1) Christians have escaped corruption and partake in the divine nature through God's promises. 2) Christians must choose to continually grow in faith and its related virtues or risk becoming useless and forgetting their salvation. 3) Those who diligently pursue growth through applying virtues will have their entrance into God's kingdom abundantly supplied and make their salvation certain.

1. Our Theme for 2012:
Real Faith
A Study of James, 1-2 Peter

2. 2 Peter 1
[1] Simon Peter, a bond-servant
and apostle of Jesus Christ,
To those who have received a faith
of the same kind as ours, by the
righteousness of our God and Savior,
Jesus Christ: [2] Grace and peace be
multiplied to you in the knowledge
of God and of Jesus our Lord;

3. 2 Peter 1
[3] seeing that His divine power has
granted to us everything pertaining to
life and godliness, through the true
knowledge of Him who called us by
His own glory and excellence.

4. 2 Peter 1
[4] For by these He has granted to us
His precious and magnificent
promises, so that by them you may
become partakers of the divine
nature, having escaped the corruption
that is in the world by lust.

5. Christians in 2 Peter 1
1) Christians
have “escaped!”

6. Christians in 2 Peter 1
2) Christians
partake in
divine nature.

7. 2 Peter 1
[4] For by these He has granted to us
His precious and magnificent
promises, so that by them you may
become partakers of the divine
nature, having escaped the corruption
that is in the world by lust.

8. Christians in 2 Peter 1
3) Christians have a choice.

9. 2 Peter 1:5-7
[5] Now for this very reason also,
applying all diligence, in your faith
supply moral excellence, and in your
moral excellence, knowledge,

10. 2 Peter 1:5-7
[6] and in your knowledge, self-
control, and in your self-control,
perseverance, and in your
perseverance, godliness,

11. 2 Peter 1:5-7
[7] and in your godliness,
brotherly kindness, and in your
brotherly kindness, love.

12. If We Choose Not to Grow

13. 2 Peter 1:8-11
[8] For if these qualities are yours
and are increasing, they render
you neither useless nor unfruitful
in the true knowledge of our
Lord Jesus Christ.

14. 2 Peter 1:8-11
[9] For he who lacks these qualities
is blind or short-sighted, having
forgotten his purification
from his former sins.

15. 2 Peter 1:8-11
[10] Therefore, brethren, be all the
more diligent to make certain about
His calling and choosing you; for as
long as you practice these things,
you will never stumble;

16. 2 Peter 1:8-11
[11] for in this way the entrance
into the eternal kingdom of our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will
be abundantly supplied to you.

17. If We Choose Growth

18. 2 Peter 1:8-11
[8] For if these qualities are yours
and are increasing, they render
you neither useless nor unfruitful
in the true knowledge of our
Lord Jesus Christ.

19. 2 Peter 1:8-11
[9] For he who lacks these qualities is
blind or short-sighted, having
forgotten his purification from his
former sins.

20. 2 Peter 1:8-11
[10] Therefore, brethren, be all the
more diligent to make certain about
His calling and choosing you; for as
long as you practice these things,
you will never stumble;

21. 2 Peter 1:8-11
[11] for in this way the entrance
into the eternal kingdom of our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will
be abundantly supplied to you.

22. If We Choose Growth
 Continued growth makes
us more certain of our
eternal salvation.

23. 2 Peter 1:5
[5] Now for this very reason also,
applying all diligence, in your faith
supply moral excellence, and in your
moral excellence, knowledge,

24. 2 Peter 1:10
[10] Therefore, brethren, be all the
more diligent to make certain about
His calling and choosing you; for as
long as you practice these things,
you will never stumble;

25. If We Choose Growth
 We must be “diligent”
in this process!

26. 2 Things to Take Home
1) Grow!

27. 2 Peter 3:17-18
[17] Therefore, dear friends, since you
already know this, be on your guard
so that you may not be carried away
by the error of lawless men and fall
from your secure position.

28. 2 Peter 3:17-18
[18] But grow in the grace and
knowledge of our Lord and Savior
Jesus Christ. To him be glory both
now and forever! Amen.

29. 2 Things to Take Home
2) What’s your
next step?

30. 2 Things to Take Home
Faith
Moral Excellence
Knowledge
Self-control
Perseverance
Godliness
Brotherly Kindness
Love