he would ensure that the instruments were tuned and ready. He was devoted to the task of supplying his choir with everything that was needed for a splendid performance.
With this in mind, we see that living a godly, Christ honoring life is something that takes preparation, dedication, and consistent effort on our part. Don’t miss the fact that we are told to “add to our faith”. Faith is not something that we accomplished or achieved ourselves, it is something that we received from God. Remember that Peter has addressed this letter to “those who have received a faith equal to ours through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ”. Those who have no faith are completely unable to possess or exhibit the characteristics that Peter describes in these verses. However, those who have received and possess genuine faith in Christ are expected to supplement their faith with virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love.
- Let’s take some time and define and examine each of the attributes that Peter mentions in this passage. We will begin with:
VIRTUE
Virtue speaks of goodness or moral excellence. The idea here is having a quality of life which makes someone stand out as excellent. The word “virtue” was used by Greek writers to describe the sum of all desirable character qualities. In order to add virtue to our faith we must read, study, and obey God’s Word. If we will spend ample time in the Word of God, our lives will inevitably be transformed. We will grow, mature, and exhibit the moral excellence that God desires from His children.
Far too many professing Christians live lives that are no different from the people of this world. Those who live in such a way do much more harm for the cause of Christ than good. Lost people may mock and scorn those who follow Jesus, but they are watching and listening. If we are to have any positive influence on their lives, we must supplement our faith with virtue.
One day as a woman was crossing a street at London station, an old man stopped her. He said to her, "Excuse me, ma'am, but I want to thank you." She looked up and exclaimed, "Thank me?" He replied, "Yes ma’am, I used to be a ticket collector, and whenever you went by you always gave me a cheerful smile and a good morning. I knew that smile must come from inside somewhere. Then one morning I saw a little Bible in your hand. So I bought one, too, and I found out about Jesus from that Bible. Now I too am saved!”
That man saw something in that woman that touched his heart. He saw Jesus living in and through her life. Each one of us, who are saved, should so live that the world can see Jesus in our lives. - (Source: Dr. Alan Carr Thesermonnotebook.com)
If we will make every effort to live virtuously, people will see Jesus in us.
Consider your actions over the past week. Did you exhibit virtue in how you responded to your coworkers? Did you show moral excellence in how you treated the waitress at the restaurant, the cashier at the store or the attendant at the DMV? Were you virtuous in how you interacted with the slow driver in the left lane on the interstate? Or with the person who was tailgating you because you were the slow driver in the left lane?
I am sure that if we are honest, most of us would not like to answer those questions out loud. But as we move into a new week, we should make every effort to live virtuously. If we will do this, then we can please, honor and glorify the Lord.
- Peter goes on to say that we are to supplement virtue with knowledge.
KNOWLEDGE
We certainly have a measure of knowledge, but we are to intentionally add to this knowledge. That is, our knowledge should be continually increasing. Our faith is not blind faith, it is a faith based on knowing the truth about God. Therefore, the more we learn about God, the greater that knowledge becomes. Knowledge is a proper understanding of the truth and when we know and comprehend the truth it will have a positive impact on how we live.
It is important for us to understand that knowledge is more than merely possessing certain information. Knowledge is applying the information that we have.
There are numerous Biblical scholars in liberal and secular universities who are staunch atheists. They are experts in their field and know more about the Bible than I could ever hope to learn. However, their knowledge is of no eternal benefit because they refuse to apply it to their lives. (thus proving the importance of faith in this process).
In a similar way, there are many professing Christians who possess great knowledge concerning God’s Word. Yet, they often fail to apply what they know. This is why it is important to heed James’ admonition to be “doers of the Word and not hearers only” – (James 1:22).
In order to go where God would have us to go, do what He would have us to do, and to be what He would have us to be we must have a proper understanding of His will. We will only find that understanding (knowledge) in His Holy Word.
There are certain foods that are very beneficial concerning our physical health. However, if we refuse to consume them, they are of no benefit at all. In several different passages the scriptures are described as “milk” and “meat”. God’s Word is absolutely essential to our spiritual well-being. Yet, if we refuse to consume it, it is of no benefit at all. On the other hand, if we will feast on the Word of God, we will supplement our faith with knowledge, and this will lead to spiritual strength and maturity.
- Moving on, Peter says that we are to supplement “knowledge with self-control”.
SELF-CONTROL
Self-control literally means “holding oneself in.” Concerning this, John MacArthur says “In Peter’s day, self-control was used of athletes who were to be self-restrained and self-disciplined. Thus, a Christian is to control the flesh, the passions, and the bodily desires, rather than allowing himself to be controlled by them.”
Paul said in I Corinthians 9:27 “I discipline my body and bring it under strict control, so that after preaching to others, I myself will not be disqualified”. Each of us should make every effort to do what Paul describes in that passage. It is our responsibility as Christians to control our flesh, our passions, and our natural desires. Unfortunately, there are many times when our flesh and natural desires control us instead of us controlling them. When we have self-control, we will not react in the heat of the moment. We will not allow our temper to cause us to act in a way that would hurt others or harm our witness for Jesus.
Every day we encounter certain people, situations, & circumstances that require a response. When we have self-control, we will react to every circumstance and situation the way that Jesus would. You may be thinking to yourself, “it is impossible for me to react the way that Jesus would”. If you are walking in the flesh then you are correct in your assessment. But self-control is one of the fruits of the spirit mentioned in Galatian 5:23. Therefore, if we walk in the spirit we are assured that we will not fulfill the desires of the flesh. Which means that we do have the ability to respond like Jesus in each and every situation and circumstance. For this to happen, we must make a conscious decision to supplement our faith with virtue, knowledge, and self-control.
Most of us can say that we have moments of victory in this process, but we also have to be honest enough to admit that there are times when we are inconsistent to say the least. This is not the kind of godly Christian living that Peter is explaining in this passage.
As the Apostle continues with his list of positive Christian attributes he speaks to the fact that these characteristics are to be consistent. The word that he uses is “steadfastness” or “perseverance”. He says that we should add to our self-control, steadfastness.
STEADFASTNESS
Steadfastness is patience or endurance in doing what is right. The one who is steadfast is one who does not give in to temptation or trials. There are times when we are living exactly how Peter is instructing us to live in this passage. We are walking in the Spirit and honoring God with our lives. We exhibit virtue, we seek and attain knowledge, we possess self-control, and all is well. Then, trouble comes! We enter into an unexpected time of trial, and we take our eyes off of the Savior. Rather than looking to the Lord, we are distracted by our problems. Things get tough and instead of drawing nearer to God, we turn away from Him.
Some of you may be facing great difficulties as we speak, and you are ready to throw your hands up and quit on God; perhaps some of you already have. This is not the proper way for a Christian to respond to troubles and trials. The proper response is to plant your feet and remain steadfast in all circumstances and situations. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:58: “be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”
Steadfastness is a virtue that is vitally connected to every other attribute on this list, for if you are not steadfast, you will not remain virtuous. If you are not steadfast, you will not seek and attain knowledge. If you are not steadfast you will not exhibit self-control, godliness, brotherly kindness, or love. Even if you have brief moments where you exhibit the other characteristic that Peter mentions in this passage, if you are not steadfast, your testimony for Christ will be tarnished and your impact on those around you will be diminished. In the process you will bring shame and reproach on the name of Christ and dishonor the Lord rather that glorify Him. This is a devastating reality. Therefore it is imperative that you make every effort to live a godly life.
- This leads us to the next characteristic on the list and that is:
GODLINESS
To be godly is to live reverently, loyally, and obediently toward God. On the surface this may seem like an impossible task. Once again, if we seek to accomplish this while living in the flesh it most certainly is. However, Peter has already described how this is possible in the previous verses. Again I refer you to verse 3.
“His divine power has given us everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.”
This means that we already have every spiritual resource that is necessary to live godly lives. One who is godly is one who yields his or her actions and attitudes to the Lord. Simply stated, godliness requires obedience. In order for us to exhibit such obedience, we must walk in the Sprit rather than in the flesh.
- As we move into verse 7, we see that Peter speaks of brotherly affection (or kindness).
BROTHERLY AFFECTION
The Greek word here is “Philadelphia” and it speaks of the affection among believers as brothers and sisters in God’s family. Brotherly affection is so closely linked with godliness that the Apostle John said, “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar.” (I John 4:20). Throughout His earthly ministry, Jesus taught His Disciples that love involved involves serving one another, sharing with one another, and praying for one another. He said in John 15:12, “This is my commandment, That you love one another, as I have loved you”. This is a startling command, Jesus says that it is not negotiable, we must love each other in the very same way the He has loved us. How much did Christ love us, He loved us so much that He prayed for us, He served us, He forgave us and ultimately He gave His life for us.
Do you love your brothers and sisters in Christ in such a way? Jesus says that if you belong to Him, you should! In fact, the Lord declares that this is evidence of one’s faith in Him.
John 13:34 “I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
- Intertwined with this affection that we should possess for the brethren is the love that we should extend to all people. This leads us to the next attribute on Peter’s list and that is love.
LOVE
The love that Peter is referring to here is God’s kind of love. It is a love that originates not in the one who receives the love, but the one who extends it. God loves because He is love; we are to love because we are from God. (1 John 4:19 We love because he first loved us.)
We are to love our family, friends, coworkers, classmates, the people we encounter in public, we are to love everyone. In fact, Jesus tells us that we are to even love our enemies. (Luke 6:27 “But I say to you who listen: Love your enemies, do what is good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.)
Possessing such love for others is as simple as obeying the Great Command that Jesus revealed in Matthew 27:37-39: Jesus said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind., This is the greatest and most important command. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.
Peter’s admonition in these verses are not good suggestions, or even practical advice, they are commands that are seen throughout the word of God. Furthermore, they are evidence of genuine salvation. In the following verses, the Apostle says:
“Therefore, brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election, because if you do these things you will never stumble. For in this way, entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be richly provided for you”
If we possess genuine faith, then we are required to add to that faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and love.
There are no shortcuts to Spiritual growth and maturity. It is a task that takes a lifetime of effort. Certainly God is with us and supreme in the task of sanctification, but there is an element of responsibility on our part. This passage proves that we have been given everything necessary for us to add these things to our faith. In verse 8, Peter tells us what the results will be when we seek to live in a way that pleases God. He says:
“if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being useless or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
This should be our desire for it is something that pleases, honors, and brings glory to our Father who has poured out His extravagant grace, mercy and love on us. Therefore, let us resolve that we will “Make Every Effort To Live A Godly Life”.
