1 S. Peter, bondservant & apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who,ve obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God & Savior Jesus C

Our faith begins by acquiring the righteousness of Christ thru faith in God’s provision for paying our debt (free gift- Eph 2:8-10)

2  Grace and peace be multiplied to you in/by the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,

 We grow in  grace  (coin of the realm of heaven - what enables us to do business in the spiritual realm) and peace (temporal and eternal blessings) by deepening our  intimacy and knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord. The closer you move the more you see.

3  as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by/to glory and virtue,

As we deepen our knowledge of God, we respond to God’s summoning us to glory (future gracious reward) and virtue (Christlike holiness)

Since God graciously provides all we need, we just have to respond to His Spirit’s offer of grace in faithful obedience. No excuses.

4  by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

By believing and acting on God’s promises, we become more like Christ, trading worldly values for eternal values, transforming our desires.

5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge,

diligence - In light of the future to which God summons us, we need to... chose to earnestly love the right thing and thus constantly, purposefully and zealously pay the full price without quitting or goofing off, to add (supply a chorus at own expense) to our faith

Pr 12:27  The lazy man does not roast what he took in hunting, But diligence is man’s precious possession.

Heb 4:11  Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience. 6:11  And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, 11:6  But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

2Pe 3:14  Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless;

FQ1: How is it that we can be diligent in some things, but not in our spiritual lives? What helps us be diligent?

virtue/moral excellence - separation from sin because we grasp its consequences, the benefits of holiness, and God’s good desires for us;

purchased by denying our old selves daily as we follow our Savior and Lord, replacing bondage with freedom, and death with life.  

Lk 9:23 If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. 24-26 gain...lose

1Th 1:9 ...and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God,  Heb 12:4...resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin.

Rom 6:11  Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. 12  Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. 13  And do not yield  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.

Rm 12:2  do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.   13:14  put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.

Rm8:13  For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

FQ2: What motivates us to take steps to separate from sin? What causes us to remain bound to that which doesn’t satisfy? (Eph 4:17)

knowledge - understanding God and His ways (will), His commands and principles, what He’s promised and requires internally and externally;

purchased by studying, synthesizing, ingraining & applying His Word. (Hand illus: meditation is thinking thru implications for applications)

2Ti 2:15  Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Jn 8: 31...believed Him, If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Mk 7:6This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. 7  in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men. 8 For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men

FQ3: How can we know we are obeying what God has said and not being deceived by Satan into following the traditions of men.

6  to knowledge self-control, to self-control, perseverance...godliness 7... brotherly kindness...love.

Self-control - the power (under control) to inhibit or exhibit an impulse at will regardless of temporal pain or pleasure;

purchased by so habitually yielding our will to God’s Holy Spirit, that we have no desires independent of Him.

Perseverance - a persistent endurance that never quits, overcoming opposition, obstacles, boredom;

purchased by focusing on the goal of our future reward as we put one foot in front of the other even when we can’t see temporal progress.

Godliness - knowing and doing all that God requires to the extent that it becomes our identity;

purchased by having our lives characterized by seeking and obeying the Truth, without regard to the temporal consequences

Brotherly kindness - an other-centered affectionate love that arises from purified lives sharing and pursuing the life of Christ in unity;

purchased by loyally and likemindedly submitting to one another in pursuing true Biblical fellowship that reflects God.

Love - self sacrificially doing what is in another’s best interest, based in the lover and surpassing human feeling; (1Pt 1:22; 2Tim 2:22)

purchased by serving others in observing their needs and then sacrificing what we might want to bless them and glorify God.

1Pe 1:22  Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart,

2Ti 2:22  Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

1Ti 6:11  But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness.

1Thess 3: 12  And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you,

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.

12 For this reason I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present truth.