2 Peter 1, Part 4

 Virtue WITH Knowledge

"For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." 2 Peter 1:5-11

Hello, welcome today. Today we are continuing our series on 2 Peter 1. We have already discussed "For this reason," Faith, and Virtue. Today we are going to talk about the importance of joining virtue and knowledge together. Remember, Virtue is defined like this.

"Behavior showing high moral standards."

However, you really must be a careful child of God. You must be conscientious to add to this, knowledge. The knowledge we are going to discuss today is Wisdom. Not just knowledge as to what God says, but the wisdom of applying it to our lives. If not? You could very well end up just like the Scribes and Pharisees of the time. Jesus said this about them.

“The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat, so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach but do not practice." Matthew 23:2-3

This is the religious folks. The holier-than-know crowd. Jesus said.

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and all uncleanness. So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness." Matthew 23:27-28

If there was any doubt about how He felt about folks like this? He said it clearly here.

"You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies." John 8:44

Why? They appeared to live virtuously. Right? They had the appearance of living high moral standards. Right? But Jesus said this about them.

"They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others." Matthew 23:5-7

They had knowledge. They knew the scriptures backward and forward. They could quote them word for word. They appeared to be living virtuously. Here in lies the problem. They did not have wisdom.

Knowledge? "Facts, information, and skills acquired by a person through experience or education; the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject:"

Wisdom? "The quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment; the quality of being wise:"

Knowledge is great. Knowledge is important. However, wisdom is knowing how to apply that knowledge. The religious people of this time used the knowledge of scripture, in a way to elevate themselves. To put them in a position over others and to control society for their benefit. This is not Godly wisdom. Look what Jesus told His disciples, AKA you, when someone asked Him how to be the greatest in His Kindom.

"A dispute also arose among them, as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest. And he said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors."

This included the religious leaders of the day

"But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become the youngest and the leader as one who serves. For who is the greater, one who reclines at the table or one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at the table? But I am among you as the one who serves." Luke 22:24-27

Jesus was saying this.

"But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:26-27

We need to acquire Godly Wisdom. Read His Word. Pray to Him. Spend time with Him. Forget the Wisdom of the world.

"If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him." James 1:5

True wisdom comes only from God.

"For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;" Proverbs 2:6

Then, you can truly have wisdom, which is truly beneficial for knowledge to apply to your virtuous living. We should be living the way God's Word tells us.

"With all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love," Ephesians 4:2

Only then, once we have stopped seeking out and trying to learn from the creature, can we truly start learning from the Creator of all that is. Once we have learned and accepted, that Jesus is Lord. He is God, and He came and died for us. Only after we say this prayer.

"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus's sacrifice for me. I believe He rose from the dead. I repent my sins. Please send the Spirit of adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!"

After we are adopted into the family and we pick up His Word, His guidebook for our lives, and we start obtaining true Godly wisdom and knowledge, can we even think about having self-control. See look here.

"For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control,"

There is a BIG difference between walking in the flesh and walking in the Spirit with self-control. This is what we will be discussing next time.

"Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace." James 3:13-18

Forget about the wisdom of the world. The Bible says we should become a fool in the eyes of the world to become wise in the eyes of God. Do this, and then you will have a chance to gain some self-control and resist the temptations that are common to all mankind.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all. Amen. 2 Corinthians 13

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Jesus is Lord!