“Seven Qualities That Make A Believer More Like Christ”

2 Peter 1:1-11

INTRO.I can say with assurance that every believer in Christ desires to be more like Him each passing day. Paul, the apostle, said, "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." (Philippians 1:21) Each area of Paul's life was devoted to emulating His LORD and Savior Jesus Christ. He wanted to be more like Him in all he did. Paul wrote in his letter to the Philippians, speaking of Christ, "That I may know Him..." Paul knew there is more to being a Christian than just believing on Christ, but being more like Christ each new day!

Christ wants us to grow more like Him each day. Every thing Christ did in His life was to please God the Father. He is our perfect example in godliness. Our goal should be to please Him who loved us so much!

In our text, 2 Peter 1:1-11, the apostle Peter challenges us to take full advantage of the Divine power and promise of God which makes it possible for us to participate in the Divine nature. We, once saved, take on God's nature, so we may become more like Christ. We can't accomplish this through the flesh, but by the Spirit of God working in us!

Paul, said in Galatians 2:20, "I am crucified with Christ: Nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." Paul realized, as we need to, that He could not live the Christian life apart from Jesus Christ. When we got saved according to the Scriptures, We became “a new creature, old things were passed away, behold all things became new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

We received a new nature, God's nature, but we still have the old one. The nature which is the strongest depends on us. Which one will we show more diligence too?

I want to title the message today, "Seven Qualities that make a believer more like Christ." Our heart's desire should be to be more like Him! Note with me 7 qualities that should adorn our lives:

(1) The Quality of Virtue (Moral Excellence)

Text: 2 Peter 1:5a

  1. OUR ACTIONS SHOULD NOT BETRAY US (1 John 2:3-6).
  2. OUR ASSOCIATIONS SHOULD NOT BETRAY US. We read in 2 Timothy 2:19--"...Let everyone that nameth the Name of Christ depart from iniquity." Ephesians 5:8-11 warns us, “For ye were sometimes in darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light; (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable in the sight of the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.”

(2) The Quality of Knowledge (Spiritual Understanding)

Text: 2 Peter 1:5b

A. SPIRITUAL UNDERSTANDING COMES BY GOD’S WORD (2 Timothy

2:15).

B. SPIRITUAL UNDERSTANDING COMES BY GROWTH IN GRACE (2

Peter 3:18).

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(3) The Quality of Temperance (Self-control)

Text: 2 Peter 1:6a

  1. LET US REALIZE TIME IS SHORT (ROMANS 13:11-12).
  2. LET US REALIZE OUR TESTIMONY IS SHOWING (ROMANS 13:13-14). The first part of v13 says, “Let us walk honestly..” Our testimony shows forth the manner of people we are. Many have made a shipwreck of their faith before this world. So much so-called "testimony" today is really autobiography and even sometimes thinly disguised self-advertisement, that we need to regain a proper biblical perspective. All true testimony is testimony to Jesus Christ, as he stands on trial before the world. -- John Stott in Authentic Christianity. Christianity Today, Vol. 40, no. 9. Christianity is something which is meant to be seen. As someone has well said, "There can be no such thing as secret discipleship, for either the secrecy destroys the discipleship, or the discipleship destroys the secrecy." A man's Christianity should be perfectly visible to all men.-- William Barclay

(4) The Quality of Patience (Perseverance)

Text: 2 Peter 1:6b

  1. PATIENCE HELPS US GAIN PERSPECTIVE (HEBREWS 12:1-3).
  2. PATIENCE HELPS US GROW PROPERLY (James 1:2-4).

(5) The Quality of godliness (Piety toward God and man)

Text: 2 Peter 1:6c

  1. HOLINESS IS GOD’S COMMAND (1 PETER 1:13-16).
  2. HOLINESS SHOWS FORTH GOD’S CHARACTER (PHILIPPIANS 2:15-16a). Godliness is profitable for us (1 Timothy 4:8).

(6) The Quality of Brotherly Kindness (Care for others)

Text: 2 Peter 1:7a

A. CARE AND COMPASSION FOR OTHERS SHOULD BE A PRIORITY

IN OUR LIVES (Galatians 6:10).

B. CARE AND COMPASSION FOR OTHERS SURELY IS A PROOF OF

OUR LOVE (1 John 3:16-19).

(7) The Quality of Charity (Love for God and Others)

Text: 2 Peter 1:7b

  1. REAL LOVE PRACTICES OBEDIENCE (John 14:15, 23).
  2. REAL LOVE PRACTICES OUTREACH (1 John 4:9-11, 20-21). The love of Christ in us should show forth to all!

CLOSING:Our entire Christian live should be a growth in godliness in which

we are more like Our Savior each day! Our new life in Christ

begins with faith in HIM, with us growing in Grace and knowledge

of Him!

2 Peter 1:8 tells us, "If these things be in you and abound, they

make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the

knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." This typifies a spiritual

believer.

But v9 tells us, "But he that lacketh these things is blind, and

cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his

old sins." This typifies a carnal believer.

What about you? Are you spiritual or carnal? Are you more like

Christ each day or spiritually blind?