Jump Start # 1708

2 Peter 1:5 “Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge”

Our verse today begins what is commonly called the Christian virtues. Peter is listing the qualities of the character of a child of God. He begins with faith, the fundamental foundational element of our relationship with God. Without faith, there is nothing else. From faith, Peter lists seven more qualities, starting with moral excellence or virtue and ending with love.

There are some lessons to be seen here:

First, it seems that these qualities are in a special order, one leads to another. They are connected. It doesn’t work to skip a few and jump to the end of the list. They are not only tied together, as the list progresses, the items Peter lists are more complex and move from our hearts to the way we treat others. Self control, for instance, is about us. Brotherly kindness, is about treating others.

Second, tying these qualities together with the word “add” or, “supply,” it shows that this is an action which we must take. We are the one adding. We are the driving force here. This doesn’t just happen. Why is it that some lack godliness or kindness toward others? They haven’t added these qualities to their faith. They haven’t developed. This takes thought, choice and will.

Third, the character of the Christian is what people notice more than anything else. We often emphasize doctrine, what we believe, but it’s the Christian in action that people really see. It’s the heart, the attitude, the involvement that people will see. You can be as right as you are in doctrine, but if you are not living and demonstrating Christ in your life, if your walk doesn’t match your talk, then you kill your influence. No one understands this more than your own family. There is no faking things at home. The family knows. They see how you act. They hear your words. They see what shows you watch. They pick up on your attitude. It’s at home that we lead our family to Christ or we stand in the way of the Cross.

Character is what is missing in this Presidential campaign. The populace doesn’t like nor trust either candidate. No one is shinning bright in this election. Mud throwing, character attacks, accusations, finger pointing, yelling has become the new low standard. We wonder where do we go from here? Can it get worse?

Character is who you are. Character is what you are on the insides. Some can paint a pretty picture of themselves, but sooner or later the character shows what the person is really like. Godly. Caring. Moral. Controlled. Enduring. Faithful. Kind. This is what Peter sees is at the heart of a Christian.

Sometimes we define our faith in negative terms. A Christian doesn’t cuss. A Christian doesn’t lie. A Christian doesn’t steal. A Christian doesn’t…doesn’t…doesn’t. It makes a person wonder, “What does a Christian DO?” Peter’s list tells us. Peter’s list embraces the positive aspects of character.

Fourth, Peter goes on to tell us that if these qualities are ours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the Lord. These virtues are the heart of what a Christian is. They will lead a Christian to action. If one has the brotherly kindness, then he will show that towards others. He will be there. He will help. He will be involved. If he has godliness, then he will apologize as well as forgive those who have hurt him. That’s what God does. That’s being like God.

These qualities are to be increasing. One doesn’t just develop these and then check them off the list. He is continually developing in these areas. His faith grows. His knowledge grows. He gets better in self control. He increases his ability to endure. His love grows. Most of us can see that in our lives. We look back ten years and what we know now and what we are doing now is so much more than back then. We have increased. He have grown. It is interesting that 2 Peter ends with, “Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.” Grow. Increase. Don’t stop. The more we are increasing in these areas, the better we become.

Fifth, Peter adds, “for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble.” WOW. Never fall from Christ.  What happens when we mess up? We stopped practicing these things. We stopped being godly. We stopped growing in knowledge. Our faith weakened. When we no longer practice these things, we stumble. But as long as we are doing these things we won’t. It’s hard for Satan to get in when we are growing in godliness, knowledge, faith and perseverance. When we are doing these things, we are moving toward Christ. It’s when we stop moving, when we become stationary, that Satan catches us.

Sixth, these qualities are up to me to develop. The church can’t do this for me. The church can offer a class, even on 2 Peter. It can define these words. It can show me why I ought to be doing these things, but it comes down to me doing it. The lazy bone. The busy world. The too many commitments and what happens is that we do not add. We keep what we have, but we don’t add. So for some of us, we get older, but not better. It’s like being 18 years old and still in the 3rd grade. We’ve just not applied ourselves spiritually. Once we were baptized, we just leveled off. We have stayed that way for a long, long time. Others, younger than we are, have passed us. They seem to know more and be doing better than we are. We wonder why? The answer is simple. We have not added to our faith. We have maintained. We have stayed in the same place. It’s like the little boy who fell out of bed. When his mother asked him what happened, he replied, “I stayed too close to where I got in. “ That can be us spiritually. Maturity, leadership, growth, involvement comes with those who are increasing. Those that don’t struggle. It’s the same things over and over.

So, we need to get at it. It begins with your faith. To your faith add or supply moral excellence. That’s where you start. Purity of heart. Clean eyes and clean mouth and clean heart. Add to it. Get about it. Make the right choices, not the easy ones. Turn off the TV and open up God’s book. Think. Apply. Become.

Peter shows us the picture of a Christian. Is it you?

Roger