BUILDING ON THE FOUNDATION
Posted by Pastor Greg Allen on May 1, 2019 under AM Bible Study |
AM Bible Study Group: May 1, 2019 from 2 Peter 1:5-11
Theme: Our fruitfulness in Christ depends on our diligence to build upon the foundation of faith.
(All Scripture is taken from The New King James Version, unless otherwise indicated).
Perhaps you’ve had the sad experience of talking to someone who was once a very vocal, outwardly-committed Christian; but who—over time—had ceased to walk with Him or to profess a faith in Him. Sometimes, they say something like this: “I tried Christianity, but it just didn’t work for me.” And perhaps you’ve even felt a bit intimidated by that. Perhaps it has even left you wondering, “Is it true that the Christian faith just doesn’t work for some people? Is there actually something deficient in the Christian faith?”
In this morning’s passage, the apostle Peter assures us that it’s never that the Christian faith doesn’t work. It may seem like a harsh thing to say; but the truth is that some people who profess the Christian faith think it doesn’t work simply because they didn’t faithfully build upon the faith in the way that the Bible teaches us to do.
Peter had just gotten through introducing this letter with the bold affirmation that we have—in Christ—everything that pertains to life and godliness available to us. This provision is not ours as a result of our own efforts, but as a gift of God’s grace through faith. So; the promise of God’s word is that we already have, in Christ, everything we need in order to live the victorious Christian life that God wants us to live. But having received this provision through faith, we must then follow through and do the work of building properly upon it.
Peter writes in 2 Peter 1:5-11;
But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your 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. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. 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 (2 Peter 1:5-11).
This is not something unique to Peter. The Bible teaches us in several places that it is our responsibility to build properly upon the foundation of our faith. Our Lord Jesus Himself taught us that it’s not just the hearer, but the doer of what He says, that stands strong in times of testing (Matthew 7:24-27). Paul likewise teaches us that we are responsible to work out our own salvation with faith in what God has worked into us (Philippians 2:12-13). And even Pastor James tells us that faith without works is dead (James 2:14-17).
So then; our the Christian life is not a merely passive matter. Fruitfulness in Christ depends on a faithful diligence to build on the foundation of faith. If we do as we should, we’ll never have to end up like someone who says, “I tried Christianity—and it didn’t work for me.”
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First, let’s consider …
1. HOW WE ARE TO BUILD ON THE FOUNDATION OF FAITH (vv. 5-7).
It begins with remembering the provision we have. Peter says, “But also for this very reason” (v. 5) we are to build. What is that “very reason” of which he speaks? It’s that we now have all that we will ever need in the Person of Jesus Christ to live a victorious Christian life. It’s because we can be confident in the promise of God that we have—as a present reality—all that we will ever need in every situation and circumstance of life through Christ; and that nothing remains except for us to rise up and build upon what we already have in our all-sufficient Savior. It’s essential that we truly embrace this to be so. It is the foundation upon which we build.
Then, the work is carried on with an attitude of diligence. Peter says that we’re to rise up, “giving all diligence” (v. 5). With confidence in the Father’s unfailing provision through Christ, we’re to get immediately to the task with eagerness and earnestness. Peter says this same thing in verse 10; “Therefore, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure …” We’re to keep at it and not give up.
And finally, we’re to do this with an attitude of personal responsibility for the work. Peter goes on to tell his readers, “add to your faith”—or, as it can be translated, “supply to your faith”—certain things.(v. 5). Note carefully that we’re not commanded to supply “faith” to ourselves. In verse 1, we’re told that our faith is “obtained” or “received”. It is ours as a gift of God’s grace. But having received that faith as a gift of God’s grace, we must see ourselves as responsible to “add to” it, or “supply” certain things to it. We’re to be like King Solomon when he was called upon to build the temple. He didn’t have to supply the materials for the building. His father, King David, had already done all of that for him. But he was responsible to rise up to the work and—with God’s help—make full use of the provision he had been given.
And then, notice the materials we are to use:
First, Peter says, “add to your faith virtue” (v. 5). This refers to basic goodness—living in a good and sincere and righteous way in the sight of God and in the sight of men. Some people claim to have faith in Jesus, but still cling to the same old sinful habits and patters of life they held to before they came to Christ. Such people are destined to fail in their Christian experience. We’re to work diligently at living righteously in all the specific areas of life.
Then, Peter says that we are to add “to virtue knowledge” (v. 5). Pursuing sincere virtue is important to do; but we must make sure that what we pursue truly is ‘virtue’ as God defines it. We only know for sure how to live as God wants us to live by gaining knowledge through a regular habit of studying God’s word. We’re to do this diligently. We must study and know God’s word well. We’re to grow in our understanding of the truths of the faith, and to translate those truths accurately into action.
We’re also to add “to knowledge self-control” (v. 6)—or as some translations have it, “temperance”. We’re to learn to rule over our emotions and our passions. We’re not to allow our desires to control us any longer. We’re not to fly off the handle at every offense anymore. We’re not to throw our own fuel into the fire of every heated conversation we encounter. We’re to develop a Christ-like meekness that brings calm into the situations of life we face.
We’re then told to add “to self-control perseverance” (v. 6)—or “patience”. We might say that self-control focuses on how I respond to what is going on in myself, and perseverance focuses on how I respond to what is going on outside myself. It’s a matter of being content with God’s sovereign control over the events of life; and of cultivating an attitude of patient peace in His care—a confident trust that God truly will cause all things to work out for good to those who love Him in His perfect time.
We’re then told to add “to perseverance godliness” (v. 7). This speaks of a worshipful attitude of reverence and respectful awe in the constant presence of God. It’s an attitude in which I acknowledge God and turn to Him for every need—habitually praying about everything, and give Him thanks in every circumstance and situation. It’s an attitude in which I put into practice the presence of God in the simple affairs of everyday living; and continually conduct myself in the confidence that our holy Lord and Master is always present and is always watching over me.
And then, we’re to add “to godliness brotherly kindness” (v. 7)—or “brotherly affection”. We’re to grow in our genuine affection and care for one another in Christ. We’re to be inclined toward fellowship with one another regularly, and to support one another in our mutual faith, and to be ready to serve one another as members of the same eternal household.
And finally, Peter says that we’re to add “to brotherly affection love” (v. 7). This speaks of an active kind of love that seeks the good of others in a sacrificial way—not just merely an emotion. It’s the kind of love that Jesus showed to us when He died on the cross for us. And we’re to extended this to all the people that God puts around us—even toward our enemies. Isn’t that wonderful? It begins with faith; and it culminates in love.
And we’re not to think that we must add these things to our faith one completely ‘perfected’ quality at at time—only moving from one after we’ve graduated from the other—as if we were to keep working on adding “virtue” to our faith until we have mastered it; and only then move on to adding “knowledge”. Rather, we’re to see the addition of each building block as an ongoing, life-long process. In the original language, Peter uses a word that means “in” or “in connection with” something; so we should understand him to be saying, “in connection with your faith, add virtue”, or “in connection with virtue, add knowledge”, and so on. It assumes that one quality is there and is in progress as we’re adding another to it.
And when are we to be adding these building blocks to our faith? With God’s ongoing help, we should be doing so in every circumstance that He brings our way; right in the midst of the activities of everyday living. As each new circumstance demands, we’re to be diligent to make use of the full provision that God has made for us in Christ, and add virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love to the basic foundation of our faith in Christ—ever in the process of building upon the foundation while in the midst of daily living.
So; that’s what we are to be doing. And that leads finally to consider …
2. WHY WE MUST DO THIS FAITHFULLY (vv. 8-11).
Peter gives us four reasons. First, he tells us that our faithfulness and diligence to build upon the foundation of faith guarantees our fruitfulness in our relationship with Jesus. In verse 8, Peter writes, “For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” To be “barren” in our knowledge of Christ means that there’s no outward evidence of it. It would mean that people would not be able to see a real transformation of life in us. And to be “unfruitful” would mean that we don’t share Him with others and lead them to a knowledge of Him. It would mean that we don’t ‘reproduce’. God wants us to show the evidence of Christ in our lives, and to be His instruments of leading others to Him. And if these seven qualities are truly ours—and are increasing as they should—we will be neither barren nor unfruitful in our knowledge of Christ—always producing and reproducing.
Second, Peter tells us that building these things upon the foundation of our faith is appropriate to do because of our cleansing from sin. We have been washed clean of our sins freely by God through the grace that is in Christ. But He doesn’t mean for us to remain as we are. He cleanses us from our sins in order for us to then go forth and live increasingly holy lives. And so, Peter says, “For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins” (v. 9). To not put forth the effort to diligently build on the foundation of faith is to have forgotten that we have been washed clean of our past sins. Our full cleansing in Christ is a great motive to rise up and ‘grow forward’.
Third, Peter tells us that diligently building on the foundation of faith secures us from ever stumbling in our Christian walk. He makes an amazing statement in verse 10; “Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble.” It isn’t because our election is ‘unsure’ to God. Rather, it’s so that we will assure ourselves of it, and settle it down into practice, and prove it to all who see us. And note that in the original language of this letter, Peter puts the outcome of it all the most emphatic way possible—saying that we will by no means, at any time, stumble. We will reach the end of our lives being both faithful to the Lord and fruitful in our walk.
And finally, Peter tells us that being faithful to build these things on the foundation of faith supplies us with a rich heavenly reward. He closes with these words; “for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (v. 11). We can think here of the confidence of the apostle Paul—just before he left this earth:
For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing (2 Timothy 4:6-8).
Wouldn’t we want to enter heaven with that confidence too? When we finally meet the Lord, wouldn’t we want to hear Him say, “Well done”? Well; if we will work diligently now to build on the foundation of faith as we should, we will hear Him say that to us on that great day!
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Now; it may have sounded harsh to say that the problem is not that the Christian faith doesn’t work for some people—that in reality, it was because they didn’t work for the faith. But it’s not really a cruel thing to say. Instead, it’s a very hopeful and potentially redemptive thing to tell someone who is disappointed with the Christian faith. It corrects a serious misunderstanding that they may have about biblical faith; and it may set them on the right track. It helps them to see that it wasn’t all a passive matter—that they needed to take action. And they still can.
Let’s not be among those who—erroneously—say that they ‘tried’ the Christian faith but it didn’t ‘work’ for them. Let’s remember that it only works for us if we do the work God tells us to do. Let’s trust fully in the provision God has made for us through Christ; and then—in a way that’s true to that provision—be diligent to build on the foundation of our faith as we should.
That’s the way to experience truly fruitful, truly fruitful, victorious Christian living!
EA
