Audio Sermons

Reflecting Christ, Redeeming the Time 
Cultivating Faith, Virtue and Knowledge
Life B-P Church Worship Service, 16th August 2026
Text: 2 Peter 1:5

• Spiritual transformation is an ongoing process of growing out of the old sinful nature and into the new divine nature.
• In 2 Peter 1:5-7, we are commanded to diligently add to our faith virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly love and charity.

1.  Cultivating Faith

• Faith is not merely a mental acceptance of certain truths (cf. James 2:19). Rather, it is fully committing to and confidently resting upon God and His sovereign promises (cf. 2 Timothy 1:12).
• The ‘shield of faith’ (Ephesians 6:16) is our primary line of defence in daily spiritual warfare, enabling us to escape the corruption that is in the world through lust (v.4).
• But our sinful tendency is to respond to trials with doubt, fear, and unbelief (cf. Luke 18:8; 12:28; Matthew 8:26). Whenever we lack faith, we need to look to God for it (cf. Mark 9:24; v.1).
• Faith is part of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22) cultivated in us by regular meditation on God’s Holy Word (cf. Romans 10:17).

2.   Cultivating Virtue

• ‘Virtue’ is translated from arete, originally meaning excellence in a specific field. Greek philosophers redefined it as moral excellence in thought, feeling, and action.
• Moral excellence stands in stark opposition to the false teachers’ ‘pernicious ways’ (apoleia in 2:2, meaning ‘moral depravity’ which is the very opposite of arete). They exploited believers for financial gain (2:3).
• God Himself is characterized by moral excellence, and we are to show forth the ‘praises’ (arete) of Him who called us (1 Peter 2:9). We must shine as lights in the midst of a crooked, perverse nation (Philippians 2:15-16).
• We learn the principles of moral excellence directly from God’s Word, particularly as found in His Moral Law (Exodus 20:3-17).

3.   Cultivating Knowledge

• Virtue cannot be separated from the knowledge of God’s character. His perfect character is the definition of moral excellence.
• Jesus Christ is God’s ultimate and full revelation of His character. (Cf. 2 Peter 1:8, 2:20, 3:18). Therefore, the knowledge of Christ is what we need for our spiritual growth.
• Secular studies are a weariness of the flesh (Ecclesiastes 1:18; 12:12) and become obsolete as scientific and societal standards change. Conversely, the knowledge of Christ is eternal and never loses its usefulness (cf. Colossians 2:3; Philippians 3:8; Hebrews 13:8).
• The Bible is our only trustworthy source of this knowledge—more reliable than any vision or subjective voice, as Peter writes of the ‘more sure word of prophecy’ (2 Peter 1:16-19). We must study it well to avoid errors and modern distortions.

4.   The Diligence Required

• Cultivating faith, virtue and knowledge demands our level best (‘giving all diligence’). If we give our best to prepare for exams, we ought to be giving our best to prepare for eternity.
• We must make time to dig deep, and expect God’s Word to teach, correct, and equip us.
• By constantly meditating on the truths of Scripture (Joshua 1:8), the Holy Spirit enables us to put them into practice. This builds healthy attitudes and spiritual habits that conform our character to Christ.

Questions for Personal Reflection:

1. How do you respond when unexpected things happen in your life?
2. Are you actively striving to live according to God’s principles of moral excellence, or do you gradually find yourself conformed to the world?
3. What changes can you make to make time to dig deep into God’s Word?