Opening illustration: “I want to help you invest wisely in your future.” That’s what the financial advisor said as he began his talk about investing in 401(k)s and retirement funds. He wanted his listeners to continue putting money in the stock market during all the ups and downs of the economy because historically a good return will eventually occur.
God wants us to invest wisely in our spiritual future as well. Through the ups and downs of life’s circumstances we should continually invest in a “spiritual account”: our character. The apostle Peter tells us to be diligent about character development (2 Peter 1: 5-11). After we trust in Christ for salvation, we are to invest these qualities into our character: faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love.
The future returns on our investment in character will be godliness (vs. 5-7), fruitfulness in the knowledge of Jesus Christ (v. 8), assurance of our calling (v. 9, 10a), and victory over sin (v. 10b, 11).
Investing money in retirement funds can be profitable, but investing in our spiritual lives offers the best kind of return for our future!
Let us turn to 2 Peter 1 and ponder and see how we can investment in our character.
Introduction: Here Peter strongly urges his people to keep climbing up this ladder of virtues which he has set before them, and to be continually on the way. The more we know of any subject, the more we are fit to know. It is always true that “to him that has, much will be given.” Progress is the way to more progress. To keep investing in character by climbing up the ladder of virtues is to come ever nearer and nearer to knowing Jesus Christ; and the further we climb, the further yet we are able to climb.
On the other hand if we refuse to make the effort of the upward climb, certain things happen. (i) We grow blind – we are left without the guiding light that the knowledge of Jesus Christ brings. (ii) We grow short-sighted – to see things only as they appear at the moment without considering the bigger picture. To walk without Christ is to be in danger of taking the short-sighted view of life and failing to climb the ladder of virtues is to forget that the sins of the old way of life have been cleansed away. Let us see what this investment in character can do …
What are our returns for eternal investment in character?
1. Godliness FOHS (vs. 3, 5-7) – Focus of virtues on Godliness which ends with Christian love
This word literally means, "Walking in view of His greatness." It has reference to the person who has every action and attitude yielded to the fear of the Lord. This person spends his life in a state of "God-like-ness." He spends his days serving God and serving men.
As we do this, the first thing God builds into our life is virtue. Other translations say moral excellence, or goodness. Non-Christians are characterized by immorality and a lack of virtue. The first things that changes in Christians is that we become moral. We live moral lives. We change our behavior to match that of Christ’s. We stop lying and cheating. We tell the truth and live honest lives. You will find that this is what changes first in the lives of most Christians.
It is then that we grow into this trait of godliness. Godliness is acting like God. It is behaving as God behaves. Even in this life, we can partake of the divine nature to one degree or another. When people are Godly, they are like mirrors, reflecting to the world what God Himself is like.
2. Fruitfulness in the knowledge of Christ (v. 8)
Literally means "an understanding of the truth and how to live it out." Well, what a letdown! This word is telling us that we can have all those things we discovered by having a sound knowledge of the doctrines of Christianity and by applying them to our lives and living them out. How frequently this word appears in the New Testament! Suggesting here that in the last analysis, there is a vital and necessary contribution that man himself must make in the direction of his salvation, but in the sense of doing those things without which not even God can save his soul. This is a different word from the full knowledge mentioned above, a possession the Christian already had; and it therefore refers to a faithful continuation of their studies. It is also very likely true that, "Knowledge here means spiritual discernment as to what is right and what is wrong in all things."
Once virtue begins to develop, knowledge is the next element. We attend church, and Bible studies, we gain a love for God’s Word. There are many Christians who remain so spiritually young, that they do not even progress to this point. There are many Christians who do not love the Word, and do not care to learn about God and understand Scripture. They do not want to hear Biblical sermons. But as Christians truly walk in the Spirit, they will hunger more and more for the pure milk of the Word of God. Sometimes, they will find that they cannot get enough of the Word. They read their Bibles every chance they get. They listen to sermons in the car and on the radio. They read Christians books …
Illustration: When our children do something they shouldn’t have done, we sometimes say to them, "You should have known better." You are not saying they didn’t have the basic foundational knowledge. You’re saying in that situation that they didn’t properly act upon the knowledge they already had. As believers, we are to be supplying knowledge. Why do we study the word of God? So that we can act properly in all the circumstances and situations of life. Such knowledge allows us to direct our energy and activity properly and to be a discerning people. What you choose to do for God this week might not be considered the most enjoyable activity in the context of fun, but you do it because you are determined to apply yourself with diligence. You want to give the energy necessary to come to know more of the will of God so that you can apply it properly.
3. Assurance of our calling (v. 9, 10a)
We have been given a task and responsibility by God to carry out. Each of us has a unique task. If we don’t do it, it won’t get done. It is only as we diligently live according to the eight character traits of vs. 5-7 that we will know for certain what our purpose in life is, and be able to fulfill it without stumbling. (Note: "certain" or "firm" is the best translation of the word "sure." V. 10 was not written to make us question or be unsure about whether we are saved or not. It was written for us to be certain and firm in our God given tasks, and seek to fulfill them. If we believe in Jesus for eternal life, we can always be sure we are saved.)
As we fulfill our calling, we will do great things for God. We will live significant lives. All Christians want to be significant in their lives. I am not much of an athlete, but when I was young, I remember standing out in the cricket field during physical education, dreaming of making the big hit, or catching the impossible catch. It never happened, but I kept dreaming about it, and imagining all the praise I would get. All of us have had similar experiences growing up. Even as Christians, I think God places with us the dreams and desires to do something great for Him. And we dream about it. We think about sharing Christ with that difficult coworker. We dream about teaching that class. We imagine what it would be like to write that book, or make that CD.
I am not saying that these things will necessarily happen as you develop into Christ-like character, but as you grow into holiness, God will begin to use you in great ways. Maybe in ways you had never imagined. Maybe in ways you won’t think are great, but heaven will reveal how significant you really were. And it is in heaven where our eternal significance will really be made evident. Peter talks about this in verse 11.
General Universal Call: Matthew 28: 19-20 Specific Individual Call: Noah, Abraham, Moses …
4. Victory over sin (v. 10b, 11)
Victory over sin is quite misunderstood by Christianity today and un-believed by most. Many say that living without sin is impossible. Many will reject it immediately even before hearing the matter. However God has a message and “He that answers a matter before he hears it, it is folly and shame unto him.” [Proverbs 18: 13]. “To the law and to the testimony, if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them” [Isaiah 8: 20] “Prove all things, hold fast that which is good” [1 Thessalonians 5: 21]. It clearly says that those who keep sinning don’t know God. But the children that are God’s cannot sin. Many do not believe and it is done according to their faith. Not only how is this possible? But this truth that we are being told is not found in nominal Christianity today and is a primary doctrine of the scriptures. (1 John 3: 9; 1 John 5: 18)
He who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness: If we lack these things, it shows we have "eye trouble." We are shortsighted, unable to see God, only ourselves. This makes us virtually blind, showing we have forgotten that we were cleansed from his old sins. Remembering what Jesus did for us - such as cleansing us from our sins - prompts us to give all diligence to our walk with God. Basing our walk with God on what He did for us in the foundation for a healthy, growing Christian life.
So stop seeing yourself as someone who has to sin. Stop choosing sin. Stop obeying sin. “For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace” (Romans 6: 14). Sin is a harsh tyrant in your life. But Christ not only died for our sins, He died to sin. He has conquered sin and the devil and gives His people who are united with Him a victorious life of grace. Freedom is found in being a slave of our Lord Jesus (Romans 6: 15-23)!
Application: Where are you investing in today? Invest in Eternity Now before it is too late.
