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GodlinessGod Company Sri Lanka

http://www.slideshare.net/Thornmd/presentationsEmail: godcompanysl@yahoo.com

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In order to understand Godliness we need to look at an important teaching by Peter the Apostle…

2 Peter 1

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5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, GODLINESSGODLINESS; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, LOVELOVE.

   

2 Peter 1:2 Peter 1:

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In this passage Peter is telling us…In this passage Peter is telling us…

• That once we come to Christ in Faith we have to make every effort to add Goodness to our lives.

• With Goodness comes a string of other possibilities as advised by Peter so that ultimately we reach the highest plateau and then we will be able to properly exercise LOVE - LOVE - as meant by Jesus.

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2 Peter 12 Peter 1

5For this very reason, make every effort to add to your Faith GOODNESS; GOODNESS; and to goodness, KNOWLEDGE;6 and to knowledge, SELF-CONTROL; and to self-control, PERSEVERANCE; and to perseverance, GODLINESS; 7 and to godliness, BROTHERLY KINDNESS; BROTHERLY KINDNESS;

and to brotherly kindness, LOVE.   

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FAITHFAITH

PERSEVERANCEPERSEVERANCE SELF CONTROLSELF CONTROLGODLINESSGODLINESS

BROTHERLYBROTHERLYKINDNESSKINDNESS LOVELOVE

GOODNESSGOODNESS KNOWLEDGEKNOWLEDGE

Peter is explaining the higher calling associated with what Peter is explaining the higher calling associated with what Jesus meant by the word LOVEJesus meant by the word LOVE

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88

For if you possess these qualities in increasing For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Peter 1 cont…

your nameWe begin our journey as a new person ( born again if you may) due to our We begin our journey as a new person ( born again if you may) due to our

FAITH IN JESUS we learn to add GOODNESS to our lives…FAITH IN JESUS we learn to add GOODNESS to our lives…

We need to acquire more KNOWLEDGE of Jesus, begin to practice and We need to acquire more KNOWLEDGE of Jesus, begin to practice and live by His teachings – (which will help bring about SELF CONTROL)live by His teachings – (which will help bring about SELF CONTROL)

By acquiring SELF CONTROL to our lives we are able to By acquiring SELF CONTROL to our lives we are able to enhance our PERSEVERANCE (our resolve and determination) enhance our PERSEVERANCE (our resolve and determination)

to build our lives in keeping with the teachings of Jesusto build our lives in keeping with the teachings of Jesus

The knowledge and the experience that we acquire The knowledge and the experience that we acquire living as Christians will enable us to exercise SELF living as Christians will enable us to exercise SELF

CONTROL to diligently practice and live as decreed by CONTROL to diligently practice and live as decreed by Jesus to ensure an increasingly closer walk with Jesus Jesus to ensure an increasingly closer walk with Jesus

and usher GODLINESS TO OUR LIVESand usher GODLINESS TO OUR LIVES

With Godliness in our lives we will truly With Godliness in our lives we will truly understand the meaning of BROTHERLY understand the meaning of BROTHERLY

KINDNESS to fellow manKINDNESS to fellow man

LOVELOVE

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88…….they will keep you from being ineffective and .they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.Christ.

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99

But whoever does not have them is nearsighted But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins. cleansed from their past sins.

2 Peter 1 cont…

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Peter says that if we do not have Peter says that if we do not have these key traits as a Christian, these key traits as a Christian, then that person is nearsighted then that person is nearsighted and blind to the gift of Jesus and blind to the gift of Jesus

……the Redemption from our Sins the Redemption from our Sins and opportunity to begin a new and opportunity to begin a new life altogether filled with life altogether filled with Godliness…Godliness…

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It is referred to as Having great reverence for God; Pious. Divine.Spiritually MatureSteadfastly conforming to the laws and wishes of God

Godliness?

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Just because you give yourself to Christ, Godliness Just because you give yourself to Christ, Godliness CANNOT BE ACHIEVED IN A DAY. It is a continuous CANNOT BE ACHIEVED IN A DAY. It is a continuous process of incremental changes guided by the word of process of incremental changes guided by the word of God.God.

Starting from the day you give your self to Jesus you Starting from the day you give your self to Jesus you need to work at achieving the level of Godliness required need to work at achieving the level of Godliness required of us by Jesus by reading, meditating, practicing the His of us by Jesus by reading, meditating, practicing the His teachings… to be a light on to the world…so that our teachings… to be a light on to the world…so that our Godliness and example will draw others to Christ.Godliness and example will draw others to Christ.

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Without achieving this level Without achieving this level of PERSEVERANCE in of PERSEVERANCE in Christian consciousness for Christian consciousness for GODLINESS, we can never GODLINESS, we can never fulfill Jesus’ requirement for fulfill Jesus’ requirement for LOVELOVEwhich is the Highest which is the Highest calling…Love through calling…Love through GodlinessGodliness

In the world today many may claim

BROTHERLY LOVE in many different ways…but many

Christians fall way short of the

requirement that Jesus stated.

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Matthew 22 Matthew 22 3636 “Teacher, which is the greatest “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”  commandment in the Law?”  3737 Jesus replied: Jesus replied:

“‘“‘LOVE the Lord your God with all your heart LOVE the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your and with all your soul and with all your mind.’mind.’3838 This is the first and greatest This is the first and greatest commandment. commandment.

3939 And the second is like it: ‘LOVE your And the second is like it: ‘LOVE your neighbor as yourself.’ neighbor as yourself.’

4040 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” two commandments.”

Love through GodlinessLove through Godliness

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Therefore when you Therefore when you experience the meaning of experience the meaning of

Love as a Christian, the you Love as a Christian, the you will be able to to diligently will be able to to diligently

fulfill the two commandments fulfill the two commandments given by Jesus given by Jesus

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We see the importance of love in the two We see the importance of love in the two commandments given by Jesuscommandments given by Jesus

• LoveLove your God with all your heart soul and mind...

• LoveLove your Neighbour as your self...

Sounds easy…?

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““LOVE YOUR GOD with all your LOVE YOUR GOD with all your Heart… Soul and Mind…”Heart… Soul and Mind…”

Jesus requires our entire being Jesus requires our entire being to Love God as an absolute priority…to Love God as an absolute priority…everything else comes secondary…everything else comes secondary…

Yes it is a tough call…Yes it is a tough call…But that’s the standard set by JesusBut that’s the standard set by Jesus

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““Love your neighbor AS Love your neighbor AS YOURSELF…?!! YOURSELF…?!!……as myself…?!!! as myself…?!!!

Again it is a tough call…Again it is a tough call…But that’s the standard But that’s the standard

set by Jesusset by Jesus

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If we can love others as much as ourselves…

CANCAN THERE BE ANGER…JELOUSY, THERE BE ANGER…JELOUSY, VENGENCE, MALICE…STRIFE…VENGENCE, MALICE…STRIFE…

SUFFERING…SUFFERING…MURDER…WAR…?MURDER…WAR…?

Therefore we understand that LOVE Therefore we understand that LOVE is of Critical importance to being a is of Critical importance to being a

good Christiangood Christian

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1 Corinthians 131 Corinthians 13  11 If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have but do not have LOVELOVE, I am only a resounding , I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. gong or a clanging cymbal. 22 If I have the gift of If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have mountains, but do not have LOVELOVE, I am , I am nothing. nothing. 33 If I give all I possess to the poor and If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have but do not have LOVELOVE, I gain nothing. , I gain nothing.

LOVE and the ChristianLOVE and the Christian

We can see how Paul describes the importance of LOVE

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We see what Jesus promises those who abide by His commandments…

John 14:21John 14:21Whoever has my commands and keeps Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who them is the one who loveloves me. The one s me. The one who who loveloves me will be s me will be loveloved by my d by my Father, and I too will Father, and I too will lovelove them and them and show myself to them.”show myself to them.”

In conclusion

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Thank you

God Company Sri LankaEmail: godcompanysl@yahoo.comWebsite: http://www.slideshare.net/Thornmd/presentations