BIBLE STUDY BY REVD DR ADEOLU OLUSODO

TOPIC: ADDITIONS TO FAITH

Text: 2 Peter 1 : 1 – 11
1
From: Simon Peter, a servant and missionary of Jesus Christ. To: All of
you who have our kind of faith. The faith I speak of is the kind that Jesus
Christ our God and Savior gives to us. How precious it is, and how just and
good he is to give this same faith to each of us.
2
Do you want more and more of God's kindness and peace? Then learn to
know him better and better.
3
For as you know him better, he will give you, through his great power,
everything you need for living a truly good life: he even shares his own
glory and his own goodness with us!
4
And by that same mighty power he has given us all the other rich and
wonderful blessings he promised; for instance, the promise to save us
from the lust and rottenness all around us, and to give us his own
character.
5
But to obtain these gifts, you need more than faith; you must also work
hard to be good, and even that is not enough. For then you must learn
to know God better and discover what he wants you to do.
6
Next, learn to put aside your own desires so that you will become
patient and godly, gladly letting God have his way with you.
7
This will make possible the next step, which is for you to enjoy other
people and to like them, and finally you will grow to love them
deeply.
8
The more you go on in this way, the more you will grow strong spiritually
and become fruitful and useful to our Lord Jesus Christ.
9
But anyone who fails to go after these additions to faith is blind indeed,
or at least very shortsighted and has forgotten that God delivered him
from the old life of sin so that now he can live a strong, good life for the
Lord.
10
So, dear brothers, work hard to prove that you really are among those
God has called and chosen, and then you will never stumble or fall away.
11
And God will open wide the gates of heaven for you to enter into the
eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. – The Living Bible

The necessity of faith in Salvation has been stressed in the previous

studies on Eternal life and Regeneration. However, to live our Christian life
and make our calling/election sure, there are seven (7) things that we
must add to our faith.
However, we must be clear about faith and what we have faith in.
What is faith? (Heb. 11:1)
What is our hope as children of GOD?
 What are the three things that should happen to us from 8 Peter 2:
8, 10 – 11

Now, let us consider these seven things;

1. Virtue: This is also called goodness, excellence and praise-
worthiness. Phil. 4:8
2. Knowledge of GOD especially to know what he wants us to do. Eph.
1: 15 – 23
3. Self – control: Part of the fruit of the Holy Spirit. The ability to put
aside our own (fleshy) desires.
4. Patience or long-suffering or endurance. Ps 37:7, Romans 5: 3 – 4
5. Godliness or holiness. This is a great attribute of GOD which all who
desire to be in heaven must have. For us to be godly we must allow
GOD to have HIS way with us. Rom 12: 1 – 2, 1 Timothy 6:6
6. Brotherly affection: this is also explained to being fond of the
brethren. The TLB says we should enjoy other people and to like
them. Rom 12:10, Heb. 13:1, 1 John 3: 14 – 16
7. Love: The starting point of the fruit of the spirit. Everything that is
done outside of love is useless. John 13: 34 – 35, 1 Cor 13: 1 – 8, Col
3:14,