As we have considered in one of our previous studies, there are a number of scriptures that illuminate a progressive walk and maturity in the Lord. One of these is II Peter 1:2-7:
One reason why many Christians live in defeat and frustration is because they get a vision of the top of the mountain and try to go straight there without learning to climb step-by-step. The zeal of those who want to go straight to the top is admirable, but the Christian walk is practical. When we are born again all things become new, but then we must also go through the process of having our minds renewed. Our goal for this study is to follow a plan that produces measurable progress.
As we are told in I Timothy 1:5: "But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith" (NAS). In the King James Version the last of this verse is translated, "of faith unfeigned." Basically our goal should be to have love from a pure heart, and consistent, unwavering faith. The goal is the top of the mountain, but how do we get there? From the verses quoted above from I Peter we can deduct that it will come from a process, including:
1) Grace and peace that is multiplied to us as we grow in the knowledge of God and His Son, Jesus Christ. Our first goal should be to learn about the Lord–—to know His ways, not just His acts.
2) It is His divine power that has already granted to us everything we need through the knowledge of Him. We must learn to live by His power, not our own strength, and this we also come to do through knowing Him.
3) Through which we are given exceedingly great and precious promises through which we partake of the divine nature. The greatest promise of all is that our fellowship with God has been restored, and as we draw near to Him we behold His glory that will change us into His image.
4) Which enables us to escape the corruption that is in the world through lust. The Law demonstrated how futile it is to focus on the lust to try to get free of it—we get free from the lust of the world by being captured by the glory of the Lord.
5) For this reason we should give all diligence to add to our faith:
- virtue
- to virtue knowledge,
- to knowledge self-control,
- to self-control perseverance,
- to perseverance godliness,
- to godliness brotherly kindness,
- and to brotherly kindness love.
It is obvious how each of these qualities builds upon the previous one. Then we are told in the following verses in II Peter 1:8-11:
Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (NKJV).
Our goal is to live fully, every day, in every place, in the kingdom of God by abiding in the King Himself. If we do this we will be like Him in nature, and be used by Him to do the works that He wants to do. We want to take every thought captive and make it obedient to Him. We want to think as He thinks, and speak what He desires us to speak. We want to see everyone as He does, hear them as He does, and understand them as He does, so that we touch their lives the way that He wants to touch them through us. We want to walk in the love of God with His power flowing through us to demonstrate that love.
As growing in the characteristics listed in II Peter 1 is the way that the entrance into the kingdom of God is "abundantly" supplied to us, each of these is worthy of considering in some depth, which we will do beginning next week.