Christian Growth & Victory Part 1 | 2 Peter 1:5-9

INTRODUCTION

Few issues in the Christian life are more important than this. Practically every new believer is puzzled about why he still has a problem with indwelling sin and how can it be handled and grow. That is the question that we will answer in these lessons.

1. When the believer comes to Christ, God regenerates him and gives him a holy nature, but the old sinful nature is still present. It is called the “old man.” This is why the New Testament instructs believers to put away sin (e.g., 1 Peter 2:1). The ongoing presence of sin in the Christian life is everywhere taken for granted in the New Testament Epistles. If sin were somehow eradicated, the Epistles would not everywhere address the need to deal with it. If sin could somehow be eradicated, the New Testament would explain how this could be accomplished, and this experience would everywhere be offered as the solution to the sin But this is not what we find. There is a spiritual war that goes on in the believer’s life. The flesh wars against the Spirit; the old man wars against the new man.
2. There is no one secret or key to spiritual victory in the Christian life. Many “keys” have been proposed, such as the baptism of the Holy Spirit, a second blessing, the crucified life, and John Piper’s joy in God’s path. If there were one such thing that would give the believer victory, every New Testament epistle would say so. For example, when Paul wrote to Corinth to correct their sins, he would have spent the entire epistle explaining the “key.” Instead, Paul dealt with many different things. The same is true in the Epistle of Ephesians. Chapter 4-6 is a treatise on the Christian life, and instead of one “secret” Paul dealt with all sorts of things, such as putting off the old man and putting on the new (4:22-24), not grieving the Holy Spirit (4:30), having no fellowship with evil (5:11), walking circumspectly (5:15), redeeming the time (5:16), being filled with the Spirit (5:18), giving thanks always to the Lord (5:20), wives submitting to their husbands and husbands loving their wives (5:22-33), and putting on the whole armour of God (6:10-18).

3. Some of the things that we would ordinarily include in this section on Christian growth and spiritual victory, such as prayer and the church, are dealt with in their own separate
4. In 2 Peter 1:3-11, we see several important truths about Christian growth:

• • Christian growth flows from God’s abundant salvation (2 Pet. 1:3). At salvation the believer has everything he needs to grow and be fruitful. All he has to do is use
  • Christian growth is a process of adding to one’s faith (2 Pet. 1:5-7). When we are saved, we only have one thing, and that is faith. The Christian life is adding every good thing to faith
  • Christian growth is not instantaneous; it doesn’t come overnight. The believer doesn’t suddenly have perfect virtue, perfect patience, and perfect Growth is a gradual thing. You can’t see a baby grow daily. We must therefore have faith and patience. We must keep on keeping on. This is one of the most important traits in the Christian life. It is described as walking with Christ (Galatians 5:16; Ephesians 5:8; 1 John 1:7). This is a step-by-step, day-by-day thing; the Christian life is not a leap or a flight, but a walk.
  • Christian growth requires “all diligence” (2 Pet. 1:5). The half-hearted Christian will not grow. He will remain a babe and will continue to cause trouble in the church and do more to hinder God’s work than to help it. Jesus said that He hates lukewarmness (Rev. 3:15-16).
  • Christian growth is an individual path and process (2 1:5-7). We cannot measure ourselves by one another; we have different handicaps, and different spiritual and moral baggage that we brought into the Christian life.
  • Christian growth is to live by the new law, which is Christ (2 Pet. 1:5-7). Verses 5-7 describe He is all of these things incarnate: virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and charity. The goal of the Christian life is to reach the “measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ” (Eph. 4:13).
  • Christian growth requires patience (2 Pet. 1:6). This is one of the most important things in the Christian Patience is essential for growth because it is a process, and there are many trials and obstacles and enemies. You just have to keep on keeping on, keep on walking with the Lord and trusting Him and praying and reading your Bible and going to church and obeying Him.
  • Christian growth guarantees fruitfulness (2 Pet. 1:8). Every believer can have good fruit and blessings in this present life if he is willing to be diligent in seeking to grow in
  • If the believer is not growing, he is going backwards (2 Pet. 1:9). It is like traveling up a river against the flow of the As long as I keep paddling I can make progress, but as soon as I stop paddling I start being carried back down the river. Likewise, the believer cannot stand still spiritually. He cannot say, “I am satisfied with where I am, so I will just stay at this place in my Christian life.” We must keep pressing on to higher ground, or we will backslide.
  • Backsliding makes the believer nearsighted and forgetful (2 Pet. 1:9). He becomes filled with the cares and lusts of this world so that he does not think about eternity. His eyes are on man rather than on Christ. He forgets the important things and focuses on the unimportant things. Backsliding is a sad and unfruitful
  • Christian growth does not save, but it does prove one’s salvation (2 Pet. 1:10). Peter’s challenge in 2 Peter 1:10 is the same as Paul’s challenge in 2 Timothy 2:19 and James’ in James 2:17-18. Those who profess Christ but do not live for Him have no biblical basis to say that they are
  • Christian growth does not produce salvation; it produces rewards (2 Pet. 1:11). Peter is not saying that by growing we will make it into heaven; he is saying that by growing and serving Christ we will lay up treasures in Compare 1 Timothy 6:12.

REVIEW QUESTIONS ON CHRISTIAN GROWTH PART 1

1. What is another name for the old sinful nature?
2. If sin could somehow be eradicated, the New Testament would explain how this could be , and this would everywhere be offered as the                               to the sin
3. In what book and chapter is the believer taught how to add to his faith?
4. What is one of the most important traits in the Christian life?
5. The Christian life is not a or a                      , but a                                                .
6. What will happen if the Christian is not diligent in seeking to grow?
7. What is the believer’s new law?
8. If the believer is not growing, he is .
9. How is the Christian life like paddling up a river?
10. What does backsliding produce in the Christian’s life?
11. Christian growth does not save, but it does one’s
12. Christian growth does not produce ; it produces                              .

Christian Growth & Victory Part 2

Key References- John 15:4; Ephesians 4:22-24; Philippians 3:13-14; 1 John 1:9

The “keys” to Christian growth are found in the entire New Testament, but the following are some of the major elements. In this lesson we will look at the first four: abiding in Christ, putting off the old man and putting on the new, confessing sin, and pressing toward the mark.

ABIDING IN CHRIST ( John 15:1-10)

The true Christian life is not a religion. It is not merely a bunch of regulations and rituals; it is a personal relationship with the resurrected Christ. Those who have spiritual victory are those who know Him personally and walk in fellowship with Him day by day, serving Him and learning of Him. This is “abiding in Christ.” If the believer forgets Christ and starts living his life apart from conscious fellowship with Christ, he is in spiritual danger.

In John 15:1-10, Jesus emphasized that it is God’s will for the believer to bear fruit (verse 2), more fruit (verse 2), and much fruit (verse 8). We should be growing, and the growth is the product of abiding in Christ.

Jesus taught that the key to abiding in Him is obedience to His Word (John 15:7, 10). Abiding in Christ is not mystical in the sense of the popular contemplative philosophy. It is not a feeling or a sensual experience. It is not being “overcome by the Spirit,” speaking in tongues, falling on the floor, laughing hysterically, being swayed by powerful music, entering into a meditative state through contemplation, or being moved by candles and incense. Abiding in Christ is simply walking in fellowship with Christ by honoring and obeying His Word.

PUTTING OFF  THE  OLD  MAN  AND  PUTTING  ON  THE  NEW (Ephesians 4:22-24)

The Christian life is presented in this passage as a matter of growing. It is a process of putting off the old man, which is the sinful nature that we inherited from Adam and putting on the new man, which is Christ. Paul explains how to do this in the succeeding verses. Putting off the old man means to stop lying and to deal with anger and to stop stealing and to put away corrupt speech and many other such things (Eph. 4:25-29). To put on the new man is to speak the truth and to give to meet needs and to use edifying speech and other such things (Eph. 4:25-29).

These are high and holy standards that go much deeper and are farther reaching than the Law of Moses ever went. To stop lying involves learning to be honest in every way and situation. There are a thousand ways that the corrupt human heart, the old man, lies and dissimulates. To let NO corrupt communication proceed out of the mouth, to put away ALL bitterness, wrath, anger, clamour and evil speaking, is an amazingly high standard.

Confessing sin (1 John 1:5-10)

Again we see that the believer can and does sin, but to sin is to walk in the darkness rather than in the light. When we sin, God has given us a way to restore fellowship with Him, and that is confession. Confession of sin keeps me in the light and in fellowship with God. He is light and holiness and He will not fellowship with sin and darkness. He will not walk in fellowship with me in darkness. If I want to fellowship with Him, I must walk with Him in the light.

Confession of sin means to agree with God against my action. It is the opposite of making excuse for my sin. Making excuse and blaming others is the way of Adam. Our first father blamed his wife for the sin, while she blamed the serpent. We have a natural tendency to follow in these unwise footsteps. We blame our nationality, our age (“I’m young” or “I’m old”), our sex, our background, our

circumstances, and many other things for our sin. For example, if I get angry and bitter at my wife, that is a sin, but it is easy to make excuse and blame her or blame something else, such as the fact that I am having a bad day or that she is unreasonable, instead of admitting that I have done wrong in God’s eyes. Or if I lie, I can make excuses and say, “Well, everyone lies sometimes.” Or if I disobey and dishonor my parents, I can make an excuse and say that they are too demanding or they are hypocritical. On the other hand, I can admit to God that I have sinned and agree with Him that it is evil. If I make excuse for my sin, I am walking in darkness rather than light and I do not have fellowship with God.

God promises that He will forgive us and cleanse us if we confess our sins to Him. He is faithful and just to forgive us because Christ died for our sins.

How many times will God forgive? He will forgive as often as we confess. Doesn’t He get tired of us sinning and then confessing? No, we have His promise that He will forgive and cleanse every time. Jesus taught that if someone sins against us we should forgive him 490 times (Matthew 18:21-22). If we are expected to forgive that many times, how much more will God forgive! Remember that God’s mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:23), so get up and obtain fresh mercy (Hebrews 4:16) and move ahead!

Confession makes things right with God. It puts us in the light. It is the way of victory by stopping the spiral of sin. When we sin, we must not get discouraged and faint; we must confess it honestly and claim God’s promise of forgiveness and stand on our spiritual birthright (Ephesians 1:3).

PRESSING TOWARD THE MARK (Philippians 3:13-14)

After we confess our sin we need to put it behind and not fall into the temptation to dwell on it and to fear that God hasn’t forgiven. To do that cripples the Christian’s life. The way to put sin behind is to keep one’s eye on the goal of fulfilling God’s perfect will. Keep looking ahead, not behind. When God convicts us of sin, He does so in order to lead us to confession and cleansing and

victory, but when the Devil accuses us he does so in order to discourage and devour us.

REVIEW QUESTIONS ON CHRISTIAN GROWTH PART 2

1. The true Christian life is not a ; it is a                                                             with Christ.
2. In what book and chapter did Jesus instruct the believer to bear fruit?
3. Jesus taught that the key to abiding in Him is what?
4. What is the “old man”?
5. How does the believer put off the old man?
6. What chapter and verse says that if we say we do not sin we are liars?
7. Confession of sin means to against my
8. Confession of sin is the opposite of                                 for my
9. Who was the first man who blamed others for his sin?
10. How many times did Jesus tell Peter that he should forgive others?
11. What verse says God’s mercies are new every morning?
12. What verse invites the believer to come to God’s throne of grace to obtain mercy?
13. In what book and chapter did Paul say he was pressing ahead?

Christian Growth & Victory Part 3

Key References: Matthew 13:22; 1 Corinthians 15:33; Ephesians 5:11; 1 Peter 2:1-2; 1 John 2:15-17

In the last lesson we looked at four important ways to grow spiritually and to have victory in Christ: abiding in Christ, putting off the old man and putting on the new, confessing sin, and pressing toward the mark.

In this lesson we will look at four more things: devouring the Word, protecting the Word, separation from the world, and separation from false teachers.

DEVOURING THE WORD (1 Peter 2:1-2)

An essential thing for growing in Christ and for spiritual victory is the Bible. The Bible is God’s living Word and it has the power to make us grow (Heb. 4:12; Acts 20:32). It is spiritual meat. The believer must immerse Himself in it. It has been said, “A dusty Bible indicates a dirty heart,” and, “The Bible will keep you from sin or sin will keep you from the Bible.” The Christian who desires to have spiritual victory will make the Bible the Book of his life.

He must establish a habit of daily reading. He must also learn how to study it and interpret it. (We deal with this in the course Fundamental Lessons in How to Study the Bible.) He must attend a good church faithfully to hear the Bible taught and preached.

He must memorize the Bible and meditate on it throughout the day. And he must base his decisions on its precepts.

Notice in 1 Peter 2:1-2 that as the believer receives the Word of God, he must also be laying aside sin. If we try to take in the Word while holding onto our old sinful ways, we will not grow.

The first thing I suggest to new believers or those who are struggling in their Christian lives is to get serious about reading studying and memorizing the Bible. There are many ways this can be done. If you haven’t been faithful in reading the Bible every day, commit yourself to this. Establish a time and a place and keep that divine appointment without fail. If you have been reading the Bible a chapter a day, commit yourself to triple this or even more. You could add the reading of Psalms and Proverbs to your daily reading program. You can read through the Psalms in a month by reading five chapters a day and through Proverbs by reading one chapter a day.

Psalms can be read in the morning and Proverbs in the evening, or any other plan that you decide on. A pastor recently told me that he is reading the Bible through in one month and that it has been one of the best things he has ever done. One couple told me that they spent a year doing this, reading the Bible every month together, and it greatly enriched their lives. A youth pastor told me that he is memorizing ten verses a day this year. Immersing oneself in the Scripture is the best way to grow and get through spiritual difficulties.

PROTECTING THE WORD (Matthew 13:22)

In the Parable of the Sower Jesus warned that the Word can be choked by the care of this world and the deceitfulness of riches. Mark adds the “lusts of other things entering in” (Mark 4:19), and Luke adds the “pleasures of this life” (Lk. 8:14).

Countless believers have unwisely failed to protect the Word in their hearts. They attend church and hear God’s Word and even read the Bible regularly, but in their day-to-day lives they allow the cares of life and the lusts of other things to dominate their hearts and thus choke out the effect of God’s Word.

Consider the lusts of other things.

The Lord showed me this as a new Christian when I realized that though I was studying the Bible diligently, it was not having the desired effect because I was still feeding the old man through rock & roll and unwholesome movies.

Consider the care of this world.

If a believer finds that the Word is being choked out of his life because of the care of this world, he needs to sit down before God and examine his situation. Sometimes there is no way to avoid a worrisome circumstance, but oftentimes the believer can escape it if he is willing to put God and God’s will first. And one thing the believer can always do is cast his care upon the Lord (1 Peter 5:7). When reading the Bible, it is wise to have paper and pen at hand, and when some worry or concern comes to mind write it down and deal with it later instead of allowing it to choke God’s Word.

Consider the deceitfulness of riches.

Many believers have failed to grow and to do God’s will because they allowed the “deceitfulness of riches” to choke God’s Word. Riches are deceitful because they promise happiness and this is a lie. The richest people in the world are not the happiest! Riches are deceitful, too, because they are uncertain. They often “take wings and fly away” (Prov. 23:5). The solution to this problem is contentment (1 Timothy 6:6-10) and putting God and His will and His business first (Matthew 6:33). He has promised to take care of me if I put Him first.

SEPARATION FROM THE WORLD

Another thing that is necessary for spiritual growth and victory is to separate from evil. We mentioned this earlier in the context of obedience, but it bears repeating.

The Bible warns that evil communications corrupt good manners (1 Cor. 15:33). This refers to any sort of evil thing, whether it comes by way of literature or television or movies or the Internet or music or personal associates or friends or relatives. “Good manners” refers to the good Christian life. Paul is saying that any kind of association with evil hurts the quality of one’s Christian life.

We are instructed to have no fellowship with evil things (2 Cor. 6:14-18; Eph. 5:11). This is a very high standard. If the believer does not cut off his fellowship with evil, he will not grow.

The Bible says that if the believer loves the world, he does not love God (1 John 2:15-17). The world is defined as “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.” Therefore, the believer must make many hard choices. He must choose whether to love the world or to love God. This shows the error of the “Christian rock” philosophy. I cannot love the world’s wicked pop culture and love Christ, too.

When I was a new Christian saved out of a hippie background, I had to make choices about many things in my life. I had to separate from rock music and filthy movies and smoking and drinking and many other things that I had enjoyed before I was saved. I did this because I wanted to please the Lord who had saved me, and I wanted to grow and to find His will.

SEPARATION FROM FALSE TEACHERS

God instructs His people to mark and avoid those who teach things contrary to the Bible (Romans 16:17-18).

Paul told Titus that he must stay away from heretics (Titus 3:9-11). This refers to false teachers who refuse to submit to the truth. Paul warned that heretics ask foolish questions. This refers to insincere questions that are asked with the objective of causing doubt about sound doctrine. For example, the Jehovah’s Witnesses deny that Jesus is God. They ask questions to try to confuse the brethren on this issue. Their questions are not sincere. They don’t want to hear a good Bible answer. They simply want to confuse people and draw them into their false doctrines. The Bible warns us to stay away from this type of thing,

because if you don’t it will cause you to doubt the truth and to be devoured by the devil.

To separate from false teachers means to stay away from their churches, their Bible studies, their books, their television and radio programs, and their audio and video recordings.

REVIEW QUESTIONS ON CHRISTIAN GROWTH PART 3

1. According to 1 Peter 2:1-2, what are two things the believer must do to grow?
2. What are five things the believer must do to make the Bible the Book of his life?
3. According to the Parable of the Sower, what kind of things can choke the Word in the believer’s life?
4. What verse says the believer can cast his care upon God?
5. We can cast our care upon God, because he for
6. Why are riches deceitful?
7. Proverbs warns that riches can take and                                                                                
8. What verse says that if I put God first He will take care of me?
9. What verse says evil communications corrupt good manners?
10. What does this mean?
11. What verse says to have no fellowship with the works of darkness?
12. What book and chapter says to come out from the evil and to be separate?
13. What passage warns the believer not to love the world?
14. How does this passage define the world?
15. What verse says to mark and avoid those who teach things contrary to the Bible?
16. What is a heretic?
17. What type of question is a foolish question?
18. What is an example of a foolish question?

Christian Growth & Victory Part 4

Key References: Ephesians 5:18-19; Hebrews 12:1-2

In the last two lessons we looked at eight important ways to grow spiritually and to have victory in Christ: abiding in Christ, putting off the old man and putting on the new, confessing sin, pressing toward the mark, devouring the Word, protecting the Word, separation from the world, and separation from false teachers.

In this lesson we will look at four final things: yielding to the Spirit, establishing godly habits, keeping one’s eyes on Christ, and drawing nigh to Christ.

BEING FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT (Ephesians 5:18)

Spiritual victory in the Christian life is through surrender to and yielding to the indwelling Holy Spirit.

1. Being filled with the Spirit means to be under the Spirit’s As a man is under the control of wine when he is drunk, so the believer is under the Spirit’s control when he is filled with the Spirit. It is only in this one sense that being filled with the Spirit is likened to being drunk with wine. In truth, being filled with the Spirit is not likened to being drunk with wine; it is contrasted to being drunk with wine. Some Charismatics teach that Spirit filling is to be drunk with the Spirit, so that the individual falls down and laughs and acts like a drunk, but this is ridiculous and unscriptural. When the disciples were filled with the Spirit on the day of Pentecost, Peter plainly stated that they were not drunk (Acts 2:15). They were not stumbling around and falling on the ground and laughing hysterically! No, to be Spirit-filled simply means to yield to God’s control in my life. It means to die to self-will and self-desire and to live for Christ. It means to start each day by surrendering myself to the Lord for that day, and then as choices come my way I choose to do God’s will rather than my own. When the believer does this, God gives him spiritual strength and wisdom and guidance. This is walking in the Spirit and being filled with the Spirit.

2. To be filled with the Spirit is not a one-time act or experience; it is a The verb in Ephesians 5:18 is in the continuous tense. It is not a matter of achieving a state of perfection; it is a matter of growing in the grace and knowledge of the Lord. The believer must not get discouraged when he sins; he can be filled with the Spirit anew by confessing his sin and by yielding to the Spirit’s leadership and control.
3. Observe that being filled with the Spirit is associated with singing spiritual songs (Eph. 5:19). There is power in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. In Ephesians 5, Paul associated the singing of spiritual songs with being filled with the Holy Spirit. Just as David’s songs calmed the troubled king (1 Samuel 16:23), spiritual songs can feed and encourage the believer’s “new man.” It is a good practice to memorize hymns and spiritual songs so that they can be used when trials come. A godly woman told me that she once went through a hard trial during which she found it difficult to pray or read her Bible, but she kept singing a simple spiritual song over and over and the Lord gave her the

The late Pastor J.B. Buffington said,

“Worldly music produces a worldly environment and creates worldly attitudes. On the other hand, you can program temperament and stability and peace and quietness in your home if you get good sacred Christian music. You can play Bible stories in a room where a little baby is sleeping, and you are programming Bible stories into his little mind. Kids don’t have to learn things formally; you just put it there and they are like a blotter. They absorb it. Put soothing, Christ-honoring, soul-stirring Christian music on and just let it play in your home, and you are programming something of security and tranquility and peace into the children’s hearts” (“How to Losea Child Before He Is Five Years Old”).

We must warn against the carnal Christian music that is popular today. The Bible says we must sing “spiritual songs.” This is the opposite of worldly songs. Spiritual music is the opposite of music that feeds the flesh. It is the opposite of the world’s party music. We have already seen that God forbids us to associate with the evil things of the world (1 John 2:15-16).

4. Being filled with the Spirit is associated with giving thanks to God (Eph. 5:20). If I have a critical, complaining attitude, I am not filled with the Spirit, because He is grieved by such things (Eph. 4:30-31).
5. Being filled with the Spirit is associated with godly relationships (Eph. 5:21 – 6:9). To be filled with the Spirit requires obeying Him, and He wants us to treat one another in a godly manner. Spirit-filled wives submit to their husbands. Spirit-filled husbands love their wives. Spirit-filled children obey and honor their parents. Spirit-filled fathers do not provoke their children to wrath. Spirit- filled servants are obedient to their masters. Spirit-filled masters treat their servants

ESTABLISHING GODLY HABITS (Luke 4:16)

Our lives are busy and it is essential to establish godly habits so that God is not crowded out. We should establish a habit of daily Bible reading and intercessory prayer, a habit of faithful church attendance, a habit of participating in organized evangelism, a habit of spending time with our families, and many such things.

This does not mean that we only think of God and only serve God during special times in the day and week. We are to pray without ceasing (1 Thess. 5:17), to always have a conscience void of offence toward God (Acts 24:16), to always abound in the work of the Lord (1 Cor. 15:58), to give thanks always (Eph. 5:20), to be ready always to give a testimony for Christ (1 Pet. 3:15).

We must beware, too, lest our spiritual habits become mere routine, lest our “form becomes formality.” We keep our spiritual habits fresh by staying in fellowship with Christ.

KEEPING ONE’S EYES ON CHRIST (Hebrews 12:1-2)

We must keep our eyes on Christ. He will never fail or offend. The believer stumbles when he gets his eyes off of Christ and on to anything else, such as his own sin, the world, difficulties in life, or other people. Those who have their eyes on Christ and are serving Him with an undivided heart don’t stumble when they see other believers commit sins or otherwise do things that offend. For example, when churches have troubles it soon becomes evident which of the members are truly walking with Christ. They continue to walk with Him regardless of what happens. But those who are looking at man and following man become discouraged and even quit when someone or something offends them.

ABIDING IN CHRIST (Matthew 11:28-30)

We started with this point, and we will end with it, because the most important thing the believer can do to grow spiritually and to have victory is to walk in fellowship with the Lord and to trust Him at all times. The Christian life is a personal relationship with Christ, the eternal Son of God. It is a matter of receiving Him and serving Him and learning of Him. This is the essence of true Christianity and it is the way of spiritual growth and victory.

REVIEW QUESTIONS ON CHRISTIAN GROWTH PART 4

1. What does it mean to be filled with the Spirit?
2. What did Peter say when he was accused of being drunk on the Day of Pentecost?
3. To be filled with the Spirit is not an act or experience; it is a                         .
4. Why is filling with the Spirit associated with singing spiritual songs?
5. Spiritual songs are the opposite of
6. Spiritual music is the opposite of music that______.
7. How is being filled with the Spirit associated with giving thanks to God?
8. Why is it important to establish godly habits?
9. What are some godly habits that the Christian should establish in his life?

We must beware lest our becomes      ______