2 Peter 1 Lesson

QUALITIES OF A CHRISTIAN

According to 2 Peter 1:5-8, there are eight qualities that all Christians should have. 

These qualities are:

1. Faith,
2. Moral excellence,
3. Knowledge,
4. Self-control,
5. Perseverance,
6. Godliness,
7. Brotherly kindness,
8. And love.

As Christians, we are to value these qualities, and actively pursue them.

Therefore, these qualities should be found in us more and more as we mature in our faith and charter our course on the straight and narrow path that leads to Heaven. (Mathew 7:13-14).

• “Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faithsupply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love.  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.” – 2 Peter 1:5-8.

The more we possess these qualities, the more proficient we will be in our service to the Lord.

To possess these qualities, there are two things that we need to do:

1. Study the Bible,
2. Apply what we have learned.

STUDYING THE BIBLE

Daily Bible study allows us to grow in our faith and become more like Jesus.

Consider the following passage written by the Apostle Paul in his letter to the Romans:

• “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” – Romans 10:17.

There are no shortcuts to understanding the Bible.

It requires a commitment on our part to be in God’s Word every day.

Only after we have devoted the necessary time to understanding God’s Word, can we correctly apply it to our everyday lives.

And that is where the real spiritual growth occurs!

ACTING ON OUR FAITH

We can memorize the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, but if we do not act on what we have learned, our faith is dead. 

James drove home this point in the following scripture:

• “What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” - James 2:14-17.

This is a powerful scripture that is worth reading and rereading to make sure we completely understand it and can properly apply it. 

Every day God supplies us with opportunities to act on our faith. 

If we notice that somebody is having a bad day, we can be there for them and simply listen. If it is advice that they are seeking, we can quote them scripture.

The ways that we can act on our faith are seemingly limitless. 

It is simply a matter of doing it!

If we have been blessed with the ability to help others in need, we should!  

And as Jesus points out in the following passage, when we help others, it is as if we are helping Jesus, Himself!

• “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’” - Mathew 25:34-40.

There are many ways that we can act on our faith. 

Whatever talents we have, we are to put them to work for the Lord. 

If we have been blessed with an abundance, we need to provide for those less fortunate. 

Being a Christian is an active life, not a passive one!

There is work to be done, and we are expected to do it!  

• “As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” -1 Peter 4:10.

SATAN’S ATTACKS

While we are working to better ourselves as Christians, Satan will not be standing still idly.

As we are growing in our knowledge of God’s Word and applying it to our lives, Satan will be formulating ways to trip us up! 

We cannot take the threat of Satan lightly. 

Peter warned us about this in his first epistle:

• “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” – 1 Peter 5:8.

The good news is that we can combat Satan’s advances by:

1. Studying the Bible every day,
2. Applying what we have learned,
3. Putting on the full armor of God.

When Satan sees our commitment to glorify God and serve others, he will move on to easier targets, as outlined in the following scripture:

• “Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” – James 4:7-8.

CONCLUSION

According to Peter’s second epistle, there are eight characteristics that all Christians should have.

These are:

1. Faith,
2. Moral excellence,
3. Knowledge,
4. Self-control,
5. Perseverance,
6. Godliness,
7. Brotherly kindness,
8. And love.

The best way to obtain these qualities is to study the Bible and then apply what we have learned.

As we grow in our faith, Satan will try to destroy us and throw us off course.

We can protect ourselves against Satan’s attacks by:

1. Studying the Bible,
2. Applying what we have learned,
3. Putting on the full armor of God.

We will end today’s lesson with the following words taken from Paul’s second letter to Timothy.

These are the same words that we hope to be able to say when our time on Earth is done:

• “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.” – 2 Timothy 4:7-8.