So, for today's notes.....Peter's Law of Motion....
"3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, 11 trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow." 1 Peter 1:3-11
Let's break this passage down and outline the steps we need to take -- the actions that build upon each other to cause spiritual growth.
Obtaining our faith:
We got everything we need to live for Jesus -- it is the knowledge of Jesus that makes this possible.
Faith comes from:
"Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ." Romans 1017
"Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1
"For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved." Romans 10:10
Faith comes from hearing the message, having confidence in what we hope for but do not see; and when we believe in our hearts and profess it with our mouths (our words).
This is just the beginning of your faith though -- you gotta grow!
Promises:
"Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires." 2 Peter 1:4
Because of his promises we can live like Christ. Faith is a process.
If we want to live the promises:
Building up our faith:
5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love." 2 Peter 1:5-7
It says we are to add to our faith. It is a process... We are to be like a moving river. When water stops moving it gets stagnant -- then it looks and smells bad and is good for nothing. But we are to be like living water.
faith (then) goodness (then) knowledge (then) self-control (then) perseverance (then) godliness (then)
mutual affection (then) love.....they build on each other.
"12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." Colossians 3:12-14
Bind it all in love.
14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.[a]" Romans 13:14
Put the work in and you will grow. This is a promise. If you're not growing you're dying.
"8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins." 2 Peter 1:8-9
"Increasing measure" -- this means never ending.
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock." Matthew 7:24
Grow by seeking, doing, experiencing.
"If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you." James 1:5
"In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." James 2:17
"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds," James 1:2
Rewards:
"Therefore, my brothers and sisters,[a] make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." 2 Peter 1:10-11
If you make the effort you won't stumble -- you gotta do your part. Be a flowing river!
Peter's 3rd Law of Motion: For every action we take, there is an equal reaction from the Spirit!
"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." 2 Timothy 4:7