Syllabus for Partaking of the Divine Nature                                                       PDN-5

Partaking of the Divine Nature

Lesson 5 – Temperance  

II Peter 1:2-6

Theme:  To encourage Christians to be more like God.

INTRODUCTION:

A.                Partaking of the divine nature requires effort – II Peter 1:5,6

5)”And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your ______ ______; and to virtue _________;  6)And to knowledge _______; and to temperance _________; and to patience ____________.”

We see here that it is important to add to our growth and to add the correct characteristics to our growth.  All that is good in man comes from God so we need to pattern ourselves after Him.

 I.                    A Look at Temperance

A.                “Egkrateiah” - temperance

1.                Strong’s – self-control; temperance

2.                Lexicon – self-control; continence (moderate or celibate: restrained, especially abstaining from sexual activity (formal) Encarta ® World English Dictionary © & (P) 1998-2005 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.); temperance

3.                Used only three places in the New Testament

Using Bible Gateway or Strongs find those three places that temperance is used in the New Testament and list them here:  1.

                     2.

                     3.

            B.         “Egkrateuomai” – temperate – used once in the New Testament

1.         Strong’s – to exercise self-restraint, (i.e. in diet, concord and      chastity); to contain; to be temperate

2.         Lexicon – to possess the power of self-control or continence; to be temperate

3.         I Corinthians 9:23 -27 – read and explain how the word temperate is used here.

 

B.                 “Egkrates” this form used twice in New Testament meaning:

1.                Strong’s – self-controlled; be strong in a thing

2.                Lexicon – strong; stout; possessed of self mastery;

3.                Titus 1:6-8 – what is being described here in the usage of this word?

Titus 2:2 – how is the word used here?

 II.                 Admonitions/Exhortations Regarding Self-Mastery

A.                Christians are to live in moderation:  Philippians 4:5 – “Let your ___________ be known to all men.  The Lord is at hand.”

B.                 Christians are not to be self-willed:  Titus 1:7 – “For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not _____ _______, not soon _______, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre.”

C.                 II Peter 2:9-11 – What do these verses tell us about self-mastery?

D.                Christians are to think of others – read the verses listed below and explain what each is teaching about thinking of others:

1.                Philippians 2:3

2.                I Thessalonians 5:12,13

 

CONCLUSION

A.                Read Ephesians 5 and 6 and then give a brief synopsis of what direction God has given to us there.

 

   

B.                 Matthew 6:33 gives us a good lesson “in a nut shell”, what is it?

 

 May we all learn that only with God’s direction and help can we learn temperance in our Christian lives.

 Beverly Rainwater

RainwaterB3@aol.com