Swimming Against the Current 2nd Peter 1:5-15

Remember these things… Fix your eyes on Jesus. Swim towards Him and you will be safe from the storm and safe from the tides of this world that seek to pull you under. Swim together, we need to pray for each other and encourage each other.  If you feel you are drowning! Tell someone!

2 Peter 1:5-15 5 Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, 6 and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, 7 and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins.

2 Peter 1:5-15 10 Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; 11 for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you. 12 Therefore, I will always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them, and have been established in the truth which is present with you. 13 I consider it right, as long as I am in this earthly dwelling, to stir you up by way of reminder, 14 knowing that the laying aside of my earthly dwelling is imminent, as also our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. 15 And I will also be diligent that at any time after my departure you will be able to call these things to mind.

Last Week 2 Peter1:1-4 Our goal is life and godliness. (We are the lightbulbs of our neighbourhood) Our source of strength to do this is divine power. (God is the electricity flow) The connection is knowing and trusting the promises of God. (God’s promises are the cables through which the electricity flows)

Don’t get the order wrong Since God has given power for godliness, we must strive to be godly. We work at moral excellence because God has already worked FOR us and is at work IN us. Philippians 2:13 Philippians 3:12

Swim forward in Faith through Love. Moral excellence (virtue or fortitude) Knowledge Self-control Perseverance (steadfastness or patience) Godliness Brotherly Kindness Love

Onward, Forward, Advance! As you have obtained faith in Christ and stand in it, now apply yourself diligently to advance in moral excellence; and as you stand in that, do not be satisfied but press on to increase your knowledge of God's will; and as you stand in that, do not be satisfied but be diligent to enlarge your capacities of self-control and mastery of your passions; and as you stand in that, don't be satisfied but work in every form of patience and peace; and in that let devoutness and holiness and love of God grow; and in that work to have warm love for other believers; and in and through it all grow in love towards everyone."

Evidence of Election and Calling. True knowledge of Jesus is to make every effort to be like Him. 2 Peter 2:20 Don’t be blind to His future path or His past forgiveness. Do you show the signs of being called, chosen, elected? Romans 8:30

Gifted not earnt We do not earn our choosing through works… But we do confirm and are assured of being chosen by working diligently at being filled with faith, moral excellence, knowledge, self control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and love. It’s proof we are swimming in the right direction

Further Proof. God predestined all the elect and chosen to be conformed to the image of Christ. Romans 8:29 Therefore, the reassuring evidence of our election is our Christ-likeness. Breathe a little easier with 1 John 1:9

It’s easier to swim together! We need that brotherly (sisterly) kindness. 1 John 3:14 (cf. 2:3) The confirmation of our calling is our progress in being sanctified and changed, being born again anew, being conformed to Christ, renewing a right spirit, being transformed by the renewing of our minds. We need to help each other with this!

God’s abundant supply (vs 10-11) Practice these things and you will not stumble. Moral excellence, knowledge, self-control, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, love―these are not the wages that we pay to earn entrance into the eternal kingdom, but they are the necessary evidence that our trust in God's promise is genuine, and in that way they are the confirmation of our call and election.   They are the evidence that we are swimming in the right direction.

Application Time. Are you making every effort towards moral excellence?   Are you making every effort to increase your knowledge of God's character and His will? Are you making every effort to strengthen your power of self-control? Are you making every effort to enlarge your capacity for patience? Are you making every effort to cultivate godliness, to develop a heart for God? Are you making every effort to grow warm in your affection for your fellow believers? And are you making every effort to stir up love in your will for the person you dislike the most?

How?! Meditate and Apply… 1 Timothy 6:12, 19. Hebrews 12:1 Philippians 3:14 2 Peter 1:5-7 2 Peter 1:10, 3

Remember these things… Fix your eyes on Jesus. Swim towards Him and you will be safe from the storm and safe from the tides of this world that seek to pull you under. Swim together, we need to pray for each other and encourage each other.  If you feel you are drowning! Tell someone!