Syllabus                                 PDN-3                           

Partaking of the Divine Nature

Lesson 3 – Virtue

 II Peter 1:2-5

“Grace and peace be multiplied to unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,

According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue;

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.”

Theme:  To aid each of us in our effort to be Christ-like.

Introduction:

A.                 Christianity is a process of continual growth – II Peter 3:18 – “But _________ in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.  To him be glory both now and for ever.”  

1.     It (Christianity) takes a spiritual birth.  Read John 3:1-10 then compare to other places you find in the Scripture of spiritual birth and list them here:  

2.     Growth needs desire to learn.  I Peter 2:2 – “As newborn babes, _______ the ________ milk of the ______, that ye may _______ thereby.”  

How can we grow in the word?  

B.                 Grace and faith needed.

Ephesians 2:8 – What saves us?

 II Peter 1:5 – What do we add to our faith?

 Romans 6:1-2 – What must we not continue in?

I.                   “Add to your faith virtue” – II Peter 1:5

Using Strongs, Bible Gateway, or something similar

Find how many times these words are used in the Bible listing their uses here:

Virtue

 Virtuous

 Virtuously

II.                 Christian Virtue comes from God – Mark 10:17-18 – 17)”And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?  18)And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good?  There is non good but _____, that is, _____.”  

Matthew 19:17 – “And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, ______; but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.”

 III.               Virtue In Doing God’s Will

A.            Psalms 15:1-3 – From these verses who do we find will abide in the Lord’s tabernacle?

B.            Galatians 2:13 -14 – What was not being done in this instance?

C.           Philippians 3:8-9 – What should we count all things?

D.           Galatians 6:10 & Acts 10:38 – What was being done or told us to do in these verses?

E.            Philippians 1:6 – We are to do good until when?

Conclusion:

We can conclude from this study of virtue that we must perform certain things in order to be able to add virtue to our faith and in so doing we can then be a child of God. 

Matthew 7:12 teaches us to do what?

May God lift us up and help us all to be virtuous throughout our lives.

  Beverly Rainwater

RainwaterB3@aol.com