For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. (2 Peter 1:5-7)

The life of a disciple should be one of virtue and integrity. It’s also a lifelong process. There will never be a point in our lives when we have “arrived” as the perfect disciple. Just like health and fitness is a lifestyle, so is following Christ. We will never be perfect, but as we follow Christ we are in the process of being perfected, being made complete.

And we will never be complete without love.

Love (agape in the Greek) appears in every list of Christian virtues and Spiritual gifts. You could say that love is THE virtue and THE main gift of the Spirit.

It is unfortunate that the English language only has the one word for love. It becomes so overused that it loses significant meaning. Greek (and Aramaic and Hebrew) has multiple words denoting different types of love. Last time we looked at the word philadelphia, or brotherly/familial love. Peter ends this list of virtues with agape.

So what’s the difference? Check out this video that does a great job explaining it:

Agape love is a love which gives without expectation of receiving anything in return. Another way to define it is “unconditional love.” It’s a love that cannot be earned but is freely given. It’s a love that is more concerned with the well-being of the other. It’s a love that has no prerequisites, no stipulations, no conditions, no strings attached.

ONE LOVE, OR TWO?

As mentioned in the video, Jesus tells us that the greatest commands in Scripture are 1) Love (agape) the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength; and 2) Love (agape) your neighbor as yourself. The question is – are these two different loves or one same love?

If love of God and love of neighbor are two separate loves, then love for God must inherently trump love for neighbor. Love of God involves obedience to God’s commands. So if there are situations in which showing love to a neighbor would border on violating God’s commands, then we must defer to love of God over and against love of neighbor. This is one of the points Jesus is trying to make when he tells the story of the Good Samaritan. The priest and the Levite pass by the beaten man because stopping to help might make them “unclean.” The chose not to help a man in need in order to keep themselves from violating God’s commands about cleanliness.

If love of God and love of neighbor are two separate loves, then we can use “obedience to God” as a way of justifying everything from war to slavery to racism to genocide. Don’t believe me? Read a history book. We can use our religious piety and devotion as an excuse for our own prejudice and even violence towards our fellow man. See: Jonah

But if love of God and love of neighbor are one and the same love, then we show that we love God by the way we love our neighbors. The Samaritan showed that he loved God by having mercy on the beaten man along the road. The earliest Christians showed their love for God by sharing all things in common, providing for each others’ needs, and inviting all different types of people into the church.

“Two loves” would allow us to discriminate against the homeless, or immigrants, or drug addicts, or alcoholics, or LGBTQ+, or people of color, or those of a different political party – all under the guise of devotion to God. “One love” does not give us that option.

This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. (1 John 4:10-12)

If it’s two loves we would expect that sentence to go, “Since God so loved us, we also ought to love God.” But that’s not how it works. “Since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” God is most fully known when we love one another.

It’s all one love.

LEARNING HOW TO LOVE

As we think about what it means to love, we can’t help but take a good look at 1 Corinthians 13, “The Love Chapter.” Let’s really take a look at what Paul is telling us here.

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. (1 Corinthians 13:1-3)

Think about Paul’s early life. He was known as Saul back then. He was an up and coming star of Judaism. He was training to be a Rabbi while studying at the best schools under the best teachers. Saul was a Hebrew-speaking Jew (a rarity in his day), a Pharisee, a passionate lawyer in training. He was a “Two-Love” kind of guy. He allowed his religious zeal and love for God to justify committing atrocities against the followers of Christ (literally “wreaked havoc” on them). Saul was as religious as they come. But he knew nothing about love until the resurrected Christ knocked him on his back and blinded him for three days.

Now the missionary formerly known as Saul is writing to Christians in Corinth. He’s trying to help them understand a lesson he wished he had learned earlier in life – religious observance and zeal mean nothing apart from loving your neighbor.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)

When we love others, we are reflecting the nature of God back to the rest of creation. Humans were created to bear God’s image and likeness. The way Paul describes love is also a beautiful description of God – God is patient. God is kind. God does not envy, does not boast, is not proud. God does not dishonor others, is not self-seeking, is not easily angered, keeps no records of wrongs. God does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. God always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

The real challenge is putting our name in the place of love. I know for Paul, none of these things could be said about his earlier life as Saul. Saul was not patient or kind. Saul definitely kept records of wrongs. Saul was easily angered and was totally self-seeking. But when he encountered Christ all that changed.

Can you do it? Can you put your name in the blank? I am patient, I am kind. I do not envy, I do not boast, I am not proud. I do not dishonor others, I am not self-seeking, I am not easily angered, I keep no records of wrongs. I do not delight in evil, but rejoice with the truth. I always protect, always trust, always hope, always persevere.

How challenging is that?

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. (1 Corinthians 13:8-12)

The beautiful thing about love is that it sees the world not as it is but as it could be. Love requires imagination. Love sees that history is on the move. This whole thing is going somewhere. There is a progression. And I believe that even with as evil as the world can seem at times, we are globally more compassionate than we’ve ever been as a species. We’re more concerned with justice and equality. We’re more concerned with ending violence and promoting peace, education, health, and welfare than ever before.

Are things perfect? Absolutely not! Will they ever be perfect? Not in this world. But there is hope of progress. We can move from children to adults, from seeing dimly to seeing more clearly, from knowing in part to knowing fully. That’s called the kingdom of heaven – or “completeness” as Paul puts it.

Love never gives up on making this world a bit more like heaven.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:13)

The three greatest virtues are faith, hope, and love. But what makes love the greatest? Follow Paul’s reasoning and progression. He’s moving our attention from the temporary things of this world to the eternal nature of the kingdom of God. That’s the ultimate goal. Faith serves us in this life by keeping us connected to God. Hope serves us in this life to reassure us that “the kingdom of heaven is near.” When heaven arrives, when “completeness comes,” then our hopes will become reality and our faith will become sight. But love continues forever. Love serves us in this life and in the life to come. Love spans the “already-but-not-yet” of the kingdom of heaven.

LOVE IN ACTION

So what does it look like to be a people of love? What does it mean to have love be the defining characteristic of our lives? I don’t have all the answers, but I’ll leave you will a couple of passages to seriously consider.

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. (1 John 3:16-18)

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’” (Matthew 25:31-40)

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. (2 Peter 1:5-7)

“I love the family aspect it brings to everyone on the team.” 

“Your teammates will always be there for you when you need them.” 

“Working together toward a common goal…friendships…lifelong memories.”

When teams are functioning at their best, they can be a source of encouragement, friendships, and inspiration. A team collectively is better than the sum of its parts. A team can and should feel like family.

But what about when it doesn’t work that way? I asked the teens what they liked LEAST about being on a team. Here are some of their responses:

“Having to deal with difficult people.” 

“Having to deal with people who do not work and people who think they are better than you.” 

“The people who are mean and bossy, but I guess I have to like them.”

Yep. We’ve all been there! The best part about being on a team is the people. The worst part about being on a team is….the people. Isn’t that interesting?

But that’s life. Throughout the course of your life you will form some amazing relationships that are life-giving and comforting. But you will also have people around you who just suck all the joy out of the room. Learning to deal with difficult people is part of growing up.

I wanted to take this a step further, so I asked the teens what they liked most about the Church. Check out their answers:

“I like the community aspect, and I love all the awesome people who are there no matter what.” 

“I have a place where I don’t feel stressed.” 

“The relationships and the love from everyone.” 

“Potlucks.”

That’s what church should be about! (By the way, I didn’t give them any prompting for these questions.)

When the church is functioning as we should, this should be a group of people who love and accept each other, who have each other’s back no matter what. This should be a place where everyone belongs and feels welcomed.

But we know it’s not always that way. I also asked them what they liked least about the church. Their answers were telling:

“Feeling judgment from some people.” 

“The illusion that we have to show up perfect.” 

“People who act one way in church and different out in the world.”

Like with teams so it is with church. The best part of church is the people. The worst part of church is…the people.

PEOPLE ARE THE WORST/BEST

There’s a saying that all preachers will understand: “Ministry would be great if it weren’t for all the people.” We say that tongue-in-cheek because we know that’s impossible. The church is not a building. The church is people. And if you think that getting along with everyone in the church is difficult, congratulations – you’re normal. If everyone always got along in the church, then we wouldn’t have most of our New Testament! Most of Paul’s letters were written to churches who were going through some internal conflict among their members. Much of the book of Acts is about integrating the Gentiles into this way of being Christ followers.

People are the worst. But people are also pretty great.

That’s why Peter includes this next virtue in the list: MUTUAL AFFECTION.

That’s really just one word in the Greek, and it’s one we’ve all heard – philadelphia. This word means “love of brother or sister,” or more generally “the affection one has for family members.” The New Testament authors used this word to describe “the love that Christians have for one another in the Body of Christ.”

Think of it this way. If godliness = loyalty and devotion to God, then philadelphia = loyalty and devotion to each other.

But aren’t we supposed to love everyone? Yes, but that’s the next virtue. Let’s not skip over the importance of this one. Mutual affection is specifically about the love we have within the community of believers.

WHEN YOU’RE HERE, YOU’RE FAMILY

One of the primary ways this God-centered community is described is as a family. From the very beginning God has been forming a global family connected by faith in him and love for each other. Don’t believe me? Let’s take a quick journey through the Bible from beginning to end.

Genesis 1:26-28 //  Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”
So God created mankind in his own image,
    in the image of God he created them;
    male and female he created them.
God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”

From the very beginning the Scriptures are clear. All humans are created in the image of God. All humans share a common ancestry. All humans are part of one global family. But as the story goes on we see sin, violence, and division take root in the world. Humans grew apart. Civilizations cropped up and went to war against each other. It’s in the midst of this downward spiral that God begins again with a man named Abram.

Genesis 12:1-3 // The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.
“I will make you into a great nation,
    and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
    and you will be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you,
    and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
    will be blessed through you.”

Abram would go on to be renamed Abraham and eventually become known as the Father of the Faith. From Abraham comes the nation of Israel, God’s chosen people who would be one special family. I think this gives a really good picture of what Israel was supposed to be:

Psalm 113:7-9 // He raises the poor from the dust
    and lifts the needy from the ash heap;
he seats them with princes,
    with the princes of his people.
He settles the childless woman in her home
    as a happy mother of children.
Praise the Lord.

Among God’s people all his children are equals. The poor and the princes are on level ground before God. The childless woman becomes a mother to dozens. The orphans have parents. We are all family, all equal in value and love. But as we know, things don’t always go as planned. By the time Jesus comes on the scene, the Jews are rife with divisions and prejudice. There’s one instance when Jesus’ own family shows up while he’s preaching and tries to stop him and bring him home. Check out his response:

Mark 3:31-35 // Then Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.”
“Who are my mother and my brothers?” he asked.
Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”

Jesus redefines family. He challenges us to place a stronger loyalty on the family of believers than our own flesh and blood family. The community of faith should be a higher priority in our lives than most of us are willing to make it. But if we follow Jesus, we have a new family now, and we need to reprioritize. Don’t believe me? It keeps going:

John 1:11-13 // He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

Romans 8:14-17 // For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

1 Timothy 5:1-2 // Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.

I could go on and on. Scriptures are packed full of familial language. That’s why we can’t be a Christian and not be part of the church. When you follow Christ, you are automatically added to this community of faith, this family, that stretches across the globe. Not everybody is going to look like you, talk like you, think like you, dress like you, worship like you, vote like you, or whatever else you may think is important. The only thing you may have in common with other Christians is your belief in Jesus – and that’s enough. That’s kind of the whole point. That’s where this is all headed!

Revelation 7:9-10 // After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice:
“Salvation belongs to our God,
who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb.”

DISCIPLESHIP IS A TEAM SPORT

So if we’re all one big family, how then should we treat each other? Just as we started by talking about teams, I think we can learn a lesson about becoming a family from one of the greatest sports movies ever, Remember the Titans.

Discipleship is a team sport. Faith in God was never meant to be a solo endeavor. God had always intended for people to form a community centered on faith. So often, though, we have the same bad attitude as Julius and others in Remember the Titans and focus only on ourselves. We are concerned about our “personal relationship with Jesus Christ” (a phrase that is nowhere in Scripture), and we think that church is optional.

If you want to play soccer, you need a team. If you want to play basketball, you need a team. If you want to play football, you need a team. If you want to follow Christ, you need a team. Discipleship is a team sport! Church is not optional.

Just as the best and worst thing about teams is the people, so it is with church. The best and worst part about church is the people. And guess what? You’re one of the people. You’re not always the easiest to get along with, either. You can also be judgmental and hypocritical. But that doesn’t mean we don’t need you.

This is why philadelphia/brotherly love/mutual affection/family loyalty is so important. The greatest witness to God’s love for the world is our love for each other.

BROTHERS DON’T SHAKE HANDS. BROTHERS GOTTA HUG!

So I asked the teens last night what we can do to make the church feel more like a family. Here are some of their responses:

“Love people where they are, not where you think they should be.”

“Make an effort to know people better.” 

“Be honest.”

“Put past things in the past and move on to better everyone around you.”

“Support and help anyone in need of help.”

“Try to be here as much as possible so no one thinks you’ve given up on them.”

“Love and support everyone.”

“Talk more and be you.”

Church is not somewhere you go. Church is a family you belong to. Don’t go to church, be the church. These teens are exactly right in their ideas of making the church feel more like a family. This sounds like a group I want to be a part of. This feels like family.

I’ll leave you with a two more passages. May we be “doers of the word and not merely hearers.”

Colossians 3:12-15 // Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.

Romans 12:9-18 // Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.
Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!
Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. 

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. (2 Peter 1:5-7)

So far we have taken a look at Faith, Goodness, Knowledge, Self-Control, and Perseverance. Which of these virtues has been most difficult for you?

For most people, the whole self-control and perseverance bit is really tricky. That’s ok. Keep with it. I want to remind you that Peter is not really laying out a linear process. It’s not like you have to master one virtue before you can move on to the next. In developing the other virtues, you will find it easier to make significant progress in the virtues that give you the most difficulty.

Let me illustrate what I mean. I have been going to the gym regularly for a couple of years now. I am still TERRIBLE when it comes to pull-ups. I try, but I can only do about 3 or 4 in a row. So should I just give up? No. I should focus on other exercises that are going to help strengthen the muscles needed to perform pull-ups (triceps, traps, forearms, core, etc.). As I strengthen my whole body, I will become stronger in areas where I was once weak.

If you’re struggling with self-control, for instance, then keep working at it. But also keep working at goodness and faith and godliness and love. All these will work together to help strengthen your willpower to do the right thing.

This brings us to this week’s virtue: GODLINESS.

UNDERSTANING GODLINESS


That’s a really church-y word. When was the last time you and your friends talked about godliness? When was the last time you heard someone described as godly? Have you ever added godliness to a list of character traits you look for in a potential boyfriend/girlfriend?

So what does Peter mean when he tells us to add godliness to our perseverance? I think it’s helpful to talk about more common words that mean a similar thing to more religious words. In this case, a helpful stand in for “godliness” could be “devotion.”

We use the word “devoted” quite a bit more, and that’s a concept we are more familiar with. We know what it means to be devoted, committed, loyal, all-in. Think about everything we can be devoted to:

• Career
• Family
• Money
• Country
• Significant others
• Sports
• Hobbies

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. (2 Peter 1:5-7)

By now you are hopefully beginning to see a progression to the virtues Peter lays out for us. Faith is the starting point. Then your faith should make you a better, more virtuous person. As you begin the transformation process, you should strive to learn more and more about God, the Bible, and what Jesus’ ministry was all about. In gaining more knowledge, you will probably find there are areas of your life that don’t line up with the way God calls you to live – so you need to exercise and develop more self-control to withstand the temptations that come your way.

It’s also important to note that this is the same process Peter had to go through. If you track Peter’s progression through the Gospels (especially Mark and Luke) and into the book of Acts, you will see Peter transform slowly over time. He began as a “sinful” fisherman, not knowledgeable or super holy. He had his share of missteps along the way (getting called “Satan” by Jesus, and the whole denial episode). But by the middle of Acts we see Peter taking on a whole new perspective of love and acceptance, finally becoming the man Jesus saw him to be.

If Peter’s life tells us anything it’s that there is hope for any one of us. You may find this journey difficult. Good! That means you’re on the right path.

This brings us to this week’s virtue: PERSEVERANCE or ENDURANCE (it could be translated either way).

WHAT IS ENDURANCE/PERSEVERANCE?

Google defines ENDURANCE as: the fact or power of enduring an unpleasant or difficult process or situation without giving way.

And PERSEVERANCE is defined as: steadfastness in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success.

What do those two definitions have in common? Difficulties.

We do ourselves a major disservice when we think that life is supposed to be easy. Where did we ever come up with the idea that life is fair? It’s not. We may want it to be (most of the time), but life rarely works out the way we plan or the way we want.

We have been sold the lie of the easy life. We live in a microwave, fast food, fast fashion, instant access society. We’re like little Veruca Salt from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory: “I want it now!”

Or maybe we want a life free from pain. Got an ache? There’s a pill for that. Is a relationship getting difficult? Just bail. Feeling bored? Here’s an endless stream of movies and tv shows.

It reminds me of the conversation between Buttercup and Westley (though she thinks he’s still the Dread Pirate Roberts) in The Princess Bride. At one point she shouts to him, “You mock my pain!” Westley replies, “Life is pain, highness. Anyone who says differently is selling something.”

EMBRACE THE SUCK

Endurance is all about reaching the end no matter what. When the road gets difficult, keep going. When your body is aching, keep going. When life is terrible, keep going.

Don’t tell me you can’t do it. Think about this: You have survived your worst day ever. You have already experienced the worst day of you life up to this point, and you’re still here. You made it through that, whatever that may be, so I know you can make it through whatever is yet to come. Every time you’ve made it through a difficult time you have gotten stronger because of it.

Don’t tell me you can’t do it.

Maybe you’re just needing a little extra guidance to develop more endurance so that you can persevere through the hard times. Check out this video:

They give a lot of great advice for running and training for obstacle courses. But there are some things they talk about that are applicable to so many areas of life.

• “Getting started is the hardest part.” You’ve decided you want to make a change. You come up with a plan and say that tomorrow is the day. Then tomorrow comes and….nope. Sometimes taking that first step is all you really need to get going.
• “Be patient with yourself.” You’re not going to develop endurance overnight. It takes time. It takes effort. It takes failure. Oliver Goldsmith said, “Success consists of getting up just one more time than you fall.” You’re going to make mistakes, that’s just part of it. Be patient with yourself.
• “Embrace the suck.” Training for endurance competitions is terrible. Embrace it. Getting through high school can be terrible. Embrace it. Embrace the suffering, because that means you are growing. Don’t fight it. Don’t avoid it. Embrace it.
• “Build grit.” Become a person of resilience and tenacity. Do we try to be people full of grit? Maybe when it comes to sports. But what about in our faith? our relationships? our academics?

“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”

Jesus wasn’t speaking in metaphor here. He would soon take up a literal cross and walk to his death. He is calling his followers to do the same. Discipleship is about following Jesus even if it means facing death. Discipleship is not for the weak-willed or fainthearted. Discipleship is not for the people who are always looking for the easy way out, the loopholes, the exceptions, the workarounds. You’re either all in or not at all.

Jesus never said it would be easy, but he promises that it will be worth it. Anything in life worth having is worth working for. The best things in life don’t always come easy, but that makes them that much more valuable. A life of faith is no different.

Paul knew this, too. Paul had traveled all around the Roman world planting churches and telling countless numbers about Jesus. It was hardly ever easy for him. In fact he lists out his hardships with painstaking detail in 2 Corinthians 11. He knew it wouldn’t be easy, but he knew it would be worth it. Paul was also a sports guy. Check out what he tells the Corinthian church about living a life of faith:

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. (1 Corinthians 9:24-27)

Run to win. There are rules to follow. There are difficulties to overcome. It’s going to take self-control and discipline and training. But run to win. We’re not competing for a laurel wreath crown or even a gold medal. We’re “competing” for the ultimate goal of eternal life with Christ. There’s no point in running the race if you’re not in it to win.

Paul would later write these words (some of his last words) to his younger protege Timothy:

For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing. (2 Timothy 4:6-8)

I hope you can say the same at the end of your life looking back. Paul had grit. Paul knew what it meant to endure. Paul knew it wouldn’t be easy, but it would be worth it.

James, the brother of Jesus, also had some important words to say about suffering.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (James 1:2-4)

Another way of putting it: Embrace the suck. When life is hard, know that it’s helping you develop perseverance. When your faith is tested that means you’re doing something right. I know I’ve had a good workout when I’m really sore the next day. I know that means I’m getting stronger. So when life throws trials and hardships your way, embrace the suck. Count it a joy. You can know you are becoming better for it.

Back to Paul for a moment. He makes one of the greatest statements about endurance and perseverance in 2 Corinthians 4:8-9:

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.

The walls may feel like they’re closing in on us, but we will not be crushed. We may be confused and disoriented, but we don’t have to despair and give up. People may be talking bad about us, insulting us, and making our lives miserable, but we will never be abandoned by God. We may feel like the world has knocked us down time and time again, but the world will not destroy us.

And everyone said, AMEN!

LOOKING BACK, LOOKING AHEAD

One thing that helps me when I’m feeling anxiety or despair is to look back on my life. I take note of all the times God has gotten us through whatever it was. And we know with confidence that God has not let us down yet, and God will not let us down now. He got us through that, so he will get us through this.

I can’t talk about perseverance without thinking about the book of Hebrews. In chapter 11 we read what is commonly known as the “Hall of Faith.” The last few verses of 11 and the first few verses of chapter 12 are a powerful summary of what it means to endure.

And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated—the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground.
These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. (Hebrews 11:32 – 12:3)

Fix your eyes on Jesus. He is our ultimate example of endurance. He will guide us through whatever it is we are facing in life.

Keep going. Don’t give up. Embrace the suck. Follow Christ.

I will leave you with this video from Kid President. It’s an oldie but a goodie.

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. (2 Peter 1:5-7)

So far in this series we have taken a look at faith, goodness, and knowledge. You believe in God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit. You are changing your attitudes and behaviors to be good and do good. You are growing in your knowledge of God and the Holy Scriptures.

Well done! Keep it up!

Now get ready for a real challenge: Self-Control.

Why is self-control (or willpower) so difficult?

I can think of a few reasons. One reason is that we tend to take the easy way out. We go with the path of least resistance. It’s easier to stay home than it is to go work out. It’s easier to throw a frozen pizza in the oven than cook a nutritious meal. It’s easier to sleep in on Sunday than it is to get up and go to worship. Humans are prone to take the path of least resistance. We don’t like challenges. We like things to be simple, easy, uncomplicated. This leads to complacency or even apathy, not success and health.

Another reason self-control is so difficult is that we are masters at coming up with excuses. We tend to blame others for our bad choices or reactions. We claim that someone “made us” do something or say something that we know we shouldn’t. But there is no one who has full control over you. Every choice you make comes from the inside.

The last big reason that I’ll mention (there are many more reasons!) is related to the first point. Self-control is also about habits. Humans are great at forming habits – particularly bad habits. Habits serve us well much of the time. They allow us to act without conscious decision making. There are certain behaviors that become hardwired into our brain, which frees up a lot of extra brain power to be devoted to other processes. Here’s a great video explaining the power of habits:

Why is self-control so important?

But I also believe that self-control is one of the most underrated virtues in our society these days. Even though study after study has shown the importance of self-control, willpower, and delayed gratification in achieving success, society tends to place an emphasis on “telling it like it is” and reacting rather than responding. Self-control is not fun or entertaining. But it’s important for many reasons. Let’s look at some scriptures:

Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city. (Proverbs 16:32)
Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control. (Proverbs 25:28)

Self-control goes hand in hand with wisdom and maturity. It’s about keeping your eye on the long-term success rather than instant gratification. It’s about leaning to say YES to the right things and saying NO to everything else. It’s about judging what and whom to let into your life.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)

Self-control is also a fruit of the Spirit, evidence that the Spirit of God is dwelling inside you. When you follow Christ, God gives you his Spirit to guide you and strengthen you. Paul says that the fruit of the Spirit in your life include all these virtues – including self-control. The Spirit in your life should be evident in your ability to control your emotions, your reactions, your patterns of behavior, your attitude, etc.

Does that mean it will always be easy as you follow Christ? Nope!

Just see if any of this sounds familiar:

But I need something more! For if I know the law but still can’t keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! I realize that I don’t have what it takes. I can will it, but I can’t do it. I decide to do good, but I don’t really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don’t result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time.
It happens so regularly that it’s predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God’s commands, but it’s pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge.
I’ve tried everything and nothing helps. I’m at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn’t that the real question?
The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different. (Romans 7:17-25 | The Message)

You want to do good, but you don’t. You try not to fall back into your bad habits, but you find yourself stuck in the same cycles and patterns again and again. It happens to everyone. We all know what it’s like. But thank God for what he has done through Christ Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

6 steps to building self-control

So how can we add and increase our level of self-control? After doing some research, it’s interesting how well the studies line up with principles we see in Scripture. Here are six steps you can take to increase your self-control/willpower.

Step 0: Be Brutally Honest

Ok, before we begin, we must be painfully honest with ourselves and with God. God already knows whatever it is you are struggling with. But often we are unaware of our own blindspots or bad habits. Or we claim that it’s not really that bad. Let’s take the blinders off and see ourselves, flaws and all.

What is at least one area in your life that you need more self-control over? I’m pretty sure everyone has at least one thing – lying, cheating, sneaking out, watching porn, overeating, gossiping, arguing, going to far with your boyfriend/girlfriend, phone addiction, video game addiction, anger, the list goes on. Name it. That’s the starting point for taking control over it. Until you name it, that thing actually has control over you.

Step 1: Pray About It

When Jesus was teaching his disciples to pray, he gave them what’s known as The Lord’s Prayer. The final couplet in that prayer is this:

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. (Matthew 6:13)

What is that temptation in your life? Pray about it. What evil is trying to drag you away from God? Pray about it. Let God know that you are aware of the evil and temptation around you. Realize that in following him, God will not lead you astray. God is the good shepherd (Psalm 23) and will guide you where you need to go.

Step 2: Out of Sight, Out of Mind

You may be familiar with “The Marshmallow Test.” It was an experiment to test self-control, willpower, and delayed gratification among children. The experimenters would leave a child alone in a room for several minutes with a large marshmallow on the table. If the child did not eat the marshmallow, then they would receive TWO marshmallows when the experimenter returned.

The children who had the hardest time with it were those who stared at the marshmallow the whole time. They couldn’t look away. They kept their eyes on the marshmallow and ultimately gave into temptation. The children who faired the best were those who looked away or found some way to keep themselves otherwise preoccupied.

Look at what Paul tell Timothy, a young preacher:

Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. (2 Timothy 2:2)

Many times we want to know where the line is so we can get as close to it without crossing it. But if we want to get serious about developing self-control, then we should be concerned about turning our backs on the line and going the other way. “Flee” from whatever temptation is holding you back.

Are your friends constantly dragging you down? You can find new friends. Is that ice cream just too tempting in the evenings? Stop buying ice cream to keep in the house. Do you find yourself looking at inappropriate websites at night alone in your room? Don’t use your computer behind closed doors. Are you Snapchatting at all hours of the night when you should be sleeping? Turn your phone off and put it in a drawer in the kitchen.

Take control of your surroundings. Make things easier on yourself!

Step 3: Remove AND Replace

Addiction counselors will emphasize this need. It’s not enough just to cut something bad out of your life. You have to replace it with something better, more positive, or at least not as destructive. A lot of former smokers become constant gum-chewers. Breaking a habit becomes more effective if it’s replaced with another habit.

Paul was even aware of this:

Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need. (Ephesians 4:28)
Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18)

Don’t just stop stealing – find something positive to do with your hands. Don’t just stop getting drunk – fill your life with the Holy Spirit. Remove AND replace. Stop looking at porn and start reading more books. Stop eating all that junk food and start drinking herbal tea in the evenings. Stop hanging out with those bad influences and start spending more time with your fellow Christians. Stop gossiping and start encouraging. Stop spending hours on your phone and start spending more time talking with your family.

Step 4: Plan Ahead

Temptations are going to come. That’s a fact of life. You will find yourself in situations where your self-control and willpower are put to the test. So have a plan. As the saying goes, “Failing to plan is planning to fail.”

I can’t help but think of the conversation God has with Cain in Genesis 4. Cain had become jealous and angry at his brother Able. Cain would then go on to murder Able, but it’s interesting to see what advice God gives Cain before that fateful act:

If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it. (Genesis 4:7)

Cain failed to gain control over his anger and his actions. God tried to get Cain to change his plans, but he didn’t. Temptation reared its ugly head, and Cain totally gave in to the sin.

It doesn’t have to be that way for you. Make if/then plans. For example, if they bring out alcohol at the party, then I will leave immediately. If my sibling is mean to me, then I will go to mom and dad rather than fighting back. If I’ve had a stressful day, then I will get some exercise or release in some way other than those websites.

Step 5: Accountability

This is one we may have the hardest time with. We don’t want anyone else to know what our struggles are! We don’t want to tell, because we may feel judged or looked down on. But I can guarantee you that your closest friends will understand. They may be going through the same kind of situation.

The reason Alcoholics Anonymous is so effective is that they have a group to open up with and they have an older sponsor who is able to walk them through the process of recovery. Being answerable to someone else is an important step in overcoming bad behaviors.

Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:1-2)

This is what the church is for. This is why we need each other. We can keep each other in check and on the right path. We can help each other when we mess up. That’s what love is all about.

But there are also Apps you can get to help you, too. If you’re needing help with nutrition and exercise, MyFitnessPal is a great free app to help get things under control. If you need help managing your screen time and phone usage, Moment (iOS) and Digital Detach (Android) are two good options to track and limit your screen time. If you want to get in the habit of reading your Bible and praying more, the YouVersion Bible App has tons of great resources and can send you notifications throughout your day. Whatever your struggle, there’s probably an app for that.

But don’t rely on Apps alone. You need to have other trusted friends and mentors in your life. And if things are serious enough, don’t be afraid to seek professional help. There are some problems that are two big for and app or even for your best friend. Mental health professionals are a great resource in overcoming addictions, eating disorders, or other self-destructive patterns.

Step 6: Practice

Think of your willpower as a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it grows. The less you exercise it, the more atrophied it becomes.

Practice self-control by beginning with the little things. I’m not going to have dessert after dinner. I’m only going to play one hour of video games. I’m going to spend 30 more minutes studying and 30 minutes less on my phone. Begin with small goals and work your way up.

Is temptation still going to be there? Yes. Are you still going to mess up? Yes! So have some grace with yourself. Learn from your mistakes and move forward. I love what Paul says:

No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. (1 Corinthians 10:13)

Your temptation and struggle is not unique to you. Others have been there and done that. But God is faithful (one of my favorite lines in the whole Bible). When it comes to temptation there is always a way out. Always. There is always a power button. There is always another channel to watch. There is always a ride home. There is always the possibility of saying NO. If we are praying for God to “lead us not into temptation,” then we have to keep our eyes open for the way out.

It may not be easy at first, but it will be worth it. The more you practice, the stronger your willpower can become.

This is a lot to take in. It can seem really overwhelming to start. But remember that you are not alone in your journey and your struggle. If you add self-control to your life, you will find joy and success in the long term. Which we will pick up with next week when we look at PERSEVERANCE.

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. (2 Peter 1:5-7)

As we work our way though this list of Christian virtues, we are considering how our discipleship is like an exercise program. If you want to become a better athlete, it is important to train your entire body, not just one specific muscle group. That’s why multi-sport athletes are typically more fit and more athletic than single sport athletes.

When it comes to our faith, many of us may be content to “get saved” and then “do good” occasionally. But if we stop there, then that’s like going to the gym and only ever doing bench presses. Yes, your arms, chest, and shoulders will get stronger. But you are neglecting the whole rest of your body.

You believe in God. You believe that Christ Jesus is his Son. You were baptized and received the Holy Spirit in your life. Now you are even doing good for the sake of the kingdom. That’s awesome! That’s a great starting point.

But now it’s time to involve your mind.

WHATCHYA THINKIN’ ABOUT?


Peter tells us to add to our goodness knowledge. This is where a lot of Christians check out. It’s at this point that many life-long Christians will throw in the towel and leave the hard study of Scripture to the professionals.

And I get that to some extent. If it’s not your area of expertise, it can be really challenging to know where to start. You can’t really study the Bible if you don’t know HOW to study the Bible. We’ll address that a little later.

But what drives me nuts is when people stop even trying to learn. Increasing in the knowledge of God, knowing Christ, and gaining wisdom are life-long pursuits! You faith must include your heart (emotions), your hands (actions), AND your head (knowledge). To emphasize one to the neglect of the other(s) is to be out of balance in your faith and out of sync with God.

Knowledge is defined as:

1. facts, information, and skills acquired by a person through experience or education
2. awareness or familiarity gained by experience of a fact or situation

I believe that as Christians there should be certain things we should want to know more than anything else. Paul and the prophet Jeremiah sum up this desire in the following passages:

I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:10-11)

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:16-19)

For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. (1 Corinthians 2:2)

“This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel
    after that time,” declares the Lord.
“I will put my law in their minds
    and write it on their hearts.
I will be their God,
    and they will be my people.
No longer will they teach their neighbor,
    or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’
because they will all know me,
    from the least of them to the greatest,”
declares the Lord.
“For I will forgive their wickedness
    and will remember their sins no more.” (Jeremiah 31:33-34)

 WITH ALL YOUR MIND


It really does amaze me how much emphasis Scripture places on knowledge, wisdom, understanding, and insight. There is a whole genre of writings in the Bible called “Wisdom Literature.” The ancient Rabbis placed a high importance on memorizing the Scriptures. Judaism and early Christianity were regarded as really “heady” religions.

I think Jesus is our greatest example of this. Jesus lived in the perfect center between the head, the heart, and the hands. Look at what Luke says about the young Jesus:

And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man. (Luke 2:52)

Jesus grew mentally, physically, spiritually, and socially. Think about that – if Jesus grew mentally, so should we!

And it doesn’t stop there. Once when a man asked Jesus what he considered to be the greatest command in Scripture, Jesus responded:

‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.‘ (Matthew 22:37-39)

Love God with all your mind. What does that even mean? What does that look like? Your devotion to God must include your intellect. You shouldn’t check your brain at the door when you come to worship or when you go to youth group. Faith is more than just feelings. Faith is more than just actions. Faith is more than just an intellectual belief in something. Faith is the combination of all three.

And then in one of my favorite post-resurrection encounters, the resurrected Jesus is walking alongside a couple disciples heading back home after the Passover weekend. They don’t know it’s Jesus. They still think he’s dead and sealed in a tomb. But then Jesus goes on to explain to them why it had to happen the way it did.

And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. (Luke 24:27)

Right after that, Jesus appeared to the rest of the disciples behind locked doors. They were afraid and didn’t know what to make of the events on that resurrection Sunday. He did the same with those disciples as he had done with the original two:

Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. (Luke 24:45)

WE DON’T NEED NO EDUCATION

I always found the double-negative in that statement to be quite ironic. Because we do need education. Theology used to be hailed as the “Queen of the Sciences.” Galileo, Pascal, Newton, Copernicus, and countless other ground-breaking scientists were also men and women of faith. All Truth is God’s Truth. All Wisdom is God’s Wisdom.

So how do we get knowledge, wisdom, and understanding?

First, we need to rely on God who is the source of all Truth and Knowledge and Wisdom. Worship God, honor God, and seek after God. In doing so, he will give you what you need.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,
    but fools despise wisdom and instruction. (Proverbs 1:7)

Second, we have to study what matters. The subject matter you learn in school is important. But the lessons you learn from Scripture are importanter.

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15)

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

Finally, I believe we need to teach each other. Knowledge of God is rarely found in isolation. The Bible was ALWAYS intended to be studies in community – so that you can each shed a new light on a passage, so that you can each share a bit of wisdom or understanding with the others. When we gather together as a body, we share the story of Christ among us and we reveal how God has been at work in our lives.

And honestly, what better way to learn than by song?

Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. (Colossians 3:16)

Some of the earliest recorded teachings of the church come to us in song/poetic form. Songs are the best way to teach each other and to reinforce what we have learned.

Strangely enough, a lot of what I’m trying to say is summed up really well by none other than Ashton Kutcher during his acceptance speech at the 2013 Kids Choice Awards:

SUBSCRIBE!


As we have done the last few weeks, I’m going to share with you a few ways you can use technology to help you in your search for knowledge. These are YouTube channels that I am subscribed to that help challenge me to learn and to grow. I hope you will find them as useful and encouraging as I have!

The Bible Project



Ten Minute Bible Hour



David Bowden



Jefferson Bethke



I Am Second

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. (2 Peter 1:5-7)

We saw last time that FAITH is the starting point. Without faith, none of what follows really matters. But what happens after you believe?

It’s kind of like a person walking into the gym for the first time. If you’ve never been in a weight room before it can be overwhelming – all the machines and weights and fit people who are there all the time. You may not know what to do at all or how to use the dumbbells. If you don’t have someone to help guide you through, then you could end up frustrated or even injured.

That’s a good picture of discipleship. You may have come to faith. You may have been baptized. You may be on fire and ready to go. But…what now?

Peter tells us to add to our faith goodness. Let’s start with that.

OH MY GOODNESS


So what is goodness?

The Greeks actually held goodness to be among the highest characteristic a man could achieve. In fact, the word itself could also be translated as “virtue” or “moral excellence.” Goodness was “the sum of all desirable character qualities.”

But the concept of goodness in Scripture goes all the way back to Creation. In Genesis 1 and 2 God created the heavens and the earth. After each day of creation, God saw what he had made and declared “it is good.” Upon completing his creation with mankind, God said “it is very good.” Goodness, as used in Scripture, is the idea of being as one is intended to be, or fulfilling God’s purpose for one’s existence.

God created mankind to be his Image-bearers, to rule and govern and care for the rest of creation. When we reflect God’s nature then we are “good” because God himself is by nature “Good.” In fact there is a story in the gospels about a man who comes to Jesus. He addresses Jesus as “Good Teacher.” Who hasn’t used flattery before? But Jesus turns it around on him and asks, “Why do you call me ‘good’? There is no one good but God alone.”

Goodness is an inherent character trait of God. But is goodness something we can aspire to? Yes; however, it’s going to take some work.

BE GOOD


How many times were you told that growing up? “Be good!” “Ok, mom!”

But how many times have you been told that as an adult?

Most of us are just concerned with not being bad. We don’t have time to worry about being good. Being good takes extra effort. We just want to do enough to get by. But is that what God wants for us?

Paul makes an interesting point in Romans 5 that we often skip over. He says, “Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die” (Romans 5:7). The way Paul uses these words “righteous” and “good” is really interesting. Apparently, righteous, as Paul uses it here, describes those of us who are “law abiding citizens.” We may not do anything outstanding, but we also aren’t murderers or arsonists. We may be “righteous,” but that just means we do just enough of what’s required – nothing more, nothing less. A “good” person, on the other hand, is someone who goes above and beyond. They are the kind of people who make everyone around them better. They are the kind of people who are worth maybe dying for.

DO GOOD


Goodness is closely tied to both attitude and action. As Jesus said, “You will know them by their fruits.” A good person will do good things. This is so easy to turn into just another check-list of “Dos” and “Do-Nots.” But that is not what this is about.

One of my favorite passages in the Old Testament is Micah 6:6-8. Check out verses 6 and 7:

With what shall I come before the Lord
    and bow down before the exalted God?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,
    with calves a year old?
Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams,
    with ten thousand rivers of olive oil?
Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression,
    the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

It reminds me of a guy who came to Jesus and asked, “What good thing must I do to inherit eternal life?”

We want to know what good things God wants from us. We want a check list, procedures, policies, rulebooks. We may say we don’t, but we really do. That’s why so many Christian groups have developed their own written or unwritten codes and bi-laws.

But I love the way Micah answers that question. What do I have to do to make God happy?

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
    And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
    and to walk humbly with your God.

Do you see the combination of attitudes and actions? Be good and do good. Act (do) justly (be), love (do) mercy (be), and walk (do) humbly (be) with your God. Actions reflect our attitudes, and attitudes drive us to act.

FOR GOODNESS SAKE


Let me put it in the simplest terms I know.

You FAITH should make you a better person, not more of a jerk.

I’ll be completely honest – some of the biggest jerks I’ve ever met have been some of the most “devout” Christians. There are people who almost use their faith as an excuse to treat people badly.

To quote the old school Bibles, “Men and brethren, this ought not be!” Christians should be the best tippers at the restaurant. Christians should be the most charitable. Christians should be the most concerned with eradicating poverty and disease. Christians should be the first to help anyone in need. Christians should be the ones standing with open arms to welcome the outcast in an embrace of love.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:8-10)

We are not saved because of the good things we do. But we do good things because we have been saved! Too many of us get that confused. Either we think we have to earn our way to heaven by doing enough good, or we “get saved” and then coast through life not lifting a finger to help anyone else.

GO DO GOOD

Jesus told his followers:

In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:16)

Let us not be tempted to do our good deeds in front of others simply for the sake of being seen by them. But I think it’s also helpful to be inspired by those who are shining a light in the darkness. Seeing others doing good inspires me to want to do good, too. So here are some organizations I follow on social media for a daily dose of good-doing.

Preemptive Love Coalition

Live Out Loud Charity

Hope for the Day

I Am Second

To Write Love On Her Arms

And then there are the men and women in our own congregation who do an immeasurable amount of good in the community through the Bread of Life Food Pantry, Foster Care Support Group, AA & NA Meetings, School Supplies and Coat Giveaways, and more!

I can’t help but think about this clip from one of my all-time favorite TV shows, Boy Meets World.

DISCIPLESHIP GOAL


Be Good
What character flaws or sins have you been brushing off? Address them this week. You’ve said you’re going to change “someday.” Let that “someday” be today.

Do Good
Partner with a friend or two and plan a way to serve others this week. There are TONS of ways to help out. Do some good this week.

FINDING YOUR “WHY”

Before you even begin an exercise or diet program, you have to have some motivational factor. You need to have a reason for making the change. It’s been said that a man can overcome any “what” as long as he has a “why.” Motivation. Purpose. Goals. These are the starting points.

For me, I want to get in shape so I can keep up with my sons. I have two young, healthy, active little boys. As they get older they are getting harder and harder to keep up with. When we race or play tag or wrestle, I actually have to put in some effort now! Not only that, but I also want to give them a good model for what it looks like to take care of yourself. Am I perfect at it? NO. I’ve lost track of the number of cookies I’ve eaten this week. But I’m trying to show them to importance of taking care of our physical health. Finally, I want to be around for them as long as possible. I want to live a healthy life now so I will still be there for them long into the future.

My wife. My sons. My future self. These are all motivating me to put in the effort on a consistent basis.

You have to start somewhere. You have to find your “why.”

In our spiritual life, that “why” can be summed up in one word: Faith.

FAITH: YOUR SPIRITUAL STARTING POINT

Faith is the starting point in our walk with Christ. But what is faith, exactly? The book of Hebrews gives us the classic definition:

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see…And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. (Hebrews 11:1, 6)

We can’t always see God, but we know God is there. We have confidence that God exists. We believe that if we seek after God we will be rewarded. That’s faith at its most fundamental.

But as we all know, sometimes faith is hard to come by. Just like there will be days you don’t feel like going to the gym or out for a run, so there will be days where you just don’t feel God’s presence. There will be days when you question everything or when you feel like the world is just going to pieces around you.

As Fall Out Boy put it, “Sometimes the only payoff to having any faith is when it’s tested again and again every day.”

One of the most relatable statements in the whole Bible for me is found in Mark 9. A man had a son who was possessed by a demon. The demon had tried to kill the boy multiple times, by throwing him into a fire or the lake. The father is desperate, so he brought the boy to Jesus’ disciples. They couldn’t drive the demon out. Desperation becomes despair. Finally Jesus shows up and the man begs him:

“…if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”
“‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”
Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:22-24)

I do believe. I know. In my mind I know God is there; I know Jesus will be with me. But there seems to be some disconnect between what I know in my mind and what I feel in my heart. I do believe – help me overcome my unbelief. Those statements seem to be in contradiction until you experience exactly what the father means.

There’s another instance recorded in Luke when Jesus’ disciples simply ask, “Lord, increase our faith” (Luke 17:5). These men were with Jesus every step of the way for three or more years. And they still struggled with their lack of faith.

So how can we do this? How can we overcome our unbelief? How can we increase our faith?

JUST NOT FEELIN’ IT

First, it’s all about relying on God. Realize that faith is a gift. Faith is something that doesn’t come naturally to most people. Faith is something you receive. You cannot force yourself to believe more strongly. You can only surrender and let God’s will take over for you.

For some of us this might mean disconnecting from our electronics or the busyness of life to spend quiet time with God. When we do that, God may show up in a big way. I love hearing stories of people who felt God’s presence or heard God’s voice in a tangible way. I’ve had a couple experiences like that myself.

One time was at a church camp in high school. We were spending time at night singing worship songs. I got a chance to lead a few. In that moment I felt God telling me that this was what I was meant to do with my life. From that point on I pursued God’s calling to youth ministry. But there was another instance when I was in a really dark place. I was depressed, and thoughts of suicide were creeping into my head. It was late one night as I was driving home. I thought that I could just “lose control” of the wheel and end it all. But in that moment I heard God tell me that this was not the end. God told me that he wasn’t through with me yet. That better things were coming.

I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief! Lord, increase our faith!

Some of you may have had encounters with God similar to that. But most of you won’t. And that’s ok.

That brings us to the next step: Living out your faith. In the Gospel of John, the word faith is a VERB. Faith is not just something you have, it’s something you do. And we all know the types of things we should be doing.

If I were to ask you what you need to do to get healthier, we would all say “diet and exercise.” But what if I asked what you could do to increase and strengthen your faith?

Peter reminds us at the start of his letter, “God’s divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness.” It’s all there. We have everything we need. It’s just a matter of actually using the tools and gifts we have!

FINDING FAITH ON YOUR PHONE

Obviously, my mind automatically goes to the technology of the modern world. Nearly all of us have smartphones or other mobile devices. Too often we let these things drive a wedge between us and God. We let our devices consume our time and drive our thoughts in ways we shouldn’t go.

But what if we could change that? What if we could utilize these tools to help us strengthen our faith and develop habits that would let us grow closer to God on a daily basis?

So here’s a list of some apps that you can download and use on a regular basis. They can help you develop a pattern of prayer, devotion, meditation, Bible reading, and worship in your day to day routine. You may even have some of these apps but not realize their full potential.

So here we go:

YouVersion Bible App – You may have this for the quick on-the-go passage lookup. And yeah, you can read it in TONS of translations. But you can also connect with your friend and share verses together. You can create images of verses to share on social media. You can access countless FREE Bible reading, study, and devotional plans. I have the notifications on so that I receive the Verse of the Day every morning at 7:30. It’s a great way to start the day.

Sprinkle of Jesus – This is another great resource for inspirational and motivational thoughts. You can also access sermons and devotionals, submit prayer requests, and more.

Pray As You Go – from their website: “Pray as you go is a daily prayer session, designed to go with you wherever you go, to help you pray whenever you find time, but particularly whilst travelling to and from work, study, etc. Our aim is to help you to: become more aware of God’s presence in your life, listen to and reflect on God’s word, and grow in your relationship with God”

FaithShare – This app allows you to connect with your friends and share prayer requests with each other. But it also sets up reminders and notifications calling you to certain actions – praying, studying, quiet reflection time, etc.

Adventures in Ministry – This app has a TON of built in features, from worship songs to podcasts to class materials and study guides. This is a great resource specifically geared toward training up leaders in the church and youth groups.

iDisciple – Another resource-packed app that has music, sermon videos, devotional guides, personalized growth plans, and more.

If 7:14 – from their website: “Join the growing network of God’s people today with a simple promise. By committing to pray for revival twice a day, once at 7:14 AM and once at 7:14 PM, you’ll be joining thousands worldwide already in prayer. And since the free If 7:14 app alerts you with an encouraging verse or note to spark your prayers, it’s easy to do.”

With so many resources out there it can be almost overwhelming. I’m not saying you have to go and download all these apps right now. But pick one or two. Get familiar with them. Find out all their functions, and find what works for you. If you are intentional about it, you can take back control over your phone. It doesn’t have to drag you down or away from God. Your phone can be a tool for spiritual growth and development.

May we echo the requests of the desperate father and the clueless apostles: I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief. Lord, increase our faith.

I played football in junior high and high school. I quit after my junior season because of an ankle injury and poor coaching. I do miss it sometimes. But one big takeaway from my time playing football was an understanding of weight lifting.

I no longer play sports regularly (I’m always up for a pickup game of Ultimate Frisbee), but I still believe in the importance and value of weight training and other physical exercise.

We all know, deep down, what we need to do to get in good physical shape. Everybody now: Eat right and exercise! We all know it. But how many of us do either one well on a consistent basis? Yeah, me neither. That’s why routines and habits are so important (at least to most of us).

The fitness industry is a multi-billion dollar per year industry. There’s always a new diet fad or workout regiment guaranteeing results – EASY, FAST, CHEAP results. But the results “may vary” and definitely won’t last. Unless it becomes a lifestyle.

I see a lot of connections between physical fitness and spiritual fitness. We’re always looking for a shortcut to getting “in shape.” But in the end we are left feeling worse about ourselves than before. We want someone else to do the hard work while we simply coast through. We go to the gym a couple times, eat an occasional salad, and we think we’re gonna get fit. OR we go to church a couple times, pray when we remember, follow a couple Christian Instagram accounts and think we’re good in our relationship with God.

Many of us spend time and resources to help keep our bodies physically healthy. But how often do we invest in our spiritual health?

For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. (1 Timothy 4:8)

We may be walking through life feeling spiritually malnourished and weak. But it doesn’t have to be that way! With some intentional training we can become more effective and productive in our faith, and the results will last into eternity.

EVERYTHING WE NEED

Check it out:

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. (2 Peter 1:3-4)

Peter begins his second letter by reminding us of everything we already have. If you are a follower of Christ then you already have everything you need to live a godly life. You have all the tools to succeed in your faith. And we’re not just talking about the Bible. We’re talking about God’s Spirit which lives in you. We’re talking about the fellowship of believers and the hope of eternal life. We’re talking about participating in the very divine nature of God.

It’s like walking into a state-of-the-art athletic training facility with your own personal trainer and nutrition expert. God wants you to succeed.

THE CORE VIRTUES

Every good weight training program will most likely focus on six or seven key lifts, including bench press, military press, bicep curls, barbell rows, power clean, squat, and deadlift. If you master the techniques and increase your weight load on each of these lifts, then you will have an overall stronger body. There are a lot of auxiliary lifts, but these core lifts are a good standard of physical fitness.

But what about in our spiritual life? Peter lays out some core virtues on which our walk with Christ should center:

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins. (2 Peter 1:5-9)

Just like any good weight program will focus on certain core lifts, so the life of a Christ-follower should focus on these certain core virtues: faith, goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, mutual affection, and love.

And notice that while these all build off each other, we are to develop each one “in increasing measure.” We wouldn’t want to focus on bench press and bicep curls to the neglect of squats. We should work to develop all our major muscle groups simultaneously. So it is with the virtues. We shouldn’t develop knowledge and self-control to the neglect of goodness or love.

So what if we could develop a Discipleship Training Program that works to develop all of our “spiritual muscle groups” together, to get stronger, to become more and more like the men and women Christ calls us to be? What if we actually put in the time and effort to grow in our relationship with God like we do to grow our arm circumference?

DISCIPLESHIP TRAINING

Over the next few weeks we are going to learn ways to train for an effective and productive spiritual life. We are going to look at how to live out and strengthen each of these virtues just as we would with the core lifts.

And it all begins with FAITH.