Tabor Baptist Church

Introduction

• Are you growing as a Christian?
• How do we measure growth? – examples
  • Are we growing in appropriate areas?
  • Have we lost some zeal?
  • Do we stand firmly on biblical issues?
• It is true we will never arrive
  • We press on towards the upward call of God
  • Not to look back and live in the past
  • Although never attaining – growing
• There is an expectation we will grow – example of Paul in Ephesus
  • In our prayer life
  • In our private life
  • Faithful obedience
• These studies should bless us as a Church
  • Going step by step through the characteristics (v5-11)
• Today looking at the basis for our growth (v1-4)
  • Peter believes growth is an imperative – 3:18, 1:5,8
  • A common theme in the New Testament – Heb 6:1
• Overview:
  • Introduction (v1-2)
  • The Motivation for Growth (v3-4)

Introduction

• Who is he writing to?
  • Peter is writing humbly – as a servant, but also as an apostle
  • He is writing as a Christian
  • He is writing to all who have obtained a "precious faith"
  • He is writing to both Jews and Gentiles
  • He is not writing to a specific Church, but to all Christians scattered throughout the Roman Empire – 1 Pet 1:1
  • He is writing to us as Christian
  • He is writing in a hard time – false teachers – 2 Pet 2:1, 13, 18
  • He is writing to those who have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ
    • Not any special/secret knowledge – like the Gnostics believed
    • There are no other ways to God
• Grace – charis
  • A greek greeting
  • Like the Hebrew ‘shalom’ meaning peace

The Motivation for Growth (v3-4)

• Example of a brand new house
  • As Christians we have been given all the resources we need
  • We have been given "all things" (v3) through Jesus Christ
• Example of a tree
  • We are new creatures in Christ
  • We have been given a power to live godly lives
• We have received "grace upon grace"
• We have "every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ"

God’s Power

• We have "His power at work in us"
• We are "complete in Him" – Col 2:10
• We are a "new creation" – 2 Cor 5:17
• We have power over sin
  • Though we know that we fight a battle against it
  • However, we have all things in Christ to overcome
• We have seen the power of God in our salvation
  • That same power is at work in us, changing us for glory

God’s Promises

• Not just small promises, but ‘mega’ promises
  • "No condemnation for those in Christ Jesus"
  • No longer under the power of sin
  • To one day be freed from the presence of sin [in heaven]
  • Meditate on a promise of God every day!

God’s Provision

• We have become "partakers of the divine nature"
  • Not semi-gods!
• We have become united to Jesus Christ
  • Jesus took upon Himself human nature
  • We were crucified and raised with Him
  • We will one day be glorified with Him
  • We are seated with him in heavenly places
  • Christ lives in us – Col 1:27
• 2 Cor 9:8 – all grace, all sufficiency, now, in Christ
  • We have been given the key, the power, put on Christ
  • Example – do not live as poor, but rich in Christ

Closing Remarks

• Have you "escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust"?
• Christ saves from sin to a life of righteousness
• Take heart, be encouraged
• Grow in Christ