Steps of Christian Growth - US.pdf - Bible Baptist Church of Blarney

Solid Steps of Christian Growth – 2 Peter 1
The Dangers of Stagnation, and How to Avoid It
4. You will lose big-time (2Peter 1:9-11):
a. Lose your sight – no spiritual awareness
b. Lose your memory – forgetting spiritual victories
c. Lose your progress – constantly fall back
d. Lose your heavenly rewards
F. God’s Promises.
1. God has given us Four Things
a. “Divine power” (1:3)
b. “Great and precious promises” (1:4)
c. Seven spiritual ingredients to add to our lives
d. A perfect “calling and election” (1:10)
2. With such help
a. You can’t but bear fruit (1:8) – it will come!
b. You are promised to never fall (1:10)
c. You will be rewarded in heaven (1:11)
G. A Christian’s Fruit.
III. Conclusion
1. Pleasure to God – by faith, walk the walk
2. Changed life – new creature (2Cor 5:17)
3. Godly life – more like Jesus
4. A Christian family – saved and with one heart because of your changed life!
5. Another “life” – soul-winning – spiritual children
6. Our World turned “upside down”
A. God calls it becoming “barren”, “unfruitful” when we are not what we could be – that’s when a Christian is
useless to God and ends up with nothing spiritual accumulated in his/her life
1. The apostle Paul feared very few things, but one of them was becoming useless to God (1Cor 9:27)
2. Christians are called to “follow Christ” - not retire, or go on holiday, or drag your feet – that is when the
devil starts his attack (like when a lion stalks a herd, he focuses on the ones that are not with the herd, or
are weak, or are independent, etc)!
3. This is a day when the Christian life then must be lived with diligence.
4. Young people may not know what the word 'diligence' means. It means to NOT “go with the flow!”
a. Many people simply float along with the stream. It is so easy to do because, if that is the way the
current is going, then all they need to do is bob along with everything else that is floating down the
stream. No hassles, right?
b. Some churches and some Christians, for a long time have been going that way: bobbing along with
the “river of life.” The tide or the stream is taking them out, and they are headed for disaster.
c. In order to go against the stream and against the tide, Christians will have to work very hard to keep
their souls and minds in a right frame and attitude, if they are going to hold their ground and even
make progress against the stream and against the tide of this modern world. These are the people who
will gain the true blessing of God in the end.
5. Peter saw this scenario in his day. You and I, unless we are blind, must also see it today. The choice is
between drifting with the stream, and the current, and with the tide on the one hand or going against it, in
order to maintain high Biblical values, and in order to hear a hearty “well done” from our Lord in the end!
6. The fruit of the Christian includes:
a. The winning of a soul to Christ
b. The defeat of a sin and of Satan’s plans
7. Oh the blessing and joy of being not just a Christian, but a fruitful Christian! Wouldn’t someone here
today like to have that fruit be a result of their walk with Christ? I would!
B. Remember - God Calls us to be patient Builders – fruit is not something that happens overnight!
1. Our “calling and election” is God’s perfect will and plan for your life – make it sure and steadfast so you
don’t fall out!
2. What is God’s calling for Christians? What is His calling for YOU?
© 2006 Craig Ledbetter, BBC Ireland Page 44 www.biblebc.com