For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness,
and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. – 2 Peter 1:5-7 ESV
We start today’s verses with “for this very reason.” What’s that reason again? It’s that God gave us powerful gifts so we could partake of Jesus’ divine nature and grow more and more like Him every day.
And what is Peter urging us to do because of this extraordinary gift? To do all that we can to keep growing in our faith by adding good qualities. The list might seem intimidating, like something we can never accomplish. But remember that we’re not alone in this life once we’ve accepted Jesus as our Lord. He has given us a helper, the Holy Spirit (John 14:16). It’s the Spirit who will do the work in us if we are willing to be led by Him.
I also find it encouraging that these qualities build on one another. As I seek to live out my faith with virtue (moral excellence), I’m going to want to grow in knowledge of God from His Word, so I know what I’m doing. And as I grow in knowledge of God, I’ll get better as self-control, and that leads me to be more steadfast, and that helps me to live a more godly life. This culminates in adding brotherly affection and love. I am so encouraged by this. As I grow closer to Jesus, led by the Spirit, I begin to love others as He loves me. The Spirit gives me compassion for the lost in this world and helps me to see them as He does.
But I must make the effort of listening and allowing the Spirit to lead.
If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. - Galatians 5:25 ESV
Think About
Which of these qualities would you most like to add to your faith?
What in your life might be interfering with being led by the Spirit today?
Dig Deeper
Compare the qualities we are to add to our faith in 2 Peter 1:5-7 with the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23a.
Comments