Born Again Is Not Enough – Sunday Thought For The Day

Roughly two years after I accepted Christ as my Savior – I had the idea to write a book entitled, “Born Again Is Not enough.” To date, of the several books I have written – it has not been one of them.

As part of my personal study of scripture, I’ve recently started the Second Epistle of Peter. The Apostle Peter wrote his Second Epistle to all believers. (See: 2 Peter 1:2 KJV) I do believe that Peter wrote the Epistle, contrary to what some naysayers wrongly argue. His purpose was to remind Christians to grow in faith and to be aware of false teachers.

In verse three of the Epistle, Peter tells believers: “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.” (KJV)

But, in the verses following verse three, Peter tells believers that the “knowledge” alone of God is not enough. Peter tells believers, we’re to add to our faith with which we believed in Christ unto Salvation: virtue, knowledge, temperance (self-control), patience, godliness, brotherly kindness and charity (love).

I’ve read and studied “2 Peter” many times since I’ve been saved and I’ve preached on it numerous times as well. But this time, the Holy Spirit impressed upon me that indeed, being born again isn’t enough.

Being “born again” means we have accepted Christ as our Savior and by so doing, we are saved from eternal separation from God spending eternity in torment and suffering of hell. If we don’t add these seven things to our Christian life we will be weak, ineffectual and/or carnal Christians. We may not completely behave like the unsaved, but there won’t be much discernible difference between us and the unsaved.

There is a difference between just being saved and God’s divine power that hath “given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness.” We are to increase, i.e., grow in our walk and knowledge of God. The word translated “knowledge” in 2 Peter 1:2 (KJV) is the word epiginosis in the Koine Greek, which means “super knowledge or mature knowledge.”

Being “born again” is the only way to spend eternity in the presence of our Lord, but God wants us to be more than saved people waiting out our time before the second coming of Christ. God wants us to live godly lives in service to Him. We can only do that if we add, what I nave coined “the seven essential additives” to our knowledge of Him. Peter tells us we’re assured by God, that if they abound in us: “…they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (See: 2 Peter 1:8 KJV)

READ: 2 Peter 1:1-12 (KJV)
1 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:

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

3 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:

4 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.

5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;

6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;

7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

8 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.

9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

12 Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.