Sermon Series: Behind the Curtain
Message: Consistency (Week 5)
2 Peter 1:5-8
5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge,6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness,7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
You will never stumble into godliness.
Godliness requires effort and consistency.
Consistent faith is the beginning of a godly life.
v5 Diligence leads to moral excellence.
v5 Moral Excellence leads to the respect of others.
1 Peter 2:12
Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.
If people are going to be critical of you, let them mock your excellent behavior.
Am I living a life that is worthy of respect?
Ephesians 1:18
having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,
v5 Knowledge that God is unchanging.
Hebrews 13:8
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
Revelation 22:13
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”
Recognizing that God is unchanging, proves that He is in control.
Knowledge without changed behavior is useless.
2 Peter 2:20-21
20 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God.
21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.
v6 Self-control comes from the belief that God is in control.
Parents: Children will mimic what is consistently modeled.
Deuteronomy 11:19
You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.
Proverbs 22:6
Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.
v6 Perseverance: consistency in any circumstance.
not swayed by the situation
Faith is not faith when it is easy and everything is going our way.
v7 Godliness: my life points to Christ
v7 Brotherly Kindness serves others
Mark 10:45
For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
v7 Love is the defining characteristic of a consistent faith
1 Corinthians 13:7-8
7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.
A consistent godly life is impossible without Christ’s divine power
2 Peter 1:3-4
3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence,
4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.
God will not compete with you for the place of power in your life.
A consistent godly life requires my effort
2 Peter 1:10
Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.
I don’t put in effort to earn God’s love. I put in effort because of God’s love.
This effort must be driven by grace.