The 7 Steps Toward Godly Living

2 Peter 1:1-15 (NIV)

The Apostle Peter Gives Us 4 Great Blessings Of “These Things” (8-11)

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(1) "These Things" Guarantee Our Fruitfulness

If "these things" are found in our life, then we will never be barren. We will always be fruitful for God’s glory. We will be a witness and a soul winner for the Lord Jesus Christ.

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(2) These Things Guarantee Spiritual Discernment (1:9a)

When "these things" are active in our lives, we will be able to see the tricks, traps and temptations of the Devil. We will be able to see the needs of others and not be blinded by our own selfish interests.

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(3) These Things Guarantee Us Absolute Assurance Of Salvation (1:9b)

"These things" promise us that we can have assurance of salvation. They promise us that we can get to the place where we never doubt again!

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(4) These Things Guarantee That We Will Never Fall Again (1:10)

These things, if practiced in our lives, will keep us from falling. These things promise us a fall free life.

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What are "these things"?

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These Things Are The 7 Steps Toward Godly Living (5-7)

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(a) Goodness (1:5)

We must live by the Bible and live morally pure lives.

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(b) Knowledge (1:5)

We must have a sound knowledge of the doctrines of Christianity and apply them to our lives and living them out.

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(c) Self-Control (1:6)

We must control ourselves and do as the Lord pleases! We must control our tongues, our tempers, and our temptations.

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(d) Perseverance (1: 6)

We must not be swerved from our devotion to God even by the greatest of trials. We must not allow the slightest little wind to blow us off course.

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(e) Godliness (1:6)

We must yield our every action and attitude to the fear of the Lord. We must spend our days serving God. We must strive at every turn to please the Lord God and Him alone.

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(f) Mutual Affection (1:7)

We must practice the second Great Commandment (Matt. 22:39). We must not bicker and fight with people.

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(g) Love (1:7)

We must live out that self-sacrificing, never-ending, all-encompassing love that the Lord Jesus Christ exhibited when He came to the earth to die for sin.

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These things are to be practiced as a whole and every one of them is to be active all the time. God wants us to have them all operating in our lives all the time.

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Now, we know what "these things" are and what they can do for us. Let us make sure that all of them are present in our lives today.