SEVEN INGREDIENTS OF A FAITH-FILLED WALK
“Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall.” (1 Peter 1:4-10)
· FAITH – the foundation of my walk with God is faith. “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.”
1. VIRTUE – my intention to do right things.
2. KNOWLEDGE – facts and information; “my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge” What you don’t know will hurt you.
3. TEMPERANCE – self control, self-mastery. Temptation is the presentation of evil. I don’t know if my faith is working unless I can see what I am able to resist. My faith will be tried. “Resist the devil, he will flee from you.”
4. PATIENCE – the ability to wait peacefully. Trusting in God to fulfill His Word in your life, and not wavering because of how much time is passing.
5. GODLINESS – awareness of Christ in you, the hope of glory. The visible expression of the character of Jesus in you.
6. BROTHERLY KINDNESS – doing right to others, not just doing right. “Be rightly affectioned one to another.” Caring, compassion, ministering.
7. LOVE (Charity) – Nature of God 1 Corinthians 13. Without it you are nothing.
· “He that lacks these things is blind, can’t see very far, and has forgotten that he was purged of sin.”
· “If you do these things you will not fall; these things help you make your calling and election sure.”
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