October 25
“For this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins,” 2 Peter 1:5-9.
There was a time when we were babes in the faith. The apostle Peter wrote about this in his First Epistle, and he urges Christians to grow up. He wrote, “As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the Word, that you may grow thereby,” 1 Peter 2:2.
The apostle Paul wrote about the same topic to the congregation at Corinth. He reminded them that he had to speak to them, “As to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?” 1 Corinthians 3:1-3. He told them that they had not grown in their faith and Christian conduct, and that they were acting like carnal people – that is, living according to the desires of their sinful flesh.
In our Christian faith and life, God wants us to grow. It is important that we continue to grow in our faith and become more determined to live the Christian life. That this might take place, Peter says that we must diligently pursue growth, which is accomplished through the hearing and learning of the Word of God. Our faith is strengthened as we meditate upon the many precious promises of God’s mercy and grace revealed in the sending of His Son, Christ Jesus, to be our Savior from sin, death, and the power of the devil.
Motivated by a heart filled with faith in Christ Jesus, we grow in Christian virtues and we are supplied with the spiritual power to advance from one Christian characteristic to another. In order to grow spiritually, we must exercise our faith and become stronger in fulfilling our Christian virtues. Peter writes, “Add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge.” Search the Scriptures, and thereby grow in knowledge of God’s Word and will, and His love and grace given to us through Jesus, who suffered and died to redeem us.
As we grow in knowledge, we will also grow in self-control – that is, controlling our sinful passions and desires. We will be enabled to persevere in self-control and increase in godliness, living the Christian life, as we show brotherly kindness and love for one another with reference to both body and soul.
When these virtues and characteristics dwell within us, Peter writes, “You will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” On the contrary, we will be fruitful in sanctification, living the Christian life. On the other hand, whoever lacks these Christian virtues and characteristics is spiritually shortsighted and blind. There is no standing still in sanctification; either we are going forward or we are going backward. “Standing still” is going backward! This applies to individual Christians and to congregations as well.
Pray for God to strengthen and increase your faith in your Savior and your Christian living.
“I know my faith is founded
On Jesus Christ, my God and Lord;
And this my faith confessing,
Unmoved I stand upon His Word.
Man’s reason cannot fathom
The truth of God profound;
Who trusts her subtle wisdom,
Relies on shifting ground.
God’s Word is all-sufficient,
It makes divinely sure;
And trusting in its wisdom,
My faith shall rest secure.” Amen.