Scripture Text: 2 Peter 1: 1 – 10

 ⁵ And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;

 ⁶ And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;

 ⁷ And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

 ⁸ For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren^c nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 ⁹ But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

¹⁰ Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: ^[1]

We live in an era when we do not hear much about adding in certain important areas of life.  They add to food and fuel prices, they add to security measures they are adding to environmental pollution and many of us are adding to our weight which is detrimental to our health. 

Today we hear more about using less, making things smaller, we hear about downsizing for repositioning, we hear about right sizing of management teams for greater effectiveness.  These terms and phrases used in business and industry are all indicative of subtracting and reducing.  In fact with all of the new technology that is being developed today we even say that the world is becoming a smaller place. 

These decisions have their advantages in some ways and they do result in a healthier bottom line for some businesses but this is where it ends.  However there are some areas of life where things only get better when we add to them.  In the context of this message today we want to add to our faith.  I am very pleased today that C.V. Bethel has as its theme  “Excellence Through Perseverance”  To Persevere is to persist, to remain constant, to endure.   In your pursuit of excellence, in your desire to achieve your goals and become all that you are capable of becoming, there are many adjustments that you must make. You cannot reach the mark by remaining the same, by doing the same thing at the new level, there must be changes in approach and intensity.  

Teachers change methods and activities depending on the age of the children and the subject matter, They increase the level of difficulty of examinations and they vary the type and length of examination given.  All of these additions are designed to move you from where you are to where you ought to be.  You have to read new books, spend more time studying, give greater attention to details, you have to improve the length and quality of essays, you have to be more specific in your examples and follow instructions precisely as they are given  so that you get the desired results. 

It is said that success is a journey not a destination.  By this we mean that you have not arrived, the school has not the teachers have and you the students have not, you are still on that journey.  Many of you desire to be better and you do believe in your self that you can be but that is not good enough for success and excellence.  It was the Apostle James who said in Chapter 2: v. 20. “…that faith without works is dead”  You could believe in yourself as much as you like but if you do nothing about it, it will get you nowhere.

In order to get to where you ought to be some of you need to add a little respect for yourself and then you will have it for others.  Dress like a young man on a mission, Dress like a young lady who knows that she is not for sale.  Be courteous and gracious in your behaviour, learn how to be a gentleman and a lady of quality. Speak using words that demonstrate your developing intelligence rather than with words that shout about your ignorance, lack of pride and lack of honour.  What you ought to keep in mind is the fact that you are precious and special. God made you and sent you here loaded with potential.  In fact you have more potential than many of you realize. 

You cannot afford therefore to be satisfied with where you are and what you, your family, your school or your church has accomplished thus far.  It’s time to do some adding to the basics to which you are now holding.  It time to continue your journey of success and not allow yourself to be distracted by those who would say what are they trying to prove.   

The Apostle Peter wrote this letter in the midst of a similar situation.  False teachers were undermining the truths of the gospel as taught by the Apostles and causing some to doubt their faith in God.  Faith in God is good but our faith must be more than belief.  James reminds us that the devils also believe and tremble (2:20).  Our Faith must propel and compels us to certain actions that are unmistakably approved of God and are for his honour and glory.  Many persons want an abundance of God’s grace and peace but they are unwilling to put forth the effort to get to know him better through prayer and the study of his word.  Many people want the best in this life and the next but they are not prepared to do what God requires of them to do.  Don’t just go around saying I believe, show me by your actions that you do believe.  The power to grow and become does not come from within us but from God, he gives us great and precious promises that by these we might be partakers of  his divine nature which empowers us to live according to his will. 

The fullness that is provided by living a Christian life is not experienced just by believing or having faith in God, the Apostle Peter says when you believe, you become partakers of his divine nature and eligible to escape the corruption that is in the world but you need to do something else.  BESIDE THIS give diligence ( BE CAREFUL ) to ADD TO YOUR FAITH:  Too many of us are taking our relationship with Jesus Christ for granted.  We are not careful with the promises and blessings of the Lord, we act as if we are our own, that we are responsible for our success and that as long as my name is on the roll some where I’m OK.  But a born again believer ought to know that Christian living is more than a talk, we have to walk the talk and bear the fruits of the Spirit.

THE APOSTLE PETER SAYS ADD TO YOUR FAITH:

VIRTUE -   Moral Excellence, ethical conduct, honour, honesty, faithfulness and justice.  Our Christian life is one of standards, not those set by man but established by God in his word.  Ps. 119:89. “For ever, O Lord thy word is settled in heaven”

⁷The law^b of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. 

 ⁸ The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.

⁹ The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true^c and righteous altogether. 

 ¹⁰ More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb^d. 

 ¹¹ Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.

KNOWLEDGE–Information, learning, enlightenment, - know who he is. 

When you really know who Jesus is you are not tossed to and fro,  there is stability in your life and no one can lead you wrong.  We say knowledge is power and that is true both spiritually and temporally.  The Apostle Paul had this sincere desire and he said: “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his suffering being made conformable unto his death.

TEMPERANCE– oderation, restraint, self-control, sober minded. 

This should be one of the hallmarks of our Christian walk. Paul told the Corinthians (9:25) “And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things.  Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

It is unfortunate  but it happens that there are those who lack self control in too many areas of their lives and therefore they become ineffective as a Christian and lose their testimony.  No control on what they say, do and how they behave.  One of the things Paul told Titus was that the aged me be temperate.

PATIENCE–willingness to endure, humility, long-suffering.  Too many time we function with a short fuse.  We are quick to explode, Too quick with a sharp word, an unfair criticism, a harsh judgment.  

GODLINESS–holiness, righteous living.  This is what God requires of us.  He declares “Be ye holy for I am holy” (1Peter 1:16 / Lev 20:7) There is nothing optional about it if we are to call ourselves God’s children then he requires us to live holy before him.  It is not impossible when we are depending on God. Holiness is God’s standard for mankind every where.

BROTHERLEY KINDNESS–the ability to live with and love a brother as a brother with compassion and forgiveness– as Christians we are brothers one of another and must live as such.  We are our brother’s keeper.  When he is wounded and weary we must demonstrate our kindness in practical ways.

CHARITY–Without this we are as sounding brass and tinkling cymbals

¹ Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

² And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

 ³ And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

⁴ Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth^a not itself, is not puffed up, 

 ⁵ Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

⁶ Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth^b;

 ⁷ Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

⁸ Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail^c; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.  ⁹ For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

¹⁰ But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away^d. 

¹¹ When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought^e as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 

¹² For now we see through a glass, darkly^f; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

 ¹³ And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

When you add these qualities  to your faith you are well armed to face the enemy, The darts of the devil cant pierce you, the mud of the enemy can’t smear you, the slander of the enemy can’t destroy you, the traps of the enemy can’t  hold you, the venom of the enemy can’t poison you,

For the shield of the lord will protect you

The word of God will guide you

The grace of God will strengthen you

The blood of Jesus will cover you

The Spirit of the Lord will empower you

When you add these qualities to your faith you are ready for battle, prepared for every good work and you are on your way to excellence and success.

When you add these qualities to your faith, you can lift your head high regardless of you past, you can live with hope and get ready to die in peace. When you add these qualities you can truly say I am Bound for the Promise Land, O Who will come and go with me I am bound for the Promise land.

 I’m a child of the King.  His Royal blood still runs in my vein.

The Holy Bible : King James Version. 1995 (Ps 19:7-11). Logos Research Systems, Inc.: Oak Harbor, WA