"THE SECOND EPISTLE OF PETER"

Growing In The Knowledge Of Jesus Christ (1:5-11)

INTRODUCTION
  1. In our previous lesson ("Precious Gifts From God"), we noticed that a certain "knowledge" is the source of wonderful blessings...
    1. Grace and peace is multiplied "in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord" - 2Pe 1:2
    2. All things that pertain to life and godliness are given "through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue" - 2 Pe 1:3
  2. Also noted was how Peter closes his epistle with this admonition:
    "But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." - 2Pe 3:18
  3. This raises several questions...
    1. What does it mean to "grow in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ"?
    2. How can we be sure that we are growing in this "knowledge"?
    3. Why is Peter so concerned that we grow in this "knowledge"?
  4. In 2Pe 1:5-11, we find the answers to these questions, and in this lesson we shall examine this passage closely (READ)

[First, consider...]

  1. WHAT "GROWING IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF JESUS CHRIST" INVOLVES
    1. FIRST, IT INVOLVES THE DEVELOPMENT OF EIGHT "GRACES"...
      1. These "graces" are listed in 2Pe 1:5-7
      2. Briefly defined...
        1. FAITH is "conviction, strong assurance"
        2. VIRTUE is "moral excellence, goodness"
        3. KNOWLEDGE is "correct insight"
        4. SELF-CONTROL is "self-discipline"
        5. PERSEVERANCE is "bearing up under trials"
        6. GODLINESS is "godly character out of devotion to God"
        7. BROTHERLY KINDNESS is "love toward brethren"
        8. LOVE is "active goodwill toward those in need"
      3. Notice carefully 2Pe 1:8
        1. We must "abound" in these eight "graces"
        2. Only then can it be said that we are "growing in the knowledge of Jesus Christ"
      4. Therefore it something more than simply increasing our "intellectual" knowledge of Jesus Christ!
        1. Though such knowledge has a place, it is just one of the graces necessary
        2. Peter is talking about growing in a FULL AND PERSONAL knowledge of Jesus Christ!
          1. Which comes by developing the "Christ-like" attributes defined above
          2. The more we grow in these "graces", the more we really "know" Jesus (for He is the perfect personification of these "graces")
      5. That it involves more than intellectual knowledge is also evident from the Greek word used for knowledge in 2Pe 1:2-3,8
        1. The word is epignosis {ep-ig'-no-sis}, meaning "to become thoroughly acquainted with, to know thoroughly, to know accurately, know well" (THAYER)
        2. Such knowledge comes only as we DEMONSTRATE these "Christ- like graces" in our lives
    2. SECOND, IT INVOLVES DEVELOPING THESE "GRACES" IN CONJUNCTION WITH EACH OTHER...
      1. Notice the word "add" (or "supply") in 2Pe 1:5
        1. Before each grace mentioned, the word is implied
        2. The word in Greek is epichoregeo {ep-ee-khor-ayg-eh'-o}
          1. "Originally, to found and support a chorus, to lead a choir, to keep in tune"
          2. "Then, to supply or provide"
        3. This word therefore suggests the idea of "each grace working in harmony with the others to produce an overall effect"
      2. Notice also the preposition "to" (or "in") in 2Pe 1:5-7
        1. This suggests that "each grace is to temper and make perfect the grace that goes before it"
        2. To illustrate:
          1. "to knowledge (add) self-control" - the grace of self-control enables one to apply properly the knowledge one has
          2. "to self-control (add) perseverance" - self-control in turn needs the quality of perseverance to be consistent day after day
      3. Thus each grace is necessary!
        1. They must all be developed in conjunction with each other
        2. We cannot be selective and just pick the ones we like and leave others behind
    3. THIRD, IT INVOLVES DILIGENT EFFORT...
      1. Notice the word "diligence" in 2Pe 1:5,10
      2. It means "earnestness, zeal, sometimes with haste"
      3. To grow in the knowledge of Jesus Christ requires much effort
      4. We do not "accidentally" or "naturally" develop these graces!
      5. If we are not careful, we may be like the teacher in the following illustration: In his book Folk Psalms of Faith, Ray Stedman tells a story of a woman who had been a school teacher for 25 years. When she heard about a job that would mean a promotion, she applied for the position. However, someone who had been teaching for only one year was hired instead. She went to the principal and asked why. The principal responded, "I'm sorry, but you haven't had 25 years of experience as you claim; you've had only one year's experience 25 times." During that whole time the teacher had not improved.

      [We may have been Christians for a number of years. But unless we continue to grow, we are simply repeating the first year over and over again!

      Is the effort worth it? In the context of this passage Peter gives THREE reasons why we should "give all diligence" to grow in this knowledge of Jesus Christ...]

  2. WHY WE SHOULD BE "GROWING IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF JESUS CHRIST"
    1. FAILURE TO GROW IN THIS KNOWLEDGE RESULTS IN SPIRITUAL "MYOPIA" AND "AMNESIA" - 2Pe 1:9
      1. Our religion is "short-sighted" if we are not growing in the knowledge of Jesus Christ!
        1. For what is the ultimate objective of being a Christian?
        2. To become like Christ! - cf. Ro 8:29; Col 3:9-11
        3. As we have seen, this is what it really means to grow in the knowledge of Christ
      2. Failure to so grow is an indication that we forgot why we were redeemed by the blood of Christ in the first place!
        1. To have our sins forgiven, yes...
        2. But then, that we might present ourselves to God and become what He wants us to be - LIKE HIS SON!
    2. WE WILL NEVER STUMBLE - 2Pe 1:10
      1. This does not mean we will never sin - cf. 1Jn 1:8,10
      2. The word "stumble" in Greek means "to fall into misery, become wretched; cf. the loss of salvation" (Thayer)
      3. We will never stumble so as to fall short of our ultimate salvation!
      4. But this is true ONLY if we are "giving all diligence" to grow in the knowledge of Christ and thereby "making our calling and election sure"
    3. AN ENTRANCE INTO THE "EVERLASTING KINGDOM" WILL BE ABUNDANTLY SUPPLIED - 2Pe 1:11
      1. This "everlasting kingdom" is likely the "heavenly kingdom" referred to by Paul in 2 Tit 4:18
      2. In other words, the ultimate destiny of the redeemed!
      3. What is meant by the idea of an "abundant entrance"?
        1. "You may be able to enter, not as having escaped from a shipwreck, or from fire,but as it were in triumph." (Bengel)
        2. By possessing the eight graces, we will be able to live victoriously in this life and to joyously anticipate what lies ahead - cf. 2Ti 4:6-8
CONCLUSION
  1. These three reasons should sufficiently motivate us to be diligent in growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ
  2. Give all diligence to make our calling and election sure, by making every effort to add these "graces" to our lives!
  3. Or have we forgotten that we were purged from our old sins?
    1. We have, if we are apathetic in our desire to grow in these "graces"!
    2. If so, we need to repent and pray for forgiveness!

Are you growing in the knowledge of Jesus Christ our Lord?