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Bible passage: Read 2 Peter 1:1-11
What are the signs of Church growth? Numbers coming to services? Increased offerings? Members being added to a church membership roll? All of these are significant indicators. However if they are not accompanied by deep, inner changes in the individuals becoming more like Jesus, they can be deceptive. How?
That is why Peter bids us think on the character, and attitude that is being formed within us: is it being shaped by Jesus or the world around us?
(1) Read 2 Peter 1:1-2
These words are more than simply words of greeting; they set the atmosphere in which Peter wants the Church to live.
We saw the emphasis last week in 1 Peter 5 on ‘humility’.
How does Peter set an example of this in his opening words in the first sentence of v1?
How does Peter underline how all of us are on the same level when it comes to our standing before God:what have we done to deserve salvation?
Peter introduces the theme of ‘knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord’. How much do you feel you are deepening in your knowledge of Him? Is it head knowledge or heart knowledge too, and what’s the distinction between the two?
(2) Read 2 Peter 1:3-4
How would you describe the difference between ‘everything we need for life..’ and everything we want for life?
How does this assurance give you confidence for the future?
How much store do you put in ‘promises’? We have all made promises and failed to keep them, how can we be sure that God will keep His promises to us in Jesus? How does ‘his own glory and goodness‘ give us confidence in His promises?
v4 suggests that reading the Bible is about much more than getting intellectual knowledge of what God thinks about things. In your own words, how would you explain what this verse teaches about how scripture can transform our lives?
(3) Read 2 Peter 1:5-8
Peter makes it very clear that receiving faith in Jesus as your Saviour, although it is a wonderful event, is only the first step in the Christian life.
These verse have been described as the ‘ladder of discipleship’. Perhaps we should not read too much into the significance of the order of the virtues that are listed - there is no suggestion that there is a ‘ranking’ of these qualities, but please scan the list and see if any stand out for you personally? As we saw last week, the believers to whom Peter wrote were under growing pressure, can you see a recognition of that in the virtues that are listed which God’s people need? How does this list compare with Paul’s in Galatians 5:22-23? Despite what was said earlier about here being no suggestion of ‘ranking’ these virtues, is it significant that ‘love’ is the top of the list? (cf Colossians 3:14)
(4) Read 2 Peter 1:8-11
There is a clear emphasis in these verses upon our responsibility and activity if God is to do this character-changing work in us (v5, ’make very effort’, ’make your election sure’, ’if you do these things,you will never fall’). How does the emphasis on the importance of our response sit with the previous v1 that our faith is a gift from God?
What do you take from these verses that may help us grow as individuals and as a church?
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