“Qualities You Possess”
2 Peter 1:5-11
Pastor John Bright
2 Peter 1 “5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.
10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; 11 for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” NKJV
Whenever the price of gas goes up, people start thinking about saving gas by coasting their cars downhill. I have a vague memory of a news story from the 1970s about a guy who was going downhill and decided to turn the car off to save gas. One little problem – that was when new cars locked the steering wheel when the car was turned off. So, when he realized he could not steer the car, he panicked and ran off the road. (You and I both know he could have just turned the key and restarted the car.) Today, most folks believe that you can shift into neutral and save gas. Here’s what I found: “We find modern cars can conserve fuel better when the engine is connected to the drivetrain, even during coasting. This is due to a process known as ‘fuel cut-off’, which modern fuel-injected engines employ to cease fuel flow when the throttle is not engaged, and the vehicle is in gear. Therefore, contrary to some beliefs, keeping the vehicle in gear while coasting may result in better fuel efficiency than shifting to neutral, particularly in newer car models.” https://ranwhenparked.net/coasting-in-neutral-is-fine-and-it-saves-gas/
Let me share a hard truth with you right up front this morning: I do NOT believe you can make it to heaven if you spend your time coasting through life and surfing a church pew every Sunday. Have I just shocked some of you? Let me explain – there is no coasting or standing still in the life of a Jesus Follower. You are either moving forward or falling backward. If you spend your life in a slow, steady fall backwards, I can’t look at you this morning and give you assurance and hope.
WHAT?
What is 2 Peter? It’s a letter. In the New Testament, we call these letters “epistles.” This is one of the “general epistles.” “Unlike the writings of the apostle Paul, whose letters were addressed to specific individuals or audiences (Timothy, Titus, Philemon, or the saints in Rome, Corinth, et al.), by and large, the general epistles, Hebrews, James, 1 and 2 Peter, 1, 2, and 3 John, and Jude, make no mention of specific audiences.” https://www.gotquestions.org/general-epistles.html
Qualities of the Advancing Jesus Follower v. 5-7
“5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.”
Last week, we ended on a discussion of the phrase in v. 4, “partakers of the divine nature.” I tried to clarify the lies from the truth. The lie is that each of us is a god or goddess. The truth is that you are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26), and when you accepted the free gift of salvation, the precious Holy Spirit of God came to live in you. The Holy Spirit is the source of spiritual gifts and fruits in our lives. He is our direct connection to the source of all these virtues that flow from God, such as the divine love I mentioned earlier.
I need to talk about this list and the need for context when we read the Bible. One simple example is assuming that every word the Biblical author used means the same thing today as 2000 years ago. No, we need to consider what that word meant in the 1st century AD. Another thing we need to consider when discussing context is what form of writing is being used. Back then, writers linked together a series of virtues (or vices) in lists called “sorites.” Another example in the Bible is Romans 5:3-4. Here’s a quote from the NIV Application Commentary (1996), by Douglas J. Moo: “What is important for us to understand about the sorites is that ancient writer did not always intend the order in which he put the vices or virtues to be the actual order in which they must occur. …in 2 Peter 1:5-7, a logical sequence is not at all clear: Why, for instance, should “godliness” lead to “brotherly kindness,” rather than the other way around?” (Moo, p.50-51)
For that reason, I will not insist that you MUST start with virtue and make your way to love. In fact, I think all of these need to have a foundation of love – love of God and love of neighbor. That should be the foundation and the “WHY” of advancing as a Follower of Jesus. What I do want you to believe is that all of these, every last one, is available to you right now through the Holy Spirit that lives with you. So, what are these qualities?
• Last week, we covered the gift of faith that Peter had already introduced in this letter.
• Virtue/goodness – this is moral character based on God’s Word
• Knowledge of God’s Word and God’s Will can protect you from false teachings
• Self-control – this is also listed as a Fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:23. It is necessary to exercise self-control in every area of life, but especially where you are the most tempted. For me, like many men, it’s the temptation of “eye-candy.”
• Perseverance/endurance – In the book of Revelation, there is a constant refrain for those who are experiencing trials: patient endurance. Does that fit our world of instant gratification?
• Godliness was covered last week in v. 3. It is the change in our outward behaviors and actions that will be in line with our new desires on the inside (holiness).
• We end with two different words for love: philadelphia, which is translated as brotherly love/kindness, and agape, which is translated as love. The first is the love we share for each other in the Body of Christ. The second is the love that allows us to love even our enemies and those who offend us or do us wrong. Matthew 5:43-45 “43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.”
You better got these! v. 8-9
“8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.
I know that was some horrible English – you better got these. The grammar checker on my computer was not happy when I typed that – you better got these. You see, I needed a way to help you understand that the qualities in v. 5-7 are absolutely necessary and already yours. You don’t have to go out and search for them, and you can’t order them on Amazon with next-day delivery. You got these! The real question is: are you advancing with these qualities obvious to all?
The alternative is to be “barren and unfruitful.” Other translations use these words: “ineffective and unproductive.” That is not to say that you are being evil or mean, but it would suggest that maybe you are coasting downhill as a Jesus Follower who is content with a “get out of jail free” card in your pocket. Now, some of you may be thinking, “Hey, that’s not fair, I try really hard to be nice to everyone.” Being nice is a human creation that lets us get along with folks and never have to speak the truth in love. In Ephesians 4:14-15, Paul connects speaking the truth in love to not being taken in by false teachings: “…14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—…”
Peter warns that if we choose not to advance in faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love, we will be unable to see clearly. This is certainly a description of the false teachers who have been in the churches to whom this letter is being sent. We all love the hymn, Amazing Grace, and that line: “I once was lost, but now I’m found, was blind but now I see.” We were not physically blind, were we? No, we were spiritually blind. I often see folks who are not advancing in their walk with Jesus and are unable to see spiritual truth. They might know all about politics or business or pop culture, but they are shortsighted and unable to see what really matters: growing and advancing toward fruitfulness.
I like this quote: “We must not be content, Peter suggests, with a B- in “goodness” or “knowledge” or “self-control” or “godliness” or “brotherly kindness” or “love.” We should not be content until we have an A+ in each one.” (Moo, p. 47)
Why bother? v. 10-11
“10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; 11 for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
Following in the footsteps of John Wesley, we have a certain way of looking at that word, “election.” I am not going into great detail this morning, but I will suggest a good article to read on your teaching sheet: https://www.gotquestions.org/Calvinism-vs-Arminianism.html
We believe that God’s “calling” is to all people because Jesus died on the Cross of Calvary for every human being (even the not-nice ones). That’s important for the way we view election. Before we say “yes” to God, He has already said “yes” to us in the calling. These two are linked. Now, we can also say that advancing, rather than coasting, is evidence of our calling and election.
Peter gives us two outcomes: falling down or rising up. Is this really a choice?
The word that Peter uses for stumble/fall is translated in James as sin (James 3:2). We believe that Jesus has broken the power of sin; for this reason, Paul can write this: Romans 6:12-14 “12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. 13 And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.”
As Wesleyan Believers, we say that a person can “fall from grace.” Some folks put it this way – “lose your salvation.” Other Jesus Followers disagree, and we both have multiple Bible verses to make our case. If it is possible to fall away from God, I think a long-time coasting downhill is a real danger.
Peter offers us a second outcome: “an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” We believe that the Kingdom of God has already entered into our world, but not fully. We can participate in that Kingdom, and we can reject the kingdom of the world with its vices that pull us down. You will experience more of the Kingdom of God when you breathe your last and enter into heaven, but not all of it. That will only come when Jesus returns, and we join Him in the New Jerusalem. We proclaim this belief every time we say the Apostles’ Creed: “Thy Kingdom come.”
Advancing upward or coasting downhill… It’s your choice, but don’t forget that each of these has consequences that will last forever. Amen
Homework:
• Look up all the scriptures in today’s sermon. Is there any chance you have been deceived into coasting downhill? Remember, the nature of deception is that you don’t know you have been deceived until someone shows you the truth.
• What would it look like for you to be advancing in the qualities of an effective and productive Jesus Follower found in 2 Peter 1:5-7?
• Next week: 2 Peter 1:12-21 “Gotta Get Ready…”
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TEACHING SHEET
January 1, 2026
2 Peter 1:5-11
“Qualities You Possess”
WHAT?
What is 2 Peter? It’s a letter. In the New Testament, we call these letters “epistles.” This is one of the “general epistles.” “https://www.gotquestions.org/general-epistles.html
Qualities of the Advancing Jesus Follower v. 5-7
The Holy Spirit is the source of spiritual gifts and fruits in our lives. He is our direct connection to the source of all these virtues that flow from God, such as the divine love.
NIV Application Commentary (1996), by Douglas J. Moo: “What is important for us to understand about the sorites is that ancient writer did not always intend the order in which he put the vices or virtues to be the actual order in which they must occur. …in 2 Peter 1:5-7, a logical sequence is not at all clear: Why, for instance, should “godliness” lead to “brotherly kindness,” rather than the other way around?” (Moo, p.50-51)
• Last week, we covered the gift of faith that Peter had already introduced in this letter.
• Virtue/goodness – this is moral character based on God’s Word
• Knowledge of God’s Word and God’s Will can protect you from false teachings
• Self-control – this is also listed as a Fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:23. It is necessary to exercise self-control in every area of life, but especially where you are the most tempted.
• Perseverance/endurance – In the book of Revelation, there is a constant refrain for those who are experiencing trials: patient endurance. Does that fit our world of instant gratification?
• Godliness was covered last week in v. 3. It is the change in our outward behaviors and actions that will be in line with our new desires on the inside (holiness).
• We end with two different words for love: philadelphia, which is translated as brotherly love/kindness, and agape, which is translated as love. Matthew 5:43-45
You better got these! v. 8-9
You got these! The real question is: are you advancing in such a way that these qualities are obvious to all? The alternative is to be “barren and unfruitful.” Other translations use these words: “ineffective and unproductive.” Ephesians 4:14-15
We all love the hymn, Amazing Grace, and that line: “I once was lost, but now I’m found, was blind but now I see.” We were not physically blind, were we? No, we were spiritually blind.
I like this quote: “We must not be content, Peter suggests, with a B- in “goodness” or “knowledge” or “self-control” or “godliness” or “brotherly kindness” or “love.” We should not be content until we have an A+ in each one.” (Moo, p. 47)
Why bother? v. 10-11
https://www.gotquestions.org/Calvinism-vs-Arminianism.html
Before we say “yes” to God, He has already said “yes” to us in the calling. These two are linked. Now, we can also say that advancing, rather than coasting, is evidence of our calling and election.
Peter gives us two outcomes: falling down or rising up. The word that Peter uses for stumble/fall is translated in James as sin (James 3:2). Romans 6:12-14 As Wesleyan Believers, we say that a person can “fall from grace.” If it is possible to fall away from God, I think a long-time coasting downhill is a real danger.
Advancing upward or coasting downhill… It’s your choice, but don’t forget that each of these has consequences that will last forever. Amen
Homework:
• Look up all the scriptures in today’s sermon. Is there any chance you have been deceived into coasting downhill? Remember, the nature of deception is that you don’t know you have been deceived until someone shows you the truth.
• What would it look like for you to be advancing in the qualities of an effective and productive Jesus Follower found in 2 Peter 1:5-7?
• Next week: 2 Peter 1:12-21 “Gotta Get Ready…”
