Steps Of Christian Growth

THE STEPS OF CHRISTIAN GROWTH:

SCALED BY GIVING ALL DILIGENCE (CONSTANT AND EARNEST EFFORT)

TEXT:

2 Peter 1:5-8

And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; {6} And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; {7} And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

ÚÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ

³ LOVE - 1 John 4:8

³ He that loveth not knoweth

³ not God; for [God is love].

ÚÄÄÄÄÄÀÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ

³BROTHERLY KINDNESS - Ephesians 4:32

³ And [be ye kind] one to another,

³ tenderhearted, forgiving one

³ another, even as God for Christ’s

³ sake hath forgiven you.

ÚÄÄÄÄÄÀÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ

³ GODLINESS - Romans 8:29

³ For whom he did foreknow, he also did

³ predestinate conformed to the

³ image of his Son, that he might be the

³ firstborn among many brethren.

ÚÄÄÄÄÄÀÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ

³PATIENCE - Romans 5:3

³And not only , but we glory in tribulations

³also:knowing that tribulation worketh patience;

ÚÄÄÄÄÄÁÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ

³ TEMPERANCE - Ephesians 5:18

³ And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess;

³ but be filled with the Spirit;

ÚÄÄÄÄÄÁÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ

³ KNOWLEDGE - 2 Timothy 2:15

³ Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman

³ that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing

³ the word of truth.

ÚÄÄÄÄÄÁÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ

³ VIRTUE - Philippians 4:8

³ Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever

³ things honest, whatsoever things just, whatsoever

³ things pure, whatsoever things lovely, whatsoever

³ things of good report; if any virtue, and

³ if any praise, think on these things.

ÚÄÄÄÄÄÁÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ

³ FAITH - Hebrews 11:1 & 3

³ {1} Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence

³ of things not seen.

³ {3} Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the

³ word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things

³ which do appear.

ÀÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ

FAITH - THE FIRST STEP

I/ WHAT IS IT?

A/ ACCEPTING INVISIBLE TRUTHS:

God’s Word teaches us about things not seen and God produces

with us the conviction that these things actually exist!

Hebrews 11:1-3

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence

of things not seen.{3} Through faith we understand that the

worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which

are seen were not made of things which do appear.

B/ABILITY TO ENDURE:

Faith allows us to penetrate beyond the veil of our senses and

like Moses to endure as seeing Him who is invisible.

Hebrews 11:24-27

By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called

the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; {25} Choosing rather to suffer

affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures

of sin for a season; {26} Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater

riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the

recompense of the reward. {27} By faith he forsook Egypt, not

fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who

is invisible.

C/THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT:

Faith comes as a fruit of the Holy Spirit and enables us to grasp

things hoped for.

Galatians 5:22

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering,

gentleness, goodness, faith,

D/GOING,DOING,SERVING,OBEYING

Hebrews 11:7-8

By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved

with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which

he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which

is by faith. {8} By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into

a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed;

and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

E/LASTING TO THE END:

We should walk in faith until we die.

Hebrews 11:13-14

These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but

having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of , and

embraced , and confessed that they were strangers and

pilgrims on the earth.{14} For they that say such things declare

plainly that they seek a country.

F/ THE IMPORTANCE OF IT:

Hebrews 11:6

But without faith impossible to please : for he that

cometh to God must believe that he is, and he is a

rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

1 Peter 1:7

That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold

that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto

praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

II/ HOW DO WE GET IT?

A/ BY HEARING:

Romans 10:17

So then faith by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

B/ BY LOOKING: