4 Building Blocks of Developing Christlikeness

2 Pet 1:1-11

Faith is the foundation. You can’t build if you don’t have a foundation. 1 Cor 3:10-11 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

In 2 Pet 1:5-7, we are about to build a 7 story spiritual structure.

Building Block #1—Addition (vs 5-7)
Virtue—Moral Excellence
Knowledge—Spiritual Understanding
Temperance—Self Control, discipline
Tongues
Tempers
Temptations
Tastes
Patience--Endurance, perseverance
Godliness—Every action yielded to the Lord
Brotherly Kindness—(Philadelphia)
Charity—(agape)
What does the number 7 represent in scripture? Perfection or completeness.

These things are not just niceties, they are must haves and we are disobedient to not pursue these godly characteristics in our lives. Rom 8:29--For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Now, don’t pat yourself on the back if you have 3 or even 4 of these operating in your life. We are to have all seven of them!

Building Block#2-Anticipation (v8)
Fruitfulness (John 15:5, 8, 16)—Illus: Prayer each day that the Lord would give us fruit from our labors. We should have an expectation that Christ will bear fruit through us.

Building Block#3-Avoidance (v9)
Forgetfulness—Have you ever forgotten that you were purged from your sins and have a new nature. 2 Cor 5:17--Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Building Block#4-Assessment (vs10-11)
Making Your calling and election sure— 2 Cor 13:5--Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Peter wants us to enjoy the certainty of our salvation, and be so firmly established in our faith, that we cannot be shaken or taken by false doctrine. How many professing Christians are not possessing Christians? They haven’t assessed their calling and election. We need to be sure of whatever ministry we are embarking upon, and that it is God led.

Note: These things only happen through due diligence (10a). Most Christians are operating in default mode.