Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Evening Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/ev/ev20111030.htm

THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION
2 Peter: Effective Christian Growth For Combating Spiritual Apostasy
Part II: Understanding The Steps Of Apostasy-Proof Spiritual Growth
(2 Peter 1:5-11)
  1. Introduction
    1. We believers who live in a world of growing spiritual darkness constantly need to avoid errant thinking and actions that tend toward apostasy in order to remain true to the Lord and His Word, Jude 3.
    2. The epistle of 2 Peter addresses this need, and 2 Peter 1:5-11 comprehensively names the practical steps for apostasy-proof spiritual growth that we do well to understand and apply for our edification as follows:
  2. Understanding The Steps Of Apostasy-Proof Spiritual Growth, 2 Peter 1:5-11.
    1. We learned in our last lesson that the purpose of 2 Peter "is to call Christians to spiritual growth so that they can combat apostasy as they look forward to the Lord's return," Bible Know. Com., N. T. , p. 862.
    2. Accordingly, 2 Peter 1:5-7 comprehensively names the practical steps for apostasy-proof spiritual growth the believer should take, steps based on the foundation of the "faith" of basic Christian doctrinal beliefs, cf. 2 Peter 1:1 with Jude 3. We view those comprehensive practical steps (as follows):
      1. To our "faith," previously defined as doctrinal content of the Christian "faith," we must grow in Christ in adding "virtue" (KJV, ESV), "goodness" (NIV), 2 Peter 1:5a. The Greek New Testament term is arete, meaning "moral virtue, goodness," Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the N. T., p. 73.
      2. To our moral virtue, goodness, God wants us to add "knowledge" (KJV, NIV, ESV), gnosis being the Greek term, an experiential knowledge of Scripture and of a relationship with God by applying Scripture, 2 Peter 1:5b; U. B. S. Grk. N. T., 1966, p. 805; Theol. Dict. of the N. T., vol. I, p. 706-707.
      3. To our experiential knowledge of Scripture and fellowship with God in our Christian walk, the Lord wants us to add "temperance" (KJV), "self-control" (ESV, NIV), egkrateia in the Greek, or "self-control," 2 Peter 1:6a; Arndt & Gingrich, A Greek-English Lexicon of the N. T., 1967, p. 215.
      4. To self-control, God wants us to add "patience" (KJV), "steadfastness" (ESV), "perseverance" (NIV), the Greek term being hupomone, meaning to bear up under an inescapable hardship, 2 Peter 1:6b; Ibid., U. B. S. Grk. N. T.; Richard C. Trench, Synonyms of the New Testament, 1973, p. 195.
      5. To bearing up under an inescapable hardship, we are to add "godliness" (KJV, NIV, ESV), the Greek term being eusebeia, "piety, reverence, loyalty, fear of God," 2 Pet. 1:6c; Ibid., Arndt & Ging., p. 326.
      6. To our piety, reverence, loyalty, fear of God, the Lord wants us to add "brotherly love" (KJV), "brotherly kindness" (NIV), "brotherly affection" (ESV), the Greek term being philadelphia , meaning love of one's brothers in Christ [in this context], 2 Peter 1:7a; Ibid., Thayer, p. 653.
      7. To our love of Christian brothers in Christ, God wants us to add "charity" (KJV), "love" (NIV, ESV), the Greek term being agape, meaning an objective love by choice as opposed to philos that carries a subjective force of love due to attraction, 2 Pet. 1:7b; Ibid., U. B. S. Grk. N. T.; Ibid., Trench, p. 41-44.
    3. Peter wrote that if such moral virtue, goodness, such experiential knowledge of Scripture and relationship with the Lord, such self-control, such bearing up under an inescapable hardship, such piety, reverence, loyalty, reverence for God, such love for Christian brothers in Christ and such objective love of others by choice that goes beyond mere subjective attraction all be in us and abound, they make us neither to be barren or unfruitful in the experiential knowledge (epignosis ) of Jesus Christ, 2 Pet. 1:8; John 14:21, 23.
    4. However, if any believer does not possess these qualities, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins so as to be upright and godly, 2 Peter 1:9 (ESV, NIV).
    5. Thus, we must confirm our profession of faith by godly living (Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, 1978, ftn. to 2 Peter 1:10), the meaning of the KJV expression, "make your calling and election sure," 2 Peter 1:10a.
    6. In doing so, the believer will never "fall," the context of the epistle referring to falling into apostasy of departing from the truth unto theological and lifestyle error, 2 Peter 1:10b with 2 Peter 2:1-3.
    7. These virtues will make one gain a rich welcome when he enters God's eternal kingdom, 2 Pet. 1:11 NIV.
Lesson: God wants us to add these 2 Peter 1:5-7 qualities to our knowledge of basic Bible doctrine that we might not only avoid apostasy, but be richly rewarded in our entrance into God's eternal kingdom.

Application: May we grow by faith God's grace and power in these 2 Peter 1:5-7 godly characteristics.