GROWING IN FAITH

by Idaline Prince

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue,^[e] 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^[f] are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

2 Peter 1:5-8

Our faith is supplied and sustained by the righteousness of Jesus Christ! (Vs 1) Jesus’ divine power is the source for all we need for a godly living (Vs 3) Therefore a constant plugged in relationship to the source of our faith will help us to grow.

Growth is a continuous process. All living things grow. As we live by faith, God is able to use us and cause us to grow in grace. Sometimes daily growth seems minute or even nonexistent and we may sometimes become frustrated with the apparent lack of progress. For building a large tower, we need to lay one brick at a time. It is the same in our Christian lives. God makes the big changes through a series of little ones. We must learn to trust God for the little things so we can enjoy great growth. We must trust God daily so we can enjoy yearly gain. Like any other growing experience, living by faith is taking one step at a time.

 

Faith is the solid foundation upon which we build our relationship with God and upon this godly foundation of faith; we are to build seven godly traits.

 

1.     Add to your faith, goodness – excellence on the inside: To believe right and behave right

2.     …and to goodness, knowledge - accurate spiritual knowledge acquired through a close relationship with the spirit

3.     ….and to knowledge, self-control – to never let anything control us except Jesus, the Word and the Holy Spirit.

4.     …and to self-control, perseverance – cheerful endurance in exhibiting Christ-like traits

5.     …and to perseverance, godliness – right attitude towards God (submission) and respectful attitude towards others (servant hearted)

6.     …and to godliness, brotherly kindness - is reaching out to others in the manner that Christ would.

7.     …and to brotherly kindness, love - to seek the highest and best good for others.

 

Assessment for growth:

 These spiritual qualities should not only be present in the Christian, they should be “increasing!” and if stagnant, check your relationship with the source of faith.

If you ever think you have reached total maturity as a Christian – check your pride!