I had a dream two nights in a row this week.

In this dream an acquaintance of mine was testing a specialty gun that was designed to shoot soft air pellets.

In my dream he shot at someone who was in the test field, hit the man in the head and killed him. No one knew there was a dead man in the field, except the shooter and myself. As I checked into things, it turned out that the gun manufacturer had a defect in the gun that caused it to shoot more powerfully than a regular gun.

The rest of the dream was about my friend trying to hide the fact that he had killed someone. I woke up pondering the dream.

And you know one of the first stories in the bible, a story about Adam and Eve's sons named Cain and Abel?

ESV Genesis 4:1 Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, "I have gotten a man with the help of the LORD." 2 And again, she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground. 3 In the course of time Cain brought to the LORD an offering of the fruit of the ground, 4 and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering, 5 but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. 6 The LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it." 8 Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. 9 Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where is Abel your brother?" He said, "I do not know; am I my brother's keeper?" 10 And the LORD said, "What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood is crying to me from the ground.

ESV Hebrews 11:4 By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks.

ESV 1 John 3:12 We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother's righteous.

ESV Jude 1:11 Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain....Jude is a twin epistle to 2 Peter, the book we are studying. And in Jude the accusation that some walk in the way of Cain deals with leaders of the early church. Some were struggling with the 'way of Cain'.

What is the way of Cain?

Cain was a man whose deeds and offerings caused God to reject his offerings!

Cain was controlled by anger and jealousy.

Cain hated his brother Abel because Abel did what he wasn't doing. Abel did things God's way and Cain didn't.

Cain wanted God to accept him as he was. Abel came to God on God's terms.

Cain refused to repent.

The way of Cain is the way of 'failing to add brotherly kindness' to your faith.

The way of Cain multiplies wounds among God's people. Some of these wounds are fatal.

It's very difficult to live with, work with or fellowship with a person who walks in the way of Cain.

Dean Sherman "the Kingdom of God is where God rules and reigns. Where his Kingdom is there is love between people. Love between people is a relationship. Putting a premium on relationships is the opposite of the way of Cain.

Men tend to be project driven. Yet in our projects we can overrun the very one we are to build a relationship with.

When brothers walk in the way of Abel, with a real love for one another, doing what is pleasing to God, they can accomplish anything!

Stories designed to foster brotherly kindness are coming. Here's the backdrop for them historically.

1) Alexander the Great conquered Israel in 332 BC.
2) His kindgom was split into four regions shortly after his death.
3) Sometime after 200 BC Antiochus IV Epiphanes began to rule.
Hellenization began.
Hellenization included the elimination of local religious beliefs, language, culture.
Institutionalization of Greek culture, religious beliefs and language.

Implications for Jews:
No Sabbath worship
Requirement to eat unkosher foods like bacon and ham
Greek worship and prosititution in the Temple in Jerusalem
No circumcision allowed
Required to worship Greek mythological gods like Zeus.

Story 1-two women were caught nursing their baby boys who they had circumcised.
Paraded through the streets of Jerusalem and then hurled from a high wall to their deaths with their babies.

Story 2-a group of pious Jews were found observing the Sabbath in a cave. They were burned to death.

Story 3-King Antiochus IV was forcing the Jews to come publicly and eat pork, bacon or ham and worship Zeus.

Eleazar, a man who was 90 years old, was brought.

His friends offered to have him secretly switch out Kosher meats Eleazar was famous for one thing: He had lived for the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob all his life. How could he pretend to worship Zeus just to extend his life a little longer? What would that do to the youth? His concern was inspiring those facing the ongoing lifelong pressure of Antiochus IV.

He was martyred for this very reason.

Eleazar became the model of excellence that the New Testament alludes to when we are told to add excellence to our faith.

This is the excellence that Eleazar modeled by refusing to compromise to save his own skin.

And so we have studied Excellence...and Peter tells us to add to our Faith an ever growing quality of excellence. And to add to our excellence
an ever growing personal relationship with Jesus Christ. And to add to our personal relationship knowledge of Jesus Christ, self control and discipline. He means for us
to control our tongue, appetite and sexuality as well as to cultivate a strong ability to grip Jesus' hand, grasp His words, and give to the poor. And to this self control and discipline we are to ever grow in our capacity to endure hardship, especially with persecution in mind. And to our endurance we are to continue to grow in a God-ward attitude, a sense that God is always with us...enjoying Him all the time. And now to this quality of enjoying God always we are to also add the opposite of the way of Cain. Brotherly kindness!

Story 4-Seven brothers and their mother (2 Maccabees 7)

The result of these seven brothers are two fold. They become national heroes for all Jews to look at! They show the impact of elderly men like Eleazar, who are faithful to the end, inspiring the youth to lay their lives down for God!

They inspired the radical Judas Maccabeus-who in their name rustled up an army of 6,000 valiant mighty men who like David and his mighty men of old, conquered the enemies of Israel and brought freedom where there was terrible oppression. Against overwhelming odds, Judas Maccabeus won battle after battle, with the help of divine intervention. Finally the Greeks realized that God was fighting with Judas and made peace with him and stopped the Hellenization of Judea.

And so we come to the New Testament.

Philadelphia is the word! It's used in 4 Maccabees to talk about the mutual love these seven brothers had for one another. Then it is not used again until Paul alludes to it in Romans 12:10 ESV "Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor."


ESV 1 Thessalonians 4:9 Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another,

ESV Hebrews 13:1 Let brotherly love continue,

ESV 1 Peter 1:22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart,

Six Dimensions of a focused life:
Self Control
A) Tongue
1) Bitterness

ESV Ephesians 4:31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.

2) Unforgiveness

ESV Matthew 18:21 Then Peter came up and said to him, "Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?" 22 Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven. 23 "Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. 24 When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 25 And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26 So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.' 27 And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. 28 But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, 'Pay what you owe.' 29 So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you.' 30 He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. 31 When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. 32 Then his master summoned him and said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33 And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?' 34 And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. 35 So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart." (Mat 18:21 ESV)


3) Criticism

ESV Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

4) Negative Tones

B) Appetite

1) Food

ESV Philippians 3:19 Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

2) Alcohol
ESV Proverbs 20:1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.

3) Medications or Drugs



C) Sexuality
1) Fornication
ESV Ephesians 5:1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. 3 But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints.

2) Adultery

ESV 2 Peter 2:14 They have eyes full of adultery, insatiable for sin. They entice unsteady souls. They have hearts trained in greed. Accursed children!
3) Effeminency

4) Homosexuality

ESV 1 Corinthians 6:9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality,

ESV 1 Timothy 1:8 Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, 9 understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, 10 the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, 11 in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.

Discipline
A) Gripping Jesus' Hand
1) Personal relationship with Jesus
2) Intentionally drawing near to God
a) Set aside time to read God's word
b) Set aside time to confess your sins to God.
c) Set aside time to worship God
d) Set aside time to ask God for help in your problems
e) Seek God's direction in all that you do (submitting your plans to the Lord)
f) Listen to His voice and let Him speak to your heart in all things!

B) Grasping Jesus' Word
1) Memorize God's Word


2) Meditate on God's word

decide the time
determine the method


C) Generosity to the poor
1) Set aside a little of your income every check.
2) Hold on to your money and make sure that the person you help is the very one God wants you to help!

The story of Mordecai: How he performed under pressure is an example for all to see and to follow. He is a man who is worthy. He risked his life to challenge the Queen to stand up for her people in the face of death.

Mordecai was a cousin to Esther, but he raised her like his own daughter. When Esther was chosen to be queen by Xerxes I, he advised her not to reveal her ethnic heritage. He kept in constant contact with her and became a prominent man himself sitting by the gate of the King. Mordecai overheard a plot against the king, exposed it, but was not rewarded. He kept his honor and integrity as a faithful Jew and did not bow down to Haman, the Kings favorite prince. Haman became angry and sought to destroy all the Jews because of this. When Mordecai learned of this evil plot, he challenged Esther to stand for the Jews before the King. Finally Haman decided to have Mordecai hanged. The King in the meantime was roused by God to read in the Chronicles and found the story of Mordecai's exposing of the plot to kill the King and decided to reward Mordecai. Esther asked Mordecai to get all the Jews praying and fasting. He did everything she asked with 'ARETHS'. He ordered Haman to parade Mordecai through the streets honoring him. that same evening Esther's banquet revealed that Haman was plotting to destroy her people. The King ordered Haman hanged on the gallows he had constructed for Mordecai. Then the Jews were saved and Mordecai was given Haman's role as a prince among the Kings courts. Esther accomplished the purpose of her life! Mordecai was a worthy man. A man of virtue. A man of moral excellence. He is an example to everyone throughout the ages of how we all should live for G

Firemen climbing the tower and saving lives on September 11, 2001 are examples of men and women who are worthy of honor in our history. Why? Because they performed their duty in the face of extreme danger, even as many of them lost their lives doing so.

ESV 2 Peter 1:1 Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ: 2 May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. 3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. 10 Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. 11 For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 12 Therefore I intend always to remind you of these qualities, though you know them and are established in the truth that you have.


Through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and 'areths' (excellence). What is 'areths'?
[GING] moral excellence, virtue Phil 4:8; 2 Pt 1:5; for 1 Pt 2:9 praise or manifestation of divine power are both poss.;


CSB 2 Peter 1:5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with goodness, goodness with knowledge,

ESV 2 Peter 1:5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge,

NJB 2 Peter 1:5 With this in view, do your utmost to support your faith with goodness, goodness with understanding,

NLT 2 Peter 1:5 In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God's promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge,

YLT 2 Peter 1:5 And this same also -- all diligence having brought in besides, superadd in your faith the worthiness, and in the worthiness the knowledge,

"Manifestation of divine power" or praise

Various ways to look at this concept
Bolster your faith with praise
Bolster your faith with a manifestation of divine power
Bolster your faith with goodness
Bolster your faith with virtue
Bolster your faith with moral excellence
Bolster your faith with excellence

We must evaluate the things we focus our thoughts on in light of this very instruction! Do the talk shows we listen to help us do this? Do the movies encourage us the way of ARETHS?


Where do we find the greatest supply of 'ARETHS'? in vs 3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence,

The word excellence here is 'ARETHS'.

My contention is that the primary way to bolster your faith with 'ARETHS' is by focusing your thoughts on the Lord Jesus.

He is the one worthy of all praise. He is the one to trigger praise in us. He is the one who is worthy! Therefore he inspires us to walk in worthiness.
Jesus is the one who manifested Divine power among us...so therefore we ought to live as Jesus lived...manifesting Divine power.
He is the one who is good...therefore he inspires us to walk in goodness.
Jesus issued virtue to heal people...therefore he inspires and enables us to walk filled with virtue.

Jesus is the one who is morally excellent, therefore he inspires us to walk in moral excellence.
Jesus is excellent through and through and so he inspires us to be excellent through and through!


Paul tucks 'areths' into his practical instructions to the Church in Philippi. Look at

NLT Philippians 4:4 Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again-- rejoice! 5 Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. 6 Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. 8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

ESV Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

Eleazar's story

NRS 2 Maccabees 6:18 Eleazar, one of the scribes in high position, a man now advanced in age and of noble presence, was being forced to open his mouth to eat swine's flesh. 19 But he, welcoming death with honor rather than life with pollution, went up to the rack of his own accord, spitting out the flesh, 20 as all ought to go who have the courage to refuse things that it is not right to taste, even for the natural love of life. 21 Those who were in charge of that unlawful sacrifice took the man aside because of their long acquaintance with him, and privately urged him to bring meat of his own providing, proper for him to use, and to pretend that he was eating the flesh of the sacrificial meal that had been commanded by the king, 22 so that by doing this he might be saved from death, and be treated kindly on account of his old friendship with them. 23 But making a high resolve, worthy of his years and the dignity of his old age and the gray hairs that he had reached with distinction and his excellent life even from childhood, and moreover according to the holy God-given law, he declared himself quickly, telling them to send him to Hades. 24 "Such pretense is not worthy of our time of life," he said, "for many of the young might suppose that Eleazar in his ninetieth year had gone over to an alien religion, 25 and through my pretense, for the sake of living a brief moment longer, they would be led astray because of me, while I defile and disgrace my old age. 26 Even if for the present I would avoid the punishment of mortals, yet whether I live or die I shall not escape the hands of the Almighty. 27 Therefore, by bravely giving up my life now, I will show myself worthy of my old age 28 and leave to the young a noble example of how to die a good death willingly and nobly for the revered and holy laws." When he had said this, he went at once to the rack. 29 Those who a little before had acted toward him with goodwill now changed to ill will, because the words he had uttered were in their opinion sheer madness. 30 When he was about to die under the blows, he groaned aloud and said: "It is clear to the Lord in his holy knowledge that, though I might have been saved from death, I am enduring terrible sufferings in my body under this beating, but in my soul I am glad to suffer these things because I fear him." 31 So in this way he died, leaving in his death an example of nobility and a memorial of courage, not only to the young but to the great body of his nation.

Now if Eleazar could lay down his life for the Law of Moses, without the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, how much more can we lay down our lives for the law of Christ in the presence and power of the Holy Spirit??

Be a Mordecai.
Be like Jesus!
Do what Paul said to the Philippians!
Be an Eleazar!

Bolster your faith with praise
Bolster your faith with a manifestation of divine power
Bolster your faith with goodness
Bolster your faith with virtue
Bolster your faith with moral excellence
Bolster your faith with excellence

I am hoping for a chance to study this part of the bible in depth. What a great couple of epistles!