Growing in Godliness: Making Every Effort in Christ

Peter’s call in 2 Peter begins with the journey of faith: behold God, believe in him, belong to him, become like Christ, and then behave in ways that show that belonging. God opens the eyes of the heart through the Holy Spirit, so faith is never just human effort. Belonging to God also means belonging to his people. Christian growth cannot be reduced to staying home, watching YouTube, and trying to figure it out alone. God gives Scripture, the Spirit, and spiritual siblings for mutual support, accountability, and real growth.

God has given believers everything needed to live a godly life. Peter does not leave room for waiting around for a spiritual upgrade or some special moment before obedience begins. The Holy Spirit gives guidance, gifts, and fruit, while Scripture teaches, rebukes, corrects, and trains in righteousness. Christian growth still requires making every effort. Faith must be added to with virtue, knowledge, self-control, godliness, brotherly and sisterly affection, and love.

Brotherly affection means more than being nice at church. The family of God is committed for eternity, so care includes showing up, making needs known, confronting when necessary, and seeking reconciliation. The caring tree means nothing if care stays written down and never turns into action. Care, prayer, mission, and love should not need a special month, even though reminders are needed.

Peter’s vision of godliness does not rest on earning salvation. Believers already belong to God, yet they should not be content with where they are. Christian growth is not always a straight line. It can feel like three steps forward and two steps back, but the trajectory should be upward over time. Prayer, self-denial, purity, stewardship of time and money, love for God, and love for others all become honest places to ask, “Am I growing?”

The day of the Lord brings both hope and judgment. Christ’s return means no more suffering, pain, or struggle for those who belong to him. God’s first question is not merely what someone has done, but whether that person belongs to him. Communion brings that truth back to the cross. Jesus made every effort, completed redemption, and gave his body and blood for the forgiveness of sins. Believers cannot add even one percent to his finished work, but through Christ they can grow into the people they have been called to be.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. God gives everything for godliness [35:14] God does not call believers into a life for which he has withheld the resources. The Spirit, Scripture, and Christian community are not optional extras but God’s provision for becoming like Christ. Christian obedience begins by receiving what God has already given, not by trying to manufacture spiritual strength. [35:14]
• 2. Becoming comes before behaving [34:16] Christian behavior matters deeply, but it grows from belonging to God. External conformity without inner renewal can become performance, fear, or image management. The gospel changes the root first, and then the fruit begins to show. [34:16]
• 3. Care must become real action [41:54] Brotherly and sisterly affection is more than warm feelings or good ideas on a caring tree. Love becomes visible when needs are known, burdens are carried, difficult conversations happen, and reconciliation is pursued. The family of God is called to care because it already belongs to one another in Christ. [41:54]
• 4. Growth requires honest self-examination [43:36] Christian growth should be tested in ordinary places: prayer, purity, self-denial, money, time, and love. The path may not look like a straight line, since failures and setbacks are real. The deeper question is whether the life’s trajectory is moving toward Christ. [43:36]
• 5. The cross makes growth possible [01:12:17] Communion brings every effort back to Christ’s finished work. Jesus made every effort and completed redemption, so no believer can add to his sacrifice. Growth is therefore neither earning salvation nor giving up in failure, but returning again and again to the One who redeems and renews.
  
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Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [33:10] - The Journey of Faith
• [34:16] - Becoming Before Behaving
• [35:14] - Everything Needed for Godliness
• [37:14] - Adding to Faith
• [38:32] - Never Content With Godliness
• [39:45] - The Day of the Lord
• [41:27] - Caring as God’s Family
• [43:36] - Questions for Spiritual Growth
• [45:22] - Reflection and Small Groups
• [1:11:39] - Every Effort and the Cross
• [1:13:12] - Invitation to Communion
• [1:17:34] - The Bread of Communion
• [1:20:18] - The Cup of the New Covenant
• [1:27:24] - Grow in Grace and Knowledge

Bible Reading

2 Peter 1:3–8
“His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” [35:14]

2 Peter 3:11–12
“Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn!” [41:30]

2 Peter 3:18
“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.” [01:27:24]

Observation questions

1. According to 2 Peter 1:3–8, what has God already given believers, and what qualities are they called to add to their faith?
2. What three main gifts for Christian growth are identified: the Holy Spirit, Scripture, and spiritual brothers and sisters? What does each one provide? [36:17]
3. In Peter’s list, what comes after godliness, and what comes after brotherly and sisterly affection? Why might that order matter? [37:48]
4. What ordinary areas of life are named as places where someone can honestly examine whether they are growing? [43:50]

Interpretation questions

1. If God has given believers everything needed for life and godliness, what does it mean to “make every effort” without treating growth as a way to earn salvation? [01:12:03]
2. Peter says that increasing virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, and love keeps believers from being ineffective or unfruitful. What might an “ineffective or unfruitful” Christian life look like in everyday relationships and choices?
3. Why does belonging to God also mean belonging to God’s people? What may be missing when a person tries to follow Christ mainly alone and avoids meaningful Christian community? [36:40]
4. Peter connects the coming day of God with lives of holiness and godliness. How does the hope of Christ’s return give both comfort in suffering and seriousness about the way believers live now? [40:28]

Application questions

1. Which part of Peter’s list most clearly shows an area where growth is needed right now—virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, or love? What is one specific situation this week where that growth could be practiced?
2. Growth begins with belonging to Christ, not with trying to look spiritual on the outside. Is there an area where outward behavior has become more about appearance, fear, or pleasing people than loving God? What would it look like to bring that area honestly to Christ? [34:46]
3. Scripture, the Spirit, and Christian community are God’s provision for growth. Which of these has been neglected lately, and what simple step could help reconnect with that gift this week? [36:34]
4. Brotherly and sisterly affection includes more than friendly conversation; it includes making needs known, carrying burdens, confronting wisely, and seeking reconciliation. Is there a need that should be shared with others, or a relationship where a gentle conversation or step toward reconciliation is needed? [38:18]
5. Care becomes real when it moves from good intentions to action. Who in the church, workplace, neighborhood, or family could be cared for in a practical way this week—through prayer, a message, a meal, a visit, help with a task, or simply listening? [41:54]
6. Christian growth is often not a straight line; there can be steps forward and setbacks. Looking over the past few months, where is there evidence of an upward direction toward Christ, even if the progress feels slow? [44:21]
7. The cross reminds believers that Jesus has completed redemption and that no one can add to his finished work. When failure or discouragement makes growth feel impossible, how can returning to Christ’s grace help someone repent, receive forgiveness, and take the next faithful step? [01:12:19]