Focus on the Power of the Spirit

 

 

2Cor. 3:17-18

Theme: The focus of New Testament Believers is our Lord Jesus Christ to experience the freedom of transformation.

Introduction:

Setbacks and struggles assert our need for maturity! Genuine spiritual growth is a frustrating battle. This can be extremely unnerving at times.  But it helps to know Jesus must be our focus and during setbacks it’s time to refocus on him…again.

Message:

2 Corinthians 3:17-18, Now the Lord is that Spirit [Holy Spirit]: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty [freedom from bondage and obscurity]. But we all, with open [unveiled] face beholding as in a glass [mirror] the glory of the Lord, are changed [transformed] into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Clearly this is an inward renovation that has a palpable outward outcome.  What a magnificent change it is! But how can such a drastic change transpire?  Well, let look at considering the power for such change.

I.     Focus on the Power for Change—The Holy Spirit Manages this Awesome Process— “Now the Lord is that Spirit…where the Spirt of the Lord is…even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” (2Cor. 3:17-18)

A.    According to Jesus, the Holy Spirit is the Power.  The third member of the Godhead who effects this splendid modification in believers. 

                                        1.     This title the “Spirit of the Lord” is a little unusual because frequently ‘Lord’ in the NT refers to the Lord Jesus Christ. Here the title is a reference to the Holy Spirit, and I think this title highlights his ministry of revealing, promoting, and exalting Jesus Christ.

                                        2.     John 16:12-15, I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. ¹³ Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. ¹⁴ He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. ¹⁵ All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

                                        3.     Dr. William MacDonald says of the Holy Spirit, “His principal work will be to glorify Christ. By this we can test all teaching and preaching. If it has the effect of magnifying the Savior, then it is of the Holy Spirit. “He will take of what is Mine” means that He will receive of the great truths that concern Christ. These are the things He reveals to believers. The subject can never be exhausted!”

                                        4.     2 Corinthians 4:6, For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

B.    This is Supernatural Power wrought by the Spirt! “The Spirit of the Lord” draws the believer’s attention to the perfections of Christ, highlights areas of deficiency and sin in the people of God, urges us on to our spiritual potential in Christ and then literally empowers us to attain it (Acts 1:8; Eph. 5:18; Gal. 5:22-23).

                                        1.     But how can such a drastic alteration of morals, values, and character transpire?  The power for change is the Holy Spirit of God: “even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”  

i.       Ephesians 5:18-21, And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; ¹⁹ Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; ²⁰ Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; ²¹ Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

ii.     Acts 1:8, But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

                                        2.     William MacDonald observed, “As we behold the Lord of glory, study Him, contemplate Him, gaze on Him adoringly, the Spirit of the Lord works in our life the marvelous miracle of increasing conformity to Christ.” (MacDonald) 

C.    Every Believer Must Rely on the Holy Spirit for Spiritual Change!

                                        1.     Clearly this change is not through mere human effort, psychological reform, or mere human determination, for no such energy and power resides in the “flesh” of our humanity (Rom. 7:18).

                                        2.     Romans 7:18-20, For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. ¹⁹ For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. ²⁰ Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 

                                        3.     While men can alter their behavior, it is utterly impossible to affect the spectacular transformation mentioned here. 

 

Conclusion:

We are in a continuing process of transformation into the very image of Christ. Christlikeness is the ultimate goal of our journey (Eph. 4:23–24; Col. 3:10). 

It is tempting to think that we should see some special sign of our spiritual growth. We imagine that, like bodybuilders who can see the results of their training, we too should be able to look in a mirror and see our spiritual muscles bulging! Perhaps we think of the Apostle Paul’s example, and look for a miraculous transformation such as he experienced. But even Paul took pains to point out he had not attained some kind of spiritual perfection (Phil. 3:12–14).--M. Anders 

Finally, consider our need for God’s forgiveness and Salvation.

     1. Every Person that Ever Lived Has Been Impacted by Sin– We All are Sinners.

Isaiah 53:6, All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Romans 5:12, Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

So, you see we all are sinners—transgressors of God’s law and under the divine death penalty. We are guilty and desperately need God’s forgiveness. Do you sense your need for God’s forgiveness for your life of sin? Remember, confession is acknowledging God's standards of morality and the truth that we have not lived up to his requirements. It is admitting, "I don't measure up...either." 

     2.  The Results and Consequences of a Life of Sin is Death. 

Ezek 18:4, Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.

If you spend your life serving Master Sin, then you can expect to receive the wages of Master Sin. The wages of Sin are the death penalty!

              a.   Physical Death—Rom. 5:12,14

              b.   Spiritual Death—Eph. 2:1; 4:18

              c.   Eternal Death—Rev. 20:15

The evidence that we all have sinned is the fact that we die physically. Physical death is also indicative of pervasive spiritual separation from God as a human condition. Eternal death is nothing short of suffering forever in the Lake of Fire. When deciding it is best to have all the necessary information.

     3. The Key is Trusting Christ as our Savior. 

Paul outlines this in Romans 10:9-10, writing, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10, For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” We cannot simply believe anything about Jesus, we must believe that the Son of God, died for our sins, was buried, and God raise Him up again the third day for our justification before The Father. It is crucial that we understand that it is faith in Jesus Christ and His Gospel that is the power of God that saves us (Rom. 1:14-17).

I have given you all you need to know to understand your guilt before a holy God. I know how this must feel. I do NOT measure up either...I am not good enough for God to accept me without accepting his forgiveness. God promises to save all who will acknowledge their sins to Him while trusting Jesus Christ as their Savior. Remember sin is defined as violations of God's Laws. We have put idols before the true and living God. We are guilty of taking God's Name in vain. We have not honored our parents fully and always. We have not treated people with real love and respect exclusively. We do not measure up to the perfection of God's standard of morality. We NEED His forgiveness...He offers us forgiveness not condemnation. With this being the case...condemnation is something you chose by refusing Christ.

 

Spiritual Growth Is A Journey

Rom. 12:1–2

Theme: To become like Christ requires the combination of personal commitment, the work of God, and the Word of God..

Introduction:

We all want to be more than we are, but we aren’t sure how. Remember the spiritual life is a journey, and you can always see farther down the road spiritually than you currently are. For that reason, the Christian life is often haunted by dissatisfaction at best, and deep travail at worst. In the better moments of our spiritual pilgrimage, we are gratified with the spiritual growth God has granted, enriched by the communion of the Lord and the fellowship of other saints. Yet even in these good moments, we know that there is more. As Christians we are unsettled and drawn inescapably beyond the ground on which we stand, toward the warmer climate of fuller fellowship with Christ (Anders).

Then there are other moments in our Christian experience when we rush out into the darkness and weep bitterly because of some failure. We wonder how the Lord Jesus can forgive us so great a sin, or a sin committed so often. Though this struggle is all too familiar, it does help to know that growth is an extensive process!

Message:

There are three key ingredients required for someone to develop a mature Christian character and know a life marked by victory instead of defeat. If we make these a part of our daily experience and recognize how God uses each of them, then we will indeed grow in the Lord.

I.      Make a Conscious Choice to Change (Rom. 12:1-2)—You Must Decide to Live God’s Will. Romans 12:1–2, I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, [complete] will of God.  The verse answers the question, “What does God want?” Another way of asking it is, “What is God’s will?”

A.     God wants you.  “Present,” “conformed,” “transformed,” and “prove” are the key concepts in this passage. The first three are commands and the last states the overall objective. That is we must present ourselves to live for Christ, and refuse to conform to worldliness by transformed thinking.  Why?  That we may prove God’s will is the most complete and best way for us to live. But, how do we do this?

B.     Give Him your Body.  Paul urged us as believers to “present” our bodies (see Rom 6:13) as living sacrifices (1Cor. 6:19-20; Phil. 1:20-21; 2Cor. 4:10-11). 

                                                1.      1 Cor. 6:19-20, What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20, For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

                                                2.      Phil 1:20-21, According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. 21, For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

                                                3.      2 Cor. 4:10-11, Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. 11, For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.

                                                4.      The day I was married to my wife Patrice I presented and yielded myself to her and I refused all others.  Every day since then has been an effort to prove that life with here is the best life for me.

                                                5.      We are to offer or “yield” (Rom. 6:13, 16, 19) our bodies—the totality of our life, personality, and activities, which is expressed through the vehicle of our body. 

                                                6.      This is our “reasonable service,” which refers to any ministry performed for God, such as the ones mentioned in the following verses (Rom. 12:3-12).  Christians are believer-priests, identified with the great High Priest, the Lord Jesus Christ (Heb 7:23-28; 1 Peter 2:5, 9; Rev 1:6). A believer’s offering of his total life as a sacrifice to God is therefore sacred service.

C.     Give Him your Mind.  Paul then stated the general implications of a believer’s offering his life to God as a sacrifice. Such an offering represents a complete change in lifestyle, involving both a negative and a positive aspect.

                                                1.      First the negative, Paul commanded, “be not conform” or no longer live according to the worldly lifestyle or the pattern of this present age. Don’t allow a godless society pressure you to be just like the average individual who ignores God.

                                                2.      Then positively Paul commanded, “But be ye transformed,” we are to keep on progressing through spiritual changes from the inside out. The key to this change is the “mind”—“by the renewing of your mind.” The mind is the control center of our attitudes, thoughts, feelings, and actions (see Eph 4:22-23). As our mind keeps on being made new by the spiritual input of God’s Word, prayer, and Christian fellowship, our lifestyle continues to be transformed.

                                                3.      Scuba divers and gymnasts know that where their head goes, the rest of their body will eventually follow.

D.    Give Him your Will.  As a Christian is transformed in his mind and is made more like Christ, he comes to approve of and desire God’s will, not his own will for his life. Then he discovers that God’s will is good for him, and that it pleases God, and is complete in every way. It is all he needs. But only by being renewed spiritually can a believer ascertain, do, and enjoy the will of God.  

E.     Become a Living Sacrifice. But, What Is Sacrificial Living? It means breaking the world’s mold; going against the flow of society. Yet God does not hesitate to confront us with the choice. The option is not whether we will conform; rather, the choice is to whom will we conform? Will our lives follow the pattern of this world or God’s pattern? The following are components of God’s pattern:

                                                1.      Offer our bodies—Delivering both the inner and outer self into God’s control.

                                                2.      Be nonconformists—Consciously resisting the suggestions, values, and pressures of the world around us.

                                                3.      Renew our minds—Constantly asking God to teach us to think as he thinks.

                                                4.      Estimate ourselves honestly—Having neither false humility nor inappropriate pride in our serving relationships with others.

                                                5.      Utilize our gifts—Identifying those gifts to be used in helping others; finding a purpose, a place, and a position to serve other believers. –The Life Application Commentary Series 

II.  Respond Faithfully to The Work of God Within (Phil. 2:12-13).

Phil 2:12-13,Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13, For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

A.     Know that God is at Work.

                                                1.      God is working in us “both to will and to do of His good pleasure.”  He creates desires and empowers spirit ambitions!  He gives inner promptings to guide His people.

                                                2.      Someone has said, “God does the work of God, and man does the work of man. Man cannot do the work of God, and God will not do the work of man.”

B.     Fulfill Your Responsibility. If that is the case, we must be clear about what is the work of God and what is our responsibility. We must look to God to initiate the work in our hearts, and we must respond with faithful obedience.

C.     Be Sensitive to God’s Word and His Still Small Voice Within.

III.          Get into the Word of God Consistently (Heb. 4:12).

A.     Transformation Cannot Be Complete Without The Word Of God. Without the Bible, we don’t know what we should do, and the Holy Spirit does not have His key tool in our lives. The book of Hebrews says: “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12) 

                                                1.      That is God’s Word is jam-packed with living penetrating power: it is sharper than the sharpest sword; the Bible cuts swiftly and probes deeply into our innermost thoughts, motives and desires; it literally exposes us for what we really are.

                                                2.      The inner life of a Christian is often a strange mixture of motivations both genuinely spiritual and completely human. It takes a supernaturally discerning agent such as the Word of God to sort these out and to expose what is of the flesh. The readers might think that they were contemplating certain steps out of purely spiritual motivations when, as God’s Word could show them, they were acting unfaithfully as did Israel of old. –Walvoord, John F. : The Bible Knowledge Commentary

B.     The Scriptures Have Inherent Power As They Are Used By The Holy Spirit In Our Lives. The apostle Paul wrote: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be thoroughly furnished [comprehensively equipped] unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:16–17).

                                                1.      In addition to being God’s love letter and self-disclosure of Himself, the Bible clearly spells out His plan for our redemption and restored fellowship. It is also our final authority for all matters of faith, morality, and practice. Through the inspired Word, God the Holy Spirit illuminates and guides believers in our Christian walk and also prepares us for our future heavenly destination.

                                                2.      It was George Mueller who said: “The vigor of our spiritual life will be in exact proportion to the place held by the Word in our life and thoughts.” Determine to give the Bible a greater place in your life.

                                                3.      David wrote in the Psalms, “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word” (Psalm 119:9).  “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee” (Psalm 119:11). “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105).   He also wrote, in Psalm 19, that the word of God was more valuable than gold, and sweeter than honey, “More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. ¹¹ Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward” (Psalm 19:10-11).

                                                4.      Without the Scriptures, no one has a hope of always making wise decisions, of consistently discerning the will of God, of knowing how to sustain relationships, of having a morally tuned conscience, of knowing right from wrong in the small as well as great areas of life, of knowing God’s will and worshiping Him in spirit and in truth, or of being equipped to live and minister in this world. In addition to the work of God, it takes the word of God to become spiritually mature.—Max Anders

                                                5.      Our finite minds will never be able to comprehend all of the teaching of Scripture, but the essential truths related to our redemption and Christ-like living cannot be misunderstood. It was Abraham Lincoln who once observed: “Read the Bible for whatever reason you can accept and take the rest on faith, and you will live and die a better man.” –Osbeck, Kenneth W.: Amazing Grace

Conclusion:

The truth is we have undergone a miraculous transformation through the new birth! When we accepted the Lord as our Savior, something wonderful happened. A reorientation of our inner being took place. As any growth process, our change is often imperceptible to us. Yet over time, as we spiritually mature, we will come to exhibit more and more of Christ's holy character.  

Anyway we have been changed for the better! The Christian life is one of continual transformation, from the revolutionary change of our conversion to the daily renewal of our hearts and minds as we learn to live like Christ. We live in hopeful expectation of ultimate transformation, as well, when we shall be made perfect.

God's Provisions For Growth

 2 Peter 1:1-4

Subject: Spiritual Growth 

Theme: acknowledge God’s provisions in order to stimulate and pursue real spiritual growth.

Introduction:

Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: 2, Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, 3, According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 4, Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. (2 Peter 1:1–4)

Building a life that reminds God of His darling Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, is no small undertaking. If our estimation of the Lord Jesus is anything near the Bible’s presentation of Him then you understand this is a monumental task! Assuming the responsibility of genuine spiritual development is our obligation, but we must make use of God’s supplies for the task. Well, what has our Heavenly Father given us? Peter, the Lord’s apostle, wrote to inform us that everything we need has been supplied! Our job is to make use of these provisions to build lives that mirror our Lord’s.

Yes, in Christianity, we have what we need for spiritual progress…all of what is needed. Peter demonstrates that being firmly established and abounding in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, involves:

·        Diligence in our personal spiritual growth (2 Pet. 1:1–11; Jude 20, 21)

·        Faithfulness to the apostles testimony concerning the Lord Jesus (2 Pet. 1:12–18)

·        Adherence to Scripture as the Word of God (2 Pet. 1:19–21)

This study will focus on what God has given us to grow. His provisions to us are essential to our spiritual journey! In order to stimulate spiritual growth, acknowledge God’s provisions (2Pet. 1:1-4).

Message:

I. God Provided a Preacher (2 Pet. 1:1)

Notice Who was Writing. “Simon Peter” introduces himself: As “a servant” (bondslave, Matt. 23:11) “and an apostle of Jesus Christ” (see Rom. 1:1; Titus 1:1). Immediately we are struck by his simplicity and humility. Near the close of his life, at the zenith of his apostolic authority, he was Christ’s slave first, and His apostle, one sent with a commission, second.  He was a bondslave by choice; an “apostle” by divine appointment. He uses no pompous titles or symbols of status. He has only a grateful acknowledgment of his obligation to serve the risen Savior.

Notice Why He was Writing. He is both a concerned pastor and a champion of sound theology. His purpose was to call Christians to spiritual growth (chapt. 1) so that they can combat apostasy (chapt. 2) as they look forward to the Lord’s return (chapt. 3). He passionately pleads for Christians to mature and guard against false teachers; he was driven by the fact that His time was short (1:13-15) and that these congregations faced immediate danger (2:1-3).

Notice to Whom He was Writing. “them that have obtained like precious faith”. The recipients of this letter are the same as those who received Peter’s first letter (2Pet. 3:1; 1 Pet. 1:1).  It is also written to you and me for our edification! These believers had “obtained,” “received,” or “attained by divine will” their salvation. Peter emphasized how salvation was not attained by personal effort, skill, or worthiness, but came purely from God’s grace. The original churches to whom this Letter was written had obtained the same precious faith as Peter and his colleagues. Have you also received God’s salvation gift in Christ? (Rom. 6:23; John 6:16)

II. God Provided a Process; Notice What We Have (2 Pet. 1:1-4)

The Process Starts with Salvation: We have a precious faith (1:1)

It is the Same Faith. The phrase “like precious” generally was used to designate equal rank, position, honor, standing, price, or value. Peter was emphasizing that Christians have all received the same precious, priceless saving faith. There are no first and second class Christians in spiritual, racial, or gender distinctions (Gal. 3:28). Since Peter was writing to mostly Gentiles, he was emphasizing that they have received the same faith as the Jews (Acts 10:44–48; 11:17, 18). Like precious faith: These Gentile believers had received the same kind of faith as believing Jews, a faith that was in no way deficient. All who are saved by the grace of God enjoy equal acceptance before Him, whether they are Jews or Gentiles, male or female, slave or free. The faith given them by God was of equal honor or privilege with that of the apostles’ faith. Here Peter foreshadowed his purpose by stressing that the faith of the apostles was no different from the faith of any believer. Anyone who has faith in Jesus has the same access to God as any other believer.

It is Saving Faith. This is because it involves God’s initiatives.  Peter is speaking of a subjective faith, i.e., the Christian’s power to believe for his salvation. Faith is the capacity to believe (Eph. 2:8, 9). Even though faith and belief express the human side of salvation, God still must awaken that faith. God initiates salvation when the Holy Spirit awakens our soul in response to hearing the Word of God (Acts 11:21; Eph. 2:8; Phil. 1:2). Further it is because it involves God’s righteousness. “Through the righteousness” tells how believers share the equal gift of salvation because God’s righteousness is imputed to us. This righteousness recognizes no distinction between people except that the sins of some are more heinous than others. So, not only do we have salvation because God gives it to us, we are saved only because God imputes righteousness to us (see Rom. 3:26; 4:5; 2 Cor. 5:21; Phil. 3:8, 9). It was obtained when we were given the gift of righteousness (justification). The righteousness believers are given is the righteousness of Christ Himself.

It is the Same Savior. Yes, Peter is identifying Jesus Christ as both Savior and God. “God and our Savior Jesus Christ” (Is. 43:3,11; 45:15,21; 60:16; Rom. 9:5; Col. 2:9; Titus 2:13; Heb. 1:8). This title of Jesus reflects Peter’s great confession in John 6:69: “Thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.” The title our God and Savior Jesus Christ is one of many in the NT which indicate the absolute deity of the Lord Jesus. If He is not God, then these words have no meaning.

The Process Continues with Strength: We have grace and peace (1:2)

This blessing of grace and peace is more than a mere formula of greeting. These virtues come through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. The apostle’s lofty prayer for these believers is that grace and peace might be multiplied to them through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. Knowledge (1:2) is a strengthened form of “knowledge” implying a larger, more thorough, and intimate knowledge. The Christian’s precious faith is built on knowing the truth about God (1:3). Christianity is not a mystical religion, but is based in objective, historical, revealed, rational truth from God and intended to be understood and believed. The deeper and wider that knowledge of the Lord, the more “grace and peace” are multiplied in the believers life. God wants us to have this knowledge by His sustaining, empowering grace in our everyday lives (2 Cor. 12:9; Isa. 40:29-31). He wants our hearts to be guarded by the peace of God that passes all understanding (Phil. 4:7; Rom. 15:13). But this is not to be given in small doses! He desires these blessings to be multiplied in volume, not added in small segments.

How can these blessings be multiplied? It is in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. Again the better we know God, the more we experience grace and peace. We do better by dwelling in the secret place of the Most High than by making occasional visits there. Those who live in the sanctuary rather than in the suburbs find the  secret of God’s grace and peace. (MacDonald)

I urge you to take advantage of the “full knowledge” available to us through Christ Jesus. In this way we can grow in spiritual strength to combat false teachers who claim to have special knowledge but who openly practiced immorality.

The Process Continues with Sanctification: We have everything necessary (1:3)       
The Source of the Process; “His divine power” refers to Jesus Christ (1:3). Christ’s power is the source of the believer’s sufficiency and perseverance (Matt. 24:30; Mark 5:30; Luke 4:14; 5:17; Rom. 1:4; 2 Cor. 12:9). The genuine Christian is eternally secure in his salvation and can persevere and grow because he has received everything necessary to sustain eternal life through Christ’s power. We are assured that Christ has made full provision for us to have a life of holiness. Christ’s divine power has provided everything believers need for life and godliness as an evidence of His power.

The Significance of the Process.  We, every Christian, should have (1:3) immense interest in spiritual maturity because it will keep us from falling in this life and assure us of a triumphal entry into the next (2 Pet. 1:10, 11; Jude 24; Heb. 12:15).

The Substance of the Process. “All things that pertain unto life and godliness”; Peter clearly states that God has given us every resource and empowerment necessary to live this kind of life. Notice the words “hath given” (1Pet. 1:3). The genuine believer ought not to ask God for something more to become godly (as if something necessary to sustain his growth, strength, and perseverance was missing). Because we already have every spiritual resource to manifest, sustain, and mature in godly living. Every believer is a divine repository of spiritual affluence! Yes, you are rich in spiritual assets.

The all things that pertain unto life and godliness include the high priestly work of Christ (Heb. 4:14-16; 7:24-25), the ministry of the Holy Spirit (2Cor. 3:17-18), the activity of angelic agencies on our behalf (Heb. 1:13-14), the new life we receive at conversion (1Jn. 5:10-13), and the instruction of the Word of God (2Tim. 3:14-17). Just like a healthy, newborn baby has all of its parts and everything it needs for a full life at the time of its birth, Christians are given the “god-life in miniature” at our spiritual birth. Every new Christian is given a measure of faith (Rom. 12:3), a new nature (Eph. 4:24; Col. 3:10), the “seed” of the life of God which is opposed to sin (1 John 3:9), and spiritual eyesight to see the things of the kingdom of God (John 3:3). Life and godliness (1:3) refers to “the godly life.” It denotes a reverent and worshipful lifestyle which is fully sensitive to God’s will and obedient to His moral standards.  Living to please God as opposed to yourself or mere people is the focus here.

The Supply Line (Channel) of the Process. All that believers need for spiritual vitality (life) and godly living (2Pet. 1:6; 3:11) is attainable through the knowledge of Christ. Just as His divine power is the source of holiness, so the knowledge of Him is the channel of holiness. To know Him is eternal life (John 17:3) and progress in knowing Him is progress in holiness (Jn. 15:1-8). The better we get to know Him, the more we become like Him. An intimate “full knowledge” of Christ is the supply line of spiritual power and growth (see Phil. 1:9; Col. 1:9-10; 2:2-3). Thus salvation must precede growth; we must know Him before we can grow in Him! It really is WHO you know that matters for salvation; then WHO you know WELL for sanctification! The knowledge of Christ emphasized here is not a superficial knowledge, or a mere surface awareness of the facts about Christ, but a genuine, personal sharing of life with Christ, based on repentance from sin and personal faith in Him (Matt. 7:21).

If we know Christ Jesus more fully, we can know more of His sufficient power and grace in our experience.  If we do not believe He is enough for every challenge, and that we have real access to His sufficiency, we are vulnerable to being led astray—away from Christ and away from the maturity to which Christ calls us (Col. 2:8-10). But, if we have a deepening understanding of Christ and all He has provided for us and all that He makes available to us, we have a solid foundation on which to grow in every area of our lives. A foundation established on the eternal principles of God’s Word must be our focus to have a meaningful, satisfying, Christ-centered, and victorious life.

The Process Continues with Scripture: We have precious promises (1:4)

A Baby Needs Food to Grow.  A baby will not grow automatically even though every life process is in place for it to do so. A new baby needs to have its new life nurtured. It must receive love. It must be kept clean. It must be fed, and fed, and fed! If this nurturing does not take place properly, at best, the child will be stunted and weak. In the worst case scenario, it will grow weak and die.

Spiritual Growth is Not Automatic Either.  In the same way, as Christians we do not automatically grow just because we are alive. We Christians must also nurture the perfect and wonderful new spiritual life. Not only has God provided the new life and power, like a good parent; He also has given the food and the love-nurture needed for our growth! His Word cleanses, heals, and grows the spiritual life of His children. His Spirit in us and His presence in the church provide the environment of fellowship and love which fosters optimum growth (John 14:16–18; Acts 2:38–42).  Casual association with just any congregation will only hinder growth—commit to a solid Bible-believing New Testament Church who is obedient to Christ’s Great Commission!

The Bible Is No Ordinary Book!  The next time you are in a bookstore, wander over to the self-help section. Browse through the titles, and you will be amazed at the large number of books offering guidance for living a better life. Do you need a crash course in how to be more productive? There is a book a two for that. Need to learn how to cope with daily stresses? There are multiple books for this as well. Or, maybe you would like to know how you can improve your family relationships. You will probably find an entire section devoted to that subject (Wiersbe, MacDonald & MacArthur)! Yet, despite all these guides for improving certain aspects of life, only one book gives us guidance for every aspect of our lives—the Bible. God knew that we would require help getting along in this crazy and sometimes frustrating world. That is why He moved men to record His inspired principles, advice, and directives in the Bible. This is why He has guarded and preserved His Word through the centuries.

While skeptics attempt to lump the Bible alongside other religious books, a brief overview of the Bible quickly reveals its uniqueness. The Bible was written over a period of sixteen hundred years, by forty authors from various walks of life, and in three languages (Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic). Although the majority of the Bible’s writers never met, they present a unified picture of God, a central message of Jesus Christ as God coming to earth as man, and they address some of the most controversial topics of their time (and ours!) without contradicting one another (Wiersbe, MacDonald, & MacArthur). Amazing? It certainly is. God has given us this special book to communicate His personal message in a way we can easily understand. In the pages of the Bible you will discover who God is, how you can get to know Him personally, and how you will benefit from living your life according to His wonderful principles.

God’s Word is the Standard of Truth.  The Bible also provides an objective, trustworthy standard of truth—not society’s perception of truth, but God's absolute truth. In a world that can't make up its mind about right and wrong, the Bible stands as a perfect measuring stick against which every thought, word, and deed can be evaluated.

God’s Promises will Help Us Grow.  Thus, included among the “all things” (1:4) which God’s power has given to promote a life of holiness are His exceeding great and precious promises in the Word. It is estimated that there are at least 30,000 promises in the Bible. John Bunyan once said, “The pathway of life is strewn so thickly with the promises of God that it is impossible to take one step without treading upon one of them.” Think of some of the promises that relate to the life of holiness. (1) Freedom from sin’s dominion (Rom. 6:14). (2) Grace that is sufficient (2 Cor. 12:9). (3) Power to obey His commands (Phil. 4:13). (4) Victory over the devil (Jas. 4:7). (5) Escape when tempted (1 Cor. 10:13). (6) Forgiveness when we confess our sins (1 Jn. 1:9)—and forgetfulness too (Jer. 31:34). (7) Response when we call (Ps. 50:15) (MacDonald). The Bible states that all promises given to us are “Yea” in Christ (2 Cor. 1:20), for He invites us to participate in His life and all the benefits and blessings which flow from it. What does 2 Corinthians 3:18 promise as we come to know Him more intimately?

Like building a new house requires definite consideration of what can be done with the available funds, we Christians must build our lives fully cognizant of what we have in Christ Jesus. Be assured our heavenly Father has richly provided everything we need to become truly godly individuals. The materials with which we build are spiritual and significant; therefore, we should build with confidence in God’s supply and provisions. As in building a house it matter what materials we use! (MacDonald & Wiersbe) 

As genuine Christians, we cannot afford ignorance of God's supplies for spiritual development. In order to live with spiritual integrity from day to day, we must put to use God resources. Peter warns that it is dangerous to build our lives rather haphazardly. He shows that being firmly established and abounding in the knowledge of Jesus Christ is essential.