Process of Growth
How do Christians grow in maturity? How does the Lord develop us from people who barely know him to disciples who overflow with his love?
What does the Bible say about how Christian's grow? -
- Purpose of growth - 2 Peter 1:8
- Divine Power - 2 Peter 1:3
- Divine Promises - 2 Peter 1:4
- How to live - 2 Peter 1:5
- Developing Character - 2 Peter 1:6-7
- Overflowing love - 2 Peter 1:7
Puropose of growth
2 Peter 1:8
The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Questions for reflection or discussion
This verse is the end of the passage. We look at it now in order to understand the purpose.
- How does a person’s growth and development impact God's kingdom and their own sense of being?
Thoughts to consider
An outcome of Jesus' work in us developing us as people is that we become fruitful and productive as a result of knowing Jesus better.
Divine Power
2 Peter 1:3
By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence.
Questions for reflection or discussion
- What does the Lord intend to achieve through his power?
- What do we receive through knowing the Lord that contributes to a godly life?
Thoughts to consider
How well we know God is key to our being able to live by God’s power. As we grow to know him better, we are better able to appreciate what a godly life is, and how much we need his power to live it.
Divine Promises
2 Peter 1:4
And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.
Questions for reflection or discussion
- How do promises help trust develop in a relationship?
- Why would God share himself with those who trust his promises?
- What does it mean to escape the corruption of the world?
Thoughts to consider
As I share in God’s divine nature, then my life will begin to overflow with God’s love. As I live in the security of his promises, and live out the values that I see in his word, then my outward life will reflect his heart and influence the world around me.
How to live
2 Peter 1:5
In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge,
Questions for reflection or discussion
- What stages of development are laid out in this verse?
- Why do we need faith to live out God’s moral excellence?
- What kind of knowledge would come through taking risks of faith in order to live in moral excellence?
Thoughts to consider
In the beginning, we don’t really know how to live. We have clues through God’s promises. What God is willing to commit to, we can too. That commitment needs faith that God will back up his word. As we make mistakes in living out what God asks, then we develop in our knowledge of what God intends.
Developing Character
2 Peter 1:6-7
and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness …
Questions for reflection or discussion
- In what situations are self-control and endurance developed?
- How might God work to help develop self-control and endurance? Consider 2 Peter 1v3
- Why would someone who has been developed by God through living out his promises and developing in character be called godly?
Thoughts to consider
Character is not something that is just given to a person. It has to be developed. It comes through our being willing to do what God has asked of us no matter how we are feeling or what the cost is. There is an anticipation that as we act this way, the Lord will supply what will make it possible.
Overflowing love
2 Peter 1:7
and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.
The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Questions for reflection or discussion
- What steps of development are outlined here?
- What is the difference between godliness and love?
Thoughts to consider
God is love and it is love that he desires to develop in each one of us. Consider the lengths he is willing to go to help each one of us to get there.
Overview question for reflection or discussion
- What has the Lord given to enable people to develop love?
- How is this path of development going to make people productive and useful to God?
- What part do you play in order to enable the Lord to develop these qualities in you?
Thoughts to consider
This process of development can take decades. It is important to be patient with everyone for wherever they are, or patient with ourselves for where we are.
