Msg #1918 Building and Growing

Msg #1918 Building and Growing

What The Bible Says

Good Samaritan's Penny Pulpit by Pastor Ed Rice

“Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature,... And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge” (2Pet1:4-5). So many “Christians” add nothing to their faith that sometimes the growing believer wonders if they even got the faith. Others add all seven of Peter's building blocks so fast that a believer asks, “Why haven't I grown that fast?” Building the edifice capped with charity takes time and deserves our diligence. Like laying up a brick wall, three base bricks of faith can support two bricks of virtue, that supports one brick of knowledge. Sketch the picture. Eager to see growth, people often try to cram in lots of brick toward the top but more faith, topped with more virtue is necessary to support another brick of knowledge.

This is a good model for what Peter is explaining. Top heavy walls topple over because of insufficient foundation, and wall-building grinds to a halt when new blocks of faith and virtue are not added. Adding more than three layers at a time squishes mortar out of the unset lower layers. These first three layers, Faith, Virtue, and Knowledge, all come from the Word; “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.... Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.... The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. (Rom10:17, Psalm119:9, Prov1:7).

A man, destined for great things, read the whole Bible in the three weeks after his salvation; one destined for mediocrity, had not read it through to this day. Add to your faith; add to your virtue;... build diligently.

An Essay for week #18 May 5, 2019

Msg in audio at www.GSBaptistChurch.com/audio/gs190501.mp3

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A weekly 300 word essay- The Penny Pulpit
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