7 Qualities of Mature Believers

2 Peter 1:5-7

Subject: Spiritual Growth 

Theme: diligently apply yourself to sustain spiritual growth.

Introduction:

In order to sustain growth, we must apply serious, concentrated, and persistent effort (2Pet. 1:5-7). Verses 3 and 4 declare how God has given us everything necessary to experience Christ’s divine life. Because He has, we must be diligent in cultivating it. God does not make us holy against our will or without our involvement. There must be desire, determination, and discipline on our part.

Peter refers back to the divine nature by beginning this new paragraph with the words “And besides this” indicating the very reason we must pursue maturity in Christ. When he says, “giving all diligence” it summons our every effort—to apply zeal; it is bringing to bear our personal determination alongside the provisions and promises of God. You see, every bit of effort a Christian can muster is to be coupled with the enabling power of the Holy Spirit, to “escape the corruption that is in the world” caused by our evil desires (2 Peter 1:4). Yes, serious personal exertion is necessary to develop the seven qualities of mature believers. Lazy believers will never cultivate these characteristics in verses 5-7, but those that do so will become more like Christ as they experience more entirely God’s “divine nature.” This certainly is not an either or proposition!

Paul, the apostle, completely agrees writing, “work out your own salvation.... For it is God which worketh in you” (Phil. 2:12–13). Spiritual development requires God’s work and our work! Since we truly have life, we can know substantial growth. By saving us God began an incredible work in us, but this is merely the start of a journey of development. We have an obligation to apply ourselves. Spiritual growth is not automatic, and we cannot become holy in a hurry. It requires full cooperation with God and our application of spiritual diligence.

Lesson:

Make Every Effort to Develop the 7 Qualities of Mature Christian Character (2Pet. 1:5-7). So then…how can we know when we are all grown up? What character strengths should we focus our energies on? 

Faith

Since Peter is writing to those who have already exercised saving faith in the Lord Jesus, he does not tell them or us to furnish faith; he assumes we already have it. Faith actually connects us to God through Jesus Christ; spiritual life begins with faith in our Lord. It is not through our discipline, works, services, sacrifices, rituals, or church membership that we are made right with God.

We are instead challenged to supplement our faith with seven elements of holiness. The word “add,” means “to supply generously,” pointing to an imperative—what we must do. Note that this is not adding these traits one after another, but manifesting all the qualities all the time.

In addition, the word "add" indicates one who provides for or supports others or supplies something for them in abundance. As such we are to “furnish, supply, or support” our life with these qualities. You see, we develop one quality as we exercise another quality. They are related much like a tree to its branches, and branches to their twigs. Like the “fruit of the Spirit” (Gal. 5:22–23), these qualities, the fruit of divine life, grow out of life and out of a vital relationship with Jesus Christ. It is not enough for the Christian to “let go and let God,” as though spiritual growth were God’s work alone. Literally, Peter is challenging us to bring our very best "A game" to ensure these qualities grow alongside our faith. The Father and the child must work together. (K. Gangel)

Virtue
The first characteristic is virtue (see 2 Peter 1:3). It basically means “excellence.” To the Greek philosophers, it meant “the fulfillment of a thing.” When anything in nature fulfills its purpose, that is “virtue—moral excellence.” The land that produces crops is “excellent” because it is fulfilling its purpose. The tool that works correctly is “excellent” because it is doing what a tool is supposed to do. (W. MacDonald)

A Christian is supposed to glorify God because he has God’s nature within; so, when he does this, he shows “excellence” because he is fulfilling his purpose in life. True virtue in the Christian life is not “polishing” human qualities, no matter how fine they may be, but producing divine qualities that make the person more like Jesus Christ. It may also be that virtue means spiritual courage before a hostile world, the strength to stand for what is right.  

Knowledge  

Virtuous courage is to be supplemented with knowledge, especially the knowledge of spiritual truth. Faith helps us develop virtue, and virtue helps us develop knowledge (2 Peter 1:5). The word “knowledge” in 2 Peter 1:2–3 means “full knowledge” or “knowledge that is growing.” The word used here suggests practical knowledge or discernment. It refers to the ability to handle life successfully. It is the opposite of being “so heavenly minded as to be of no earthly good!” This kind of knowledge does not come automatically. It comes from obedience to the will of God as stated in the Word (John 7:17) and submission to the personal ministry of the Holy Spirit. In the Christian life, you must not separate the heart and the mind, character and knowledge.

Beloved, we are immediately impressed with the importance of studying the Word of God and obeying its sacred precepts. Through an experiential knowledge of the Bible we develop what Erdman calls “practical skills in the details of Christianity.” (W. MacDonald)      

Temperance 

God calls every Christian to a life of discipline (1:6); temperance means self-control. Someone has defined this as the controlling power of the will under the operation of the Spirit of God. There must be discipline in prayer, discipline in Bible study, discipline in the use of time, discipline in curbing bodily appetites, and discipline in sacrificial living. For a believer... enslavement to passions and pleasures will destroy their testimony. “He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city” (Prov. 16:32). “He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down and without walls” (Prov. 25:28).

Paul agrees and often compares the Christian to an athlete who must exercise and discipline himself if he ever hopes to win the prize (1 Cor. 9:24–27; Phil. 3:12–16; 1 Tim. 4:7–8). Because of the example of others, the urgent needs of a perishing world, the personal peril of wrecking our testimony, we should discipline ourselves so that Christ will have the best of our lives.

Patience 

Temperance should be supplemented with patience, that is, persevering endurance of persecution and adversity. Patience is the ability to endure when circumstances are difficult. Self-control has to do with handling the pleasures of life, while patience relates primarily to the pressures and problems of life. (The ability to endure problem people is “long-suffering.”) Often, the person who “gives in” to pleasures is not disciplined enough to handle pressures either, so he “gives up.”

Patience is not something that develops automatically; we must work at it. James 1:2–8 gives us the right approach. We must expect trials to come, because without trials we could never learn patience. We must, by faith, let our trials work for us and not against us, because we know that God is at work in our trials.

If we need wisdom in making decisions, God will grant that wisdom if we ask Him. Nobody enjoys trials, but we do enjoy the confidence we can have in trials that God is at work, causing everything to work together for our good and His glory. need to be constantly reminded that the Christian life is a challenge to endure. It is not enough to start off in a blaze of glory; we must persevere in spite of difficulties. The idea that Christianity is an unending round of mountaintop experiences is unrealistic. There is the daily routine, the menial task, the disappointing circumstance, the bitter grief, and the shattered plans. Perseverance is the art of bearing up and pressing on in the face of all that seems to be against us. (W. MacDonald)  

Godliness

The next virtue is godliness. This may mean piety, reverence, goodness of life, or a high degree of morality. Godliness is simply “God-likeness.” In the Greek language, this word meant “to worship well.” It described the man who was right in his relationship with God and with his fellowman. In an irreverent culture like ours this quality of character truly makes a believer stand out. We must live above the petty things of life, as well as the common passions and pressures that control the lives of others. Beloved, seek to do the will of God and, as we do so, seek the welfare of others.

We must never get the idea that godliness is an impractical thing, because it is intensely practical. The godly person makes the kinds of decisions that are right and noble. We must not take an easy path simply to avoid either pain or trial. We must consciously choose to do what is right because it is right and because it is the will of God.

Our lives should be like God, with all that means in the way of practical holiness. There should be such a supernatural quality in our conduct that others will know we are children of the heavenly Father; the family likeness should be unmistakable. Paul reminds us, “... godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come” (1 Tim. 4:8). (W. Wiersbe)

Brotherly kindness 

Brotherly kindness (1:7) identifies us to the world as Christ’s disciples (John 13:35). Brotherly kindness is a virtue that Peter must have acquired the hard way, for the disciples of our Lord often debated and disagreed with one another.

If we love Jesus Christ, we must also love the brethren--desiring the highest good for them. We should practice an “unfeigned [sincere] love of the brethren” (1 Peter 1:22) and not just pretend that we love them. “Let brotherly love continue” (Heb. 13:1). “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love” (Rom. 12:10). The fact that we love our brothers and sisters in Christ is one evidence that we have been born of God (1 John 5:1–2).

Charity

Love of the brethren leads to charity for all mankind. There is more to Christian growth than brotherly love; we must also have the sacrificial love that our Lord displayed when He went to the cross. The kind of love (“charity”) spoken of in 2 Peter 1:7 is agape love, the kind of love that God shows toward lost sinners. This is the love that is described in 1 Corinthians 13, the love that the Holy Spirit produces in our hearts as we walk in the Spirit (Rom. 5:5; Gal. 5:22). When we have brotherly love, we love because of our likenesses to others; but with agape love, we love in spite of the differences we have.

This is not primarily a matter of the emotions but of the will. Love manifests itself in giving. For instance, “God so loved the world, that He gave ... ” (John 3:16). “Christ also loved the church and gave ... ” (Eph. 5:25). We can show our love by giving our time, our talents, our treasures, and our lives for others.  (W. MacDonald)

These seven graces make for a full-orbed Christian character. It is impossible for fallen human nature to manufacture these seven qualities of Christian character. They must be produced by the Spirit of God. To be sure, there are unsaved people who possess amazing self-control and endurance, but these virtues point to them and not to the Lord. They get the glory. When God produces the beautiful nature of His Son in a Christian, it is God who receives the praise and glory.

Because we have the divine nature, we can grow spiritually and develop this kind of Christian character. It is through the power of God and the precious promises of God that this growth takes place. The divine “genetic structure” is already there: God wants us to be “conformed to the image of His Son” (Rom. 8:29). The life within will reproduce that image if we but diligently cooperate with God and use the means He has lavishly given us. (W. MacDonald)

And the amazing thing is this: as the image of Christ is reproduced in us, the process does not destroy our own personalities. We still remain uniquely ourselves! One of the dangers in the church today is imitation. People have a tendency to become like their pastor, or like a church leader, or perhaps like some “famous Christian.” As they do this, they destroy their own uniqueness while failing to become like Jesus Christ. They lose both ways! Just as each child in a family resembles his parents and yet is different, so each child in God’s family comes more and more to resemble Jesus Christ and yet is different. Parents don’t duplicate themselves, they reproduce themselves; and wise parents permit their children to be themselves. (W. Wiersbe)

Isn't The Bible Outdated?

Text: 1 Peter 1:23-2:3; 2 Peter 1:20-21; 2 Tim. 3:15-17

Theme: The Bible is still relevant because of its origin, central theme, enduring character, unique power, and usefulness to humanity. 

Relevance:

Why is the Bible so important? The Bible is … a massive historical presence. Its influence on nearly every area of life is difficult to exaggerate. Suffice it to say, the world would be a darker, uglier, crueler place than we can imagine if it were not for the light, beauty, and love revealed in the Bible. –Max Anders

If we do not understand how important the Bible is we will miss the opportunity we have to learn and apply its wisdom in life. We are living in a time when the perceived value of the Bible for society, culture, and individuals is diminishing. We must understand the importance of the Bible so that we will know why we should champion the message of the Bible for society, culture, and the individual.(Anders)

Introduction:

Christianity is the true worship and service of the true God, humankind’s Creator and Redeemer. It is a religion that rests on revelation: nobody would know the truth about God, or be able to relate to him in a personal way, had not God first acted to make himself known. But God has so acted, and the sixty-six books of the Bible, thirty-nine written before Christ came and twenty-seven after, are together the record, interpretation, expression, and embodiment of his self-disclosure. God and godliness are the Bible’s uniting themes. –Packer, J. I.: Concise Theology

Lesson:

I.                   The Divine Origin of the Bible—Where did the Bible Come from?

A.     The Fact of the Divine Origin of the Bible.

1.  The Bible claims this for itself.

                                                                     i.            For the Old Testament.

a.       The Old Testament came from God (2Tim 3:16-17).

b.       The Scriptures are God-breathed.

c.       The entire Bible is inspired.

                                                                   ii.            For the New Testament.

a.       Peter refers to Paul’s letters as Scripture (2 Pet. 3:15-16), and Paul called Luke’s gospel Scripture in 1 Timothy 5:18, where he quotes the words of Luke 10:7.

b.       1 Thess. 2:13—“For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but, as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.”

c.       The Holy Spirit superintended the giving of the Word and helps us understand it (Jn. 14:26; 16:13; 15:26, 27).

2.  The Bible evidences this for itself.

                                                                     i.            By its tremendous unity throughout in spite of the forty different writers.

                                                                   ii.            By its consistent and continuous emphasis on God, Christ, and godliness throughout in spite of the fact it was written over the course of 1, 500 years.

                                                                  iii.            This unity and consistency points to One Author of Scripture—the Holy Spirit.

B.     The Meaning of the Divine Origin of the Bible.

1.  Revelation (1Cor. 2:9-11).

                                                                     i.            To know the mind of God, there must be some revelation from Him. The word "revelation" simply means a revealing, and in theology is applied to God's revealing of Himself to mankind.

                                                                   ii.            Without revelation, we would not know anything about God -or even that there is a God. Thus we begin this study with the premise that God desires to make Himself known to man, and has in fact revealed Himself at various times and in different ways (Deut. 29:29)

                                                                  iii.            Hebrews 1:1-2,  God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, [2] Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

2.  Inspiration (1Cor. 2:12, 13).

                                                                     i.          Inspiration deals with God giving us the Bible and overseeing the process of recording His revelation without error.  Having revealed Himself to man, God then had this revelation recorded in written form.

                                                                   ii.            Inspiration refers to God as the Author of the Bible.

a.       He inspired the very words of Scripture (Jer. 1:9; Matt. 24:35; 1Cor 2:13).

b.       The entire body of Scripture is equally inspired—“all” (2Tim. 3:16).

c.       The Scriptures are the product of divine and human cooperation—this is known as confluent inspiration (Acts 4:25; 13:35; Isa. 8:1).

d.       The Scriptures are free of error in their teaching (Ps. 119:160; Jn. 17:17).

                                                                  iii.            Since the Bible is given to mankind by inspiration of God then it is not merely the writings of men but they find their source in Jehovah. The reliability of the Scriptures rest in the Power, Sovereignty, and Wisdom of an All Mighty God, and not human strength or frailty! See 2 Peter 1:20, 21.

                                                                 iv.            Since God inspired the Bible it must be true from beginning to end (Ps. 119:160).

3. Illumination (1Cor. 2:14-3:4).

                                                                     i.          Illumination refers to the ministry of the Holy Spirit that enables believers to properly understand Scripture. This is not how we received God’s Word, only how we understand what God has written.

                                                                   ii.            The Author of the Bible really is the best Interpreter and Teacher of His Book (Jn. 14:26; 16:13; 1Jn. 2:20, 27)!

                                                                  iii.            Greater illumination and spiritual discernment will come with obedience, disciplined study, faith, and maturity in the Word (Matt. 13:12; Mark 4:24, 25; Heb. 5:11-14). There is no short cut to an in dept Biblical perspective.

a.       God does not communicate to us through occult practices and methods (Lev. 19:26, 31).

b.       Pursue the wisdom that comes from God; it is far superior to demonic and worldly wisdom (Dan. 1:16-21; 2:10, 19-23, 28-30).

II.                The Central Theme of the Bible—What does the Bible say to us?

A.     The Central Theme is God and Godliness (John 17:3; Eph. 1:17-20).

1. Do You Really Know Him? There’s a big difference between knowing about someone, and really knowing that person. Many people make this mistake when it comes to knowing God. They think that because they have gone to church a few times or have read bits and pieces of the Bible, they know God. But that’s not necessarily true! You can have stacks of factual information about God filed away in your mind, but not have a personal relationship with Him. (Packer)

                                                                     i.            When you really know someone, you know many things about that person—that person’s goals, concerns, and joys. You know that person’s heart.

                                                                   ii.            How about you? Do you know a lot of information about God, or do you really know God’s heart?

                                                                  iii.            Knowing About God Is Not the Same as Knowing God.

a.       Many people have knowledge about religion, Christianity, and the Bible. But intellectual knowledge is not the same as vital faith. Knowing about God is not the same as having a personal relationship with Him.

b.       This is clear from everyday relationships. Reading books on marriage is not the same as spending time with your spouse. Knowing someone’s phone number is a far cry from enjoying friendship with that person. Knowing who one’s customers are is not the same as dealing with a specific customer.

c.       In the same way, knowing God involves far more than knowing about Him. Information alone does not produce tangible faith. To be sure, right thinking is involved in faith, but faith is more than mere knowledge. (Anders)

2. Scripture speaks of “knowing” God as the spiritual person’s ideal lifestyle. Particularly, ‘knowing God’ is the fullness of a faith-relationship with Him that brings salvation and eternal life.  A relationship that generates love, hope, obedience, and joy. (See, for example, Exod. 33:13; Jer. 31:34; Heb. 8:8-12; Dan. 11:32; John 17:3; Gal. 4:8-9; Eph. 1:17-19; 3:19; Phil. 3:8-11; 2 Tim. 1:12.) (Packer)

                                                                     i.            There are three dimensions of this knowledge. The first is intellectual (knowing the truth about God: Deut. 7:9; Ps. 100:3); secondly is volitional (trusting, obeying, and worshiping God in terms of that truth); and lastly moral (practicing justice and love: Jer. 22:16; 1 John 4:7-8).

                                                                   ii.            The knowledge-relationship is reciprocal, implying covenantal affection on both sides: we know God as ours because he knows us as his (John 10:14; Gal. 4:9; 2 Tim. 2:19). (Packer)

                                                                  iii.            All Scripture has been given to help us know God in this way. Let us labor to use it for its proper purpose. –Adapted from Packer, J. I.: Concise Theology

3. The knowledge of God and His grace for daily living are disclosed in the promises of God—the Scriptures (2Pet. 1:2-4). The Scriptures reveal God that we might know Him and interact with Him accordingly—godliness.

4. Of all the names given to the Bible, “The Word of God” (Mark 7:13; Rom. 10:17; 2 Cor. 2:17; Heb. 4:12; 1 Thess. 2:13) is doubtless the most significant, impressive, and complete. This title not only implies authority and authorship, but also the Bible’s great theme—God. (Prisk)

B.     The Central Personality is Jesus Christ (Jn. 5:39, 46, 47).

They did not realize that the OT Scriptures telling of the coming Messiah were actually telling about Jesus. It is terrible to think that men with the Scriptures in their hands could be so blind. But it was even more inexcusable that after the Lord Jesus spoke to them in this way, they still refused to accept Him. … The main subject of the OT was the coming of Christ. If anyone misses that in studying the OT, he misses the most important part of it. –MacDonald: Believer's Bible Commentary

1. The Bible tells us about Jesus Christ (Luke 24:27, 44).

2. Look for the Lord Jesus as you read and study and the entire Bible will begin to open up to you.

C.     The Central Presentation is Christ’s Suffering and Glory (1Peter 1:10, 11).

1. The OT is Christ predicted; the Gospels is Christ provided; Acts is Christ proclaimed; the Epistles is Christ possessed; and the Revelation is Christ predominant.

2. In the OT we see Christ as Prophet, Priest, and King in types and prophecy.  In the Gospels he is Prophet; in Acts and the Epistles He is Priest; and in the Revelation He is King.

3. The OT presents the Christ of prophecy; the Gospels the Christ of history; in Acts and the Epistles he is the Christ of experience; and the Revelation, the Christ of glory.

III.             The Enduring Character of the Bible—Can we be certain we have the Bible today?

Without the Bible's teachings on the preservation of the Scriptures, we could never be sure we have the Bible today. Clearly Paul and Timothy believed they had in their possession the Scriptures two thousand years ago (2 Tim. 3:15-17). They did not have the original autographs (from 1500 to 450 years before) but they did have accurate copies of them. Paul viewed these copies as Scripture. We should view accurate copies and faithful translations (German, English, Spanish, and Japaneses) as Scripture today. 

A.     The Bible is an Eternal Book (Ps. 33:11; 119:98; Matt. 24:35).

1. If God inspired the Bible to insure we would have exactly what He said, then it only make sense that He would undertake to ensure that the Bible remains available to humanity in a pure form.

2. Faith accepts the fact that God will keep His promise to preserve His Word, working providentially by the same Spirit through the process of copying and translation to give us the very words He desires—Robert J. Sargent

3. On numerous occasions, Satan has attempted to remove the Bible from the face of the earth. Hellish decrees by wicked men have seen the Bible banned, burnt, and banished, then battered by scornful critics. …Down through the centuries God has marvelously and miraculously preserved His Word from destruction.—Robert J. Sargent

B.     The Bible is an Extended Book (Ps. 12:6, 7).

Like the purest silver known the Lord’s words are completely pure and perfectly true. What God says is truly untarnished, fully dependable and utterly reliable. There is no deceit, no flattery, no double meaning, no error in God’s Word. The Bible can be fully trusted.

1. Consider the extent of preservation—“words.”

2. Consider the period of preservation—“for ever.”

3. Consider the Person of preservation—“Thou.”

4. Consider other clear statements of God’s intent to maintain the Bible in perpetuity and purity (Ps. 119:89, 152, 160; 1Pet. 1:23, 25). God’s Word is still His Word when properly copied and translated. This is difficult to grasp, but the Bible teaches it repeatedly. We are always wise to believe God instead of men. (Sargent)

C.     The Bible is an Enduring Book (1Pet. 1:24, 25).

1. God’s Word is imperishable, living, and enduring. His incorruptible Word stands forever. This never dying seed is the message of good news which was preached to sinners and by it we are born again. It is the source of our eternal life.

2. Being born again . . . by the word of God. How tenuous [weak] a matter regeneration seems to the human mind, resting, as it does, only on God’s word. But Peter quotes Isaiah’s grand assertion that this seemingly frail, invisible entity—God’s word—will outlast all natural phenomena (Isa 40:6-8). And this is the word that gives significance to their faith and to themselves. –Pfeiffer, Charles F. : The Wycliffe Bible Commentary

3. I personally use the King James Bible (KJV) because of it's faithful textual origins, the method of its translation, the spiritual devotion and skill of its translators, and 400 years history of divine blessings, revivals, and great awakenings throughout the English speaking world. It is absolutely peerless among modern English translations.

IV.              The Unique Power of the Bible—What can the Bible do for us?

The Bible is not a dusty old book of dead history, useless stories, and exaggerated myths. Instead it is alive with piercing and penetrating power—a truly powerful book (Heb. 4:12).

A.     It is the Medium of Spiritual Life.

1. People are born again through faith in the life giving message of the Gospel (1Pet. 1:23; Js. 1:18; Ps. 19:7). The Spirit uses the seed of the Word to produce the miracle of the new birth.

2.  In James 1:18, “begat” means “to breed forth,” “to be born,” “to generate” (figuratively).

                                                                     i.            “Begat” is used metaphorically to describe the gracious act of God in giving to repentant sinners the nature and disposition of “children” imparting to us spiritual life–a new nature.

                                                                   ii.            See the following verses (John 3:3, 5, 7; 1 John 2:29; 3:9; 4:7; 5:1, 4, 5, 18).

3. Our Heavenly Father gave us the New Birth by the “Word of truth”–the Gospel (2 Cor 6:7; Col 1:5; Eph 1:13; 2 Tim 2:15).

                                                                     i.The Gospel is the message marked by truth (1Cor. 15:1-4), the Good News of salvation through Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

                                                                   ii.We hear about the gift of birth through the reading and preaching of the Gospel, and we respond to it in faith. We apply the message to ourselves and our needs. We receive the offered gift. It is God’s gift as he gives it and becomes our gift when we receive it.

B.     It is the Method of Spiritual Cleansing (1Pet. 1:22; 2:1; Ps. 119:9).

1. Christians are cleansed and purified through its teachings by adhering to the Bible (Jn. 15:3; 17:17; Eph. 5:26).

2. The Bible has the power to reveal and point out our sinfulness in thought, motive, and deed. It also directs us to the priesthood of Christ and the cleansing power of His blood for purging and decontamination.

3. By reading and obeying the Scriptures a Christian becomes more Christ-like and daily his life is kept from that which defiles his heart, spirit, mind, body, and soul. But a neglect of the Word on a daily basis permits filth and wickedness to accumulate in the soul and practices. Sin creeps into our habits when we neglect the Word.

C.     It is the Means of Spiritual Growth (1Pet. 2:2; Matt. 4:4).

1. Bible reading, study, and meditation provide food to nourish the soul of the believer. This is essential to real spiritual growth (Ps. 1:1-3; Josh. 1:8).

2. This obligation flows from our new birth. It is to have an insatiable craving for the pure spiritual milk of the word. While sinful practices will stunt spiritual growth; the good Word of God nourishes it.  Both young and old in the faith, are to have a thirst for Scripture likened unto hungry infants who cry for milk at mealtime. Cultivate a healthy appetite for God’s Word. Our desire for the Word should be as strong as a healthy baby who impatiently, aggressively, determinedly sucks and swallows.

3. One solid motivation for studying the Word is to grow up in the Lord. Spiritual maturity should be a priority for every believer in Christ (Eph. 2:21; 4:15; 2Thess. 1:3; 2Pet. 3:18).

D.     It is the Message of Spiritual Men (1Pet. 1:25).

1. The message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ (1Cor. 15:1-4; Rom. 1:16; 4:25).

2. The apostles Peter and Paul preached this message to their generation. It was adequate then and it is still sufficient for the need of fallen mankind today.

3. This gospel is to be preached around the world to every creature in our generation also.

V.                 The Spiritual Application of the Bible (2 Tim. 3:16)—How should the Bible fit in my life?

Tens of millions of adults are rediscovering the Bible and are seeking a deeper relationship with God. A recent poll reported in U.S. News & World Report revealed that “more than 80 percent [of Americans], including 71 percent of college graduates, believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God.” In the same poll, 76 percent of the respondents believe that “God is a heavenly father who can be reached by prayers.” He is not merely an “idea” or an “impersonal creator.”

Yet, questions abound concerning the Bible and God, especially in regard to what it means to be a contemporary Christian in a secular society. Does being a Christian mean you should give up your career and become a monk? Should you donate your designer clothing to the poor and replace them with drab rags? If being a Christian means following Jesus, how can you bridge the two-thousand-year gap between His time and ours? What does it mean to be like Jesus today? –Ken Abraham and Dietrich Gruen: Experiencing the Word in Your Life

A.     Scripture is Profitable for Doctrine. That is it tells us what is right (2 Tim. 3:16).

1. Doctrine is what the Word says on any given subject—Bible teachings. Teaching refers to the content of truth. It always flows from and is consistent with Scripture.

2. Since the Bible is “inspired or God-breathed,” we are reminded of its authority. Bible teachings are not like mere human opinions; they are backed with divine authority. Doctrine that contradicts biblical teachings is to be rejected, corrected, or replaced by accurate teaching.

3. Doctrine—What basic truth does God wants me to know and is taught in this passage?

B.     Scripture is Profitable for Reproof. That is it tells us what is wrong (2 Tim. 3:16).

1. Reproof exposes areas in our thinking and behavior that do not line up with the Word.  Reproof is rebuking sin. Yes, God's Word rebukes and reproves our sinfulness. 

2. The initial impact of true doctrine involves the confrontation of false teaching and understanding. The offensiveness of some who teach biblical truth may have to be excused, but the offensiveness of biblical truth to error and evil requires no apology.

3. Reproof—What error in judgment, understanding, or behavior might this passage be reproving in my life?

C.     Scripture is Profitable for Correction. That is it tells us how to make it right (2 Tim. 3:16).

1. Correction is taking the necessary steps to correct whatever is wrong. It includes confessing and forsaking the wrong. Correction helps us straighten out errors.

2. In the area of correction, the Scriptures have two roles: (1) they provide a complete presentation of the teaching, where only part of the truth has been present; and (2) they provide for a right understanding and application where true doctrine may have been taught but has not taken effect.

3. Correction—How might this passage correct, balance, or direct me?

D.     Scripture is Profitable for Instruction. That is it tells us how to keep it right (2 Tim. 3:16).

1. Instruction in Righteousness is using the Bible as a handbook for living. It shows us how God intended for us to live righteously. Training in righteous living shows us how to please and glorify God. (MacDonald)

2. The ideal setting for doctrine includes the kind of preparation that minimizes the need for later reproof and correction. The nature of Scripture allows us to teach it confidently to our children and to learn from it ourselves.

3. Instruction (Training)—What does this passage present to prepare me for some future spiritual challenge?

Conclusion:

Knowing these truths about the Bible, how then should we respond to it? What Scripture says, God says; for, in a manner comparable only to the deeper mystery of the Incarnation, the Bible is both fully human and fully divine. So all its manifold contents—histories, prophecies, poems, songs, wisdom writings, sermons, statistics, letters, and whatever else—should be received as from God, and all that Bible writers teach should be revered as God’s authoritative instruction. Christians should be grateful to God for the gift of his written Word, and conscientious in basing their faith and life entirely and exclusively upon it. Otherwise, we cannot ever honor or please him as he calls us to do. –Packer, J. I.: Concise Theology

What Is A Christian Teacher?

Teachers in the biblical cultures primary task involved the communication of a fixed body of information—doctrinal instruction—to their students, often solely by rote memory work (Acts 2:42).  The New Testament concept of teaching usually means instruction in the faith. Teaching may overlap with prophecy (Acts 13:1), because both can expound God’s Word, but teaching focuses more on the mastery of content.  Since sound instruction in the faith is essential to the spiritual growth of Christians and to the development of a church, the Bible contains numerous guidelines for the Christian teacher (Matt 4:23; Luke 4:14; Acts 13:1-3; Rom 12:6-8; Gal 6:6; 1Tim. 3:2; 4:16; 2Tim. 2:2; Tit. 1:9).

A.  A Bible Educator.

The gifted Christian teacher is divinely enabled with special ability to interpret and present God’s truth understandably.

    1.  Teaching is Instructing from the Word. (Rom. 12:7)

The primary difference between teaching and prophesying is not in content, but in the distinction between the ability to proclaim and the ability to give systematic and regular instruction in God’s Word.

2 Tim. 2:2, And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.

Proverbs 9:8-10, Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee. [9] Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. [10] The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

Christian Education is far more then merely acquiring knowledge.  The Bible uses four words to outline the steps to, and the outcome of a sound education.  They are:

           A.  Instruction.  (Prov. 1:8)

Instruction is the Communication of the FACTS and INFORMATION from the teacher to the student.  An example would be telling someone what a car is.  Including information and facts about its use as transportation, mechanical structure, capabilities, speed, safety features and the engine is all a part of this form of instruction.   

           B.  Knowledge.  (Prov. 1:7a; 23:12)

Knowledge is the ASSIMILATION and RETENTION of communicated facts; the development of Skills. An example would be the ability to restate what a car is, how to operate it, how it is structured, what it’s capabilities are, and what it’s safety features consist of.

           C.  Understanding. (Prov.  2:3b; Ps. 119:130)

Understanding is the ADAPTATION and APPLICATION of acquired knowledge and skills in light of God’s Word; discretion.  This would be taking the car out for a drive and demonstrating a capacity to safely operate it within the scope of its capabilities with little or no supervision.

           D.  Wisdom.  (Prov.  2:6: 16:16)

This refers to the Life, which is in harmony with the mind of Christ (the Word of God)—the ability to THINK and DO as God would if He were here personally.  This could be illustrated in the ability to operate many different vehicles skillfully without accidents or assistance on any type of terrain and in any type of weather.

           

      1. Proverbs 4:4a, 5 refer to these same steps with the words–“taught” (instruction); “retain” (knowledge); “keep” (understanding); and “wisdom.”

                   2.  QUOTE: “Secular education seeks to make better, more effective, more successful, more intelligent people. The Christian educator aspires to nothing less than the transformation of a believer into the image of Christ.”    —Howard Hendricks

     2.  A Teacher is A Bible Explainer.

A teacher is able to explain the Word of God and apply it to the hearts of his or her hearers. –MacDonald, William

                  1.  Jesus Was a Bible Explainer.

Jesus, of course, was both the supreme Preacher and Teacher. Even after His resurrection, He continued to teach. When He joined the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, “And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. .… And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures? ” (Luke 24:27, 32).

 Both “expounded”[ = explained, v. 27] and “opened” [= explaining, or “opening up,” v. 32] are synonyms of  “teacheth” and “teaching” in Romans 12:7.

Research & Discussion Time!

From Jesus, the Great Teacher, we learn many truths about teaching in general that apply to this gift as well.

•          What was the essential source of ability for Jesus’ teachings? (Luke 4:17)

•          What were His two primary objectives in teaching? (Matt. 22:34–40)

•          On at least one occasion, to what did He ascribe greatness in the kingdom of God? (Matt. 5:19, 20)

                  2.  Systematic Sound Teaching is Our Focus.

Regular, systematic teaching of the Word of God is the primary function of the pastor-teacher and the other teachers.

                           A.  As teachers, we are required “to teach” (1 Tim. 3:2) and to hold “fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.” (Titus 1:9).

                              1) Not only must a Bible teacher meet moral and spiritual standards in their personal life, but he or she must also be a reliable handler of the Word—sound in the faith. We must hold tenaciously to the spiritually healthful doctrines taught by the Lord Jesus and the apostles which have been preserved for us in the NT.  Accordingly as conservators of the truth, we must understand it, hold it fast; (16) encourage others by teaching it; and (17) refute those who oppose it.

                              2) “Holding fast the faithful Word” (v. 9). The word faithful was a favorite with Paul (see 1 Tim. 1:15; 4:9; 2 Tim. 2:11; Titus 3:8). God’s Word is trustworthy because God cannot lie (Titus 1:2). Because the Word is faithful, those who teach and preach the Word should be faithful. Again, Paul used the term sound doctrine which … means “healthy doctrine” that promotes spiritual growth.

The naive church member who says, “We don’t want doctrine; just give us helpful devotional thoughts!” does not know what he is saying. Apart from the truth (and this means Bible doctrine), there can be no spiritual help or health.—W.W. Wiersbe

                           B.  Above all, Paul encouraged Timothy, “Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.” (1 Tim. 4:16). 

Notice the order here. Timothy is first to take heed to himself and then to the doctrine. This emphasizes the importance of the personal life in any servant of Christ. If his life is wrong, he might be ever so orthodox in his doctrine, but it is of no avail. A. W. Pink has well said: “Service becomes a snare and an evil if it be allowed to crowd out worship and the cultivation of one’s own spiritual life.”

By continuing in the things Paul has been writing about, that is, reading, exhortation, and instruction, Timothy would save both himself and those who heard him. The word save here has nothing to do with the salvation of the soul. The chapter opened with a description of the false teachers who were causing havoc among the people of God. Paul is telling Timothy that by faithful adherence to a godly life and to the word of God, he will save himself from these false teachings and he will also rescue his hearers from them as well. –Believer’s Bible Commentary

                           C.  Pastors are not the only ones the Lord calls and empowers to teach. But if a pastor’s ministry is to be judged, among other things, on the soundness of his teaching—as the passages just cited indicate—then it seems reasonable to assume that, in some measure, he should have the gift of “teaching.”  Additionally, any Bible teacher must abide by the same standard of sound teaching.

B.  A Christian Trainer on a Mission.

Not only is a teacher a Bible educator, but he is also a Christian trainer fulfilling the Great Commission in multiple ways and through many types of teaching ministries.

    1.  Note the Great Commission Enjoins It.  

Matthew 28:18-20, And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. [19] Go ye therefore, and teach [to instruct to make disciples and followers] all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: [20] Teaching [to teach and instruct systematically to obey] them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Here we recognize the church collectively has a general responsibility to “teach” the Word of God in Evangelism and Discipleship. The word “teach” is used in both instances. 

    2.  Note the Many Applications of the Gift. 

The gift of teaching could apply to a pastor, a teacher in seminary, Christian college, Sunday school, discipleship, youth groups, Children’s church or any other place of elementary or advanced education, in the home by Mom and Dad and wherever God’s truth is taught. The earliest church was characterized by regular teaching.  Acts 2:42, And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

    3.  Consider Teaching a Major Purpose of our Church.  

           A.  A Teaching Ministry is Not a Social Function.

Some see the church as something you join for what you can get out of it, the way you join a country club or the Rotary Club.  It is not a social service organization, with a ministry oriented primarily toward the physical, social, temporal needs of men. Certainly, the sincere Christian will get something out of a biblical church, but his primary goal is not the same as that for joining a country club.

           B.  The Church Is a Place to Face the Truth and Respond Accordingly. 

The apostle Paul described the church of the living God as the “pillar and ground [foundation] of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15). Unless truth undergirds the church and our role in it, it is just a country club and the truth should shake us up sometimes! (Isaiah 61:1-3)

           C.  Churches Struggle With Loyalty to Christ and Its Local Community.  

It is becoming easier and easier to fudge a little here, get a little fuzzy there, tune into the values of society to make people feel comfortable without fully confronting truth. People will then be more willing to join our churches—not to become a holy nation for the Lord, but to join our country club, if the price isn’t too high, and if the show is good enough. (2 Tim. 4:1-5; Isa. 30:9-14).

APPLICATION: If We Do Not Call People to Lives of Serious Discipleship, We Have Nothing to Justify Our Existence. We might as well shut the doors and go do something else. We are called to teach and to be a witness, and we dare not water down our message for fear of offending people. There is no virtue in needlessly offending people, and many churches have certainly done this. But neither is there any virtue in surrendering to secular values to appease students.

    4.  Note the Examples of Paul and Other Teachers.  

           A.  Paul’s Spiritual Gift Included Features of Both Preaching and Teaching.

2 Tim. 1:11, Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.

           B.  Later in the Same Epistle, Paul Charged Timothy: “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.” (2 Tim. 2:2).

           C.  Barnabas Had This Gift and Ministered in Antioch with Paul, where they were “teaching and preaching, the word of the Lord, with many others also,” (Acts 15:35).

           D.  Likewise Apollos Was Also a Diligent and Fervent Teacher “And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus. [25] This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John.” (Acts 18:24–25). 

Preaching and teaching are often intermingled.  In fact it’s hard to preach the Bible without doing some teaching and it’s hard to teach the Bible without some preaching.  It helps to know that the Bible mentions them together!