Successful Spiritual Growth (2 Pet. 1:5-11)

Articles

Intro.

1. Every Christian should desire spiritual growth! (Heb. 6:1; 1 Pet. 2:2; 2 Pet. 3:18)

a. We are to make definite progress in the Christian life (steady moral & spiritual advancement).

b. But, how do we achieve spiritual growth in our lives?!

2. 2 Pet. 1:5-7 - By adding these attributes to our lives we become more like Christ!

3. We must see the inter-linking nature of these attributes. They do & cannot stand alone, but form a chain of spiritual strength & a stairway to heaven!

I. GIVE ALL DILIGENCE TO GROW - 1:5, 10.

A. Earnest Zeal, Exertion, To Endeavor.

1. Christians are not called & elected to a lifestyle of lethargy! (Eph. 4:1; Rom. 12:11)

2. Growth requires work Þ Time & patience! Cf. Rev. 3:2

3. v. 5 - Without diligence we will not grow.

4. v. 10 - With diligence we secure our salvation.

B. We Must Choose To Make Our Calling Sure (firm) - v. 10; cf. Phil. 2:12.

II. INCREASING IN SPIRITUAL QUALITIES IS SPIRITUAL GROWTH - 1:5-7.

A. Faith Is The Foundation Of All Other Spiritual Qualities - Heb. 11:6.

1. Firm persuasion, absolute trust - Heb. 11:1.

2. Without faith the other qualities of spiritual maturity are unattainable! (2 Cor. 5:7).

3. Faith can only be anchored in word of God (Rom. 10:17).

B. Add (Supply) To Your Faith:

1. Virtue: "Moral goodness," excellence. Courage (manliness, 1 Cor. 16:13) of faith.

a. The moral courage to live your faith, to do what is right!

b. Positive area of growth to combat the pressures of sin! - cf. Jno. 12:42-43

2. Knowledge: Understanding of truth.

a. Hosea 4:6 - Lack of knowledge destroys (2 Tim. 2:15; 1 Pet. 2:2; 2 Pet. 3:18).

b. Knowledge required to know when/how to exert moral courage! - Eph. 5:15-17

3. Self-control: Temperance, self-government or regulation.

Needed to do what we know is right (1 Cor. 9:25-27) & to avoid what we know is wrong (Jas. 1:13-15)

4. Perseverance: Patient, endurance, steadfastness, (Jas. 1:3-4; 5:7-8; Heb. 12:1, 3; cf. Mk. 4:16-17).

-To continue self-control, knowledge & virtue!

5. Godliness: Piety, reverence, devotion.

a. Implementing a lifestyle of respect for God’s will - Tit. 2:11-12 (2 Tim. 3:4-5).

b. Through previous "steps," we increase in our reverence for God, seeking to please God in everything!

6. Brotherly kindness: Brotherly affection, love.

a. Brotherly respect & concern (Rom. 12:10; Eph. 4:31-32; 1 Pet. 1:22; 2:17; 3:8).

b. As we grow inwardly (1:5-6) we must grow outwardly, too!

7. Love: Active goodwill, charity toward others.

a. "Unconquerable benevolence, undefeatable goodwill" (Barclay).

b. A deliberate desire (w/ corresponding action) for the greatest good of its object (Matt. 5:43-48). Cf. 1 Jno. 4:7-11; 3:17-18

c. 1 Cor. 13:1-8a, 13 - Love must motivate our actions, define our character & permanently abide in our lives!

d. Capstone of all other spiritual qualities, love is found in all of them! - Matt. 22:37-38

III. THE BENEFITS OF SPIRITUAL GROWTH - 1:8-11.

A. Christianity Will Be The Enthusiasm Of Our Lives! - v. 8 (Rom. 7:4). -Active & fruitful-

B. Greater Awareness Of Our Spiritual Blessings - v. 9.

C. Protection From Falling (security) - v. 10.

D. Abundant Entrance Into Heaven - v. 11.

Conclusion

If we will supply (fully add, v. 5) these attributes to our lives, God will supply heaven to us (v. 11)!

zqmpetero zqmpeterhko zqmpeterhkvwo zqmpeterhkvxo zqmpeterhkvzo zqmpeterhkvjo zqmpeterhkvfo zqmpeterhkvkbo zqmpeterhkvkko zqhebrewso zqhebrewshxo zqhebrewshxvko zqkpetero zqkpeterhmo zqkpeterhmvmo zqmpeterhpo zqmpeterhpvkjo zqephesianso zqephesianshqo zqephesianshqvko zqromanso zqromanshkmo zqromanshkmvkko zqrevelationo zqrevelationhpo zqrevelationhpvmpo zqphilippianso zqphilippianshmo zqphilippianshmvkmo zqhebrewshkko zqhebrewshkkvxo zqhebrewshkkvko zqmcorinthianso zqmcorinthianshwo zqmcorinthianshwvzo zqromanshkbo zqromanshkbvkzo zqkcorinthianso zqkcorinthianshkxo zqkcorinthianshkxvkpo zqjohno zqjohnhkmo zqjohnhkmvqmo zqjohnhkmvqpo zqjohnhkmvqqo zqjohnhkmvqwo zqjohnhkmvqxo zqjohnhkmvqzo zqjohnhkmvqjo zqjohnhkmvqfo zqjohnhkmvwbo zqjohnhkmvwko zqjohnhkmvwmo zqjohnhkmvwpo zqjohnhkmvwqo zqjohnhkmvwwo zqjohnhkmvwxo zqjohnhkmvwzo zqjohnhkmvwjo zqjohnhkmvwfo zqjohnhkmvxbo zqjohnhkmvxko zqjohnhkmvxmo zqjohnhkmvxpo zqjohnhkmvxqo zqjohnhkmvxwo zqjohnhkmvxxo zqjohnhkmvxzo zqjohnhkmvxjo zqjohnhkmvxfo zqjohnhkmvzbo zqjohnhkmvzko zqjohnhkmvzmo zqjohnhkmvzpo zqjohnhkmvzqo zqjohnhkmvzwo zqjohnhkmvzxo zqjohnhkmvzzo zqjohnhkmvzjo zqjohnhkmvzfo zqjohnhkmvjbo zqjohnhkmvjko zqhoseao zqhoseahqo zqhoseahqvxo zqmtimothyo zqmtimothyhmo zqmtimothyhmvkwo zqephesianshwo zqephesianshwvkwo zqephesianshwvkxo zqephesianshwvkzo zqephesianshwvkjo zqephesianshwvkfo zqephesianshwvmbo zqephesianshwvmko zqephesianshwvmmo zqephesianshwvmpo zqephesianshwvmqo zqephesianshwvmwo zqephesianshwvmxo zqephesianshwvmzo zqephesianshwvmjo zqephesianshwvmfo zqephesianshwvpbo zqephesianshwvpko zqephesianshwvpmo zqephesianshwvppo zqephesianshwvpqo zqephesianshwvpwo zqephesianshwvpxo zqephesianshwvpzo zqephesianshwvpjo zqephesianshwvpfo zqephesianshwvqbo zqephesianshwvqko zqephesianshwvqmo zqephesianshwvqpo zqephesianshwvqqo zqephesianshwvqwo zqephesianshwvqxo zqephesianshwvqzo zqephesianshwvqjo zqephesianshwvqfo zqephesianshwvwbo zqephesianshwvwko zqephesianshwvwmo zqephesianshwvwpo zqephesianshwvwqo zqkcorinthianshfo zqkcorinthianshfvmwo zqkcorinthianshfvmxo zqkcorinthianshfvmzo zqjameso zqjameshko zqjameshkvkpo zqjameshkvkqo zqjameshkvkwo zqjameshkvpo zqjameshkvqo zqjameshwo zqjameshwvzo zqjameshwvjo zqhebrewshkmo zqhebrewshkmvko zqmarko zqmarkhqo zqmarkhqvkxo zqmarkhqvkzo zqtituso zqtitushmo zqtitushmvkko zqtitushmvkmo zqmtimothyhpo zqmtimothyhpvqo zqmtimothyhpvwo zqromanshkmvkbo zqephesianshqvpko zqephesianshqvpmo zqkpeterhko zqkpeterhkvmmo zqkpeterhmvkzo zqkpeterhpo zqkpeterhpvjo zqmatthewo zqmatthewhwo zqmatthewhwvqpo zqmatthewhwvqqo zqmatthewhwvqwo zqmatthewhwvqxo zqmatthewhwvqzo zqmatthewhwvqjo zqkjohno zqkjohnhqo zqkjohnhqvzo zqkjohnhqvjo zqkjohnhqvfo zqkjohnhqvkbo zqkjohnhqvkko zqkjohnhpo zqkjohnhpvkzo zqkjohnhpvkjo zqkcorinthianshkpo zqkcorinthianshkpvko zqkcorinthianshkpvmo zqkcorinthianshkpvpo zqkcorinthianshkpvqo zqkcorinthianshkpvwo zqkcorinthianshkpvxo zqkcorinthianshkpvzo zqkcorinthianshkpvjo zqmatthewhmmo zqmatthewhmmvpzo zqmatthewhmmvpjo zqromanshzo zqromanshzvqo

From Bible Answers, https://www.bibleanswer.com/articles/2pe15-11. Permission is granted to use the Bible study and teaching material found on this website to the glory of God and the spread of His gospel. We request that proper citation and/or hyperlinks are included when republishing material from website.