2 Peter 1:3-1:11
“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”.
I went recentlly to look at cars and there is no thrill like having a car that has full power equiped.Having at your fingertips everything that technology has to offer.
AC, am/fm stereo with a state of art cd player, power windows and power locks and power seats that allow you to put the seat exactlly like you like it. At the right angle and height for your stature and weight.
Radial tires that hug the road and air shocks that adjust to every bump on the road. It’s like you are riding on a mattres. It is equiped to make your ride a joy even if the road is ruff. It’s equiped to make your trip ajoy even in ruff weather.
That is the way that God has made us. Power equipped to handle every situation. He starts us off with the basic package and gives us all the extras so that we can add on as we grow in Him.
-When Christians are not power equiped they look and feel like some of those cars that you see on the road without any appeal. I know, I used to have a rols canhardlly. It would roll down a hill and could hardlly get up the next one. It only drove forward, no reverse.
I had a truck we called the mule. It was the ugliest thing you seen in your life.
-It was five gears. But you were able to use the fith gear only if someone was on the passenger seat and did it for you, their window had to be open. Fith gear was over their right shoulder.
-When you stepped out of that truck after a long drive you looked like you were in a horror movie or you stuck your finger ina live resepticle.
-No ac. The guy that ownned the truck before us ripped it out and used the ac compresor as the hood ornament so we left it there.
Wouldnt it be wonderfull if every car dealer allowed you to add all the neat stuff to it and it didnt cost you anything?
The basic package starts with our new found faith in Christ.But the truth is that it’s going to cost you something if you want the extras.
-. He says in verse 10 be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble;
The seven things are; Virtue, knowledge, self control, perseverence, godliness, brotherly kindness and love. Some Christians that have these, its not an imposibility. What God is telling us is that we have to apply them to our lives.
1st we have virtue/goodness. God says dont get tired of doing good.
- Add some goodness to your faith
- Your faith is extended to others thru goodness.
2nd, Knowledge of the word.
-Add to your goodness some knowledge
3rd, self control
- Add to your knowledge self control
- Knowledge is powerful when you know how to handle it.
4th, perseverance
-Some people give up just when the Lord is about to do something.
- We loose perseverence because of lack of faith, “WITHOUT FAITH IT’S IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE GOD!
5th, Godliness
- Is being more like Jesus.
6th, brotherly kindness
What brother or sister is there that wouldnt want the best for their siblings?
7th, Love
-Agape love
