Abide in Him: 2 Peter 1:5

Before I dive into our new verse, let’s review what we’ve learned already. Test yourself and try to say verses 3 and 4 out loud first, before reading the text. Here we go: “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who has called us to His own glory and excellence 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.”

This week, we will add verses 5-7. Do not panic over the amount of verses. You will see they are a bit repetitive (which helps with memorization). They are also a list of seven qualities we should add to our faith. Now, I’m sure some of you are thinking that it is up to the Holy Spirit to strengthen us and to inspire us and to change us. Yes, the Holy Spirit does do all of those things. And we may be put into positions or situations where the LORD teaches us and grows us. And it is because of that work initiated by God that we also work on our faith. It helps us know Jesus more. If we just accepted Jesus as our Savior and did nothing else, then how would we know Jesus? How would we know how He lived? Why He died? What He commands of us? The qualities listed in our memory verses only add to our faith. We will grow not only in our knowledge of Jesus, but we will also grow closer to Him. John Piper says it another way: “Peter’s point is: God is for us with divine power…Now, in confidence of that power, take pains not to live unworthily of His love.” *

So, let’s get started!

The Verse

“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

Grammar

Look at the phrase “For this very reason…” Peter is pointing back to the first two verses we memorized. He’s reminding the audience we need to supplement our faith because we are now partakers of the divine nature, having been called and given access to everything that pertains to life and godliness. Peter is using persuasive language to encourage the followers to add these traits to their faith so that they will not be “ineffective…in their knowledge of Christ” (this is in verse 8, which we will cover at another time).

Application

So, what are these traits? How do we apply them to our lives? First, let’s define each of the traits so we know exactly what Peter was talking about. All definitions are taken from Strong’s Concordance (the original Greek word follows in the parenthesis).

• Virtue (arete): “Moral excellence; moral goodness.”
• Knowledge (gnosis): “Deeper, more perfect and enlarged knowledge of Christianity, especially of things lawful and unlawful; moral wisdom, such as right living.” I know I just threw a bunch of words at you, but basically, it means a deeper understanding of our Christian faith and what is required of us. But it’s more than that. It’s also the knowledge given to us by our Heavenly Father through the Holy Spirit.
• Self-Control (egkratiah): “One who masters her desires and passions.”
• Steadfastness (hupomone): “A patient enduring; sustaining; and perseverance.”
• Godliness (eusebia): “Reverence, respect; piety towards God.”
• Brotherly Affection (philadelphia): “Love which Christians cherish for each other as brethren.”
• Love (agape): “Affection, good will, benevolence.” The difference between brotherly affection and love is this: brotherly affection refers to the love we have for our sisters and brothers in Christ. Love is what we have for the world. The word “agape” is originated from the word “agapao,” which is the type of love God shows the world (see John 3:16).

How do we add these traits? First, and always first, through prayer. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you can be more virtuous, or to help you have more control over those areas of weakness. Prayer is our communication with God.

We can work at adding to our faith as well. Let’s go through each trait and look at practical ways to do this.

• Virtue: Read and understand what God finds acceptable as righteous living. Seek after His ways. Peter writes in 1 Peter 1:15, “As He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all of your conduct.”
• Knowledge: Read the Bible. Study the Bible. Look up the original Hebrew or Greek word. Research the definitions of certain words. Review the historical context. Cross-reference Scriptures. Meditate on the Word.
• Self-Control: Avoid those things that cause you to lose control. If you can’t avoid those things, then pray for strength. Ask a friend or mentor to hold you accountable. Memorize Scripture to help you fight your battles (see 1 Corinthians 10:13). Remind yourself why you do not want to succumb to this temptation.
• Steadfastness: This one may seem tricky. In fact, I know several Christians who will say “don’t pray for patience.” But, why not? I know the testing will come, but if we learn and grow and become more like Jesus, then isn’t it worth it? So, I’m going to write it here: pray for steadfastness, particularly during those times you want to give up.
• Godliness: Worship the Lord. Surrender to Him. Follow after Him. Seek Him first in all things. Follow the example of Jesus and live your life accordingly.
• Brotherly Affection: Love your fellow sisters and brothers in Christ. Encourage each other. Pray for each other.
• Love: This one may be “easier said than done,” but it is something that is commanded of us. Love God. Love our neighbors. Love our enemies.

These suggestions are not a complete list of how we can add these traits to our faith, but they are a starting point. Again, growth comes from our Heavenly Father. We are able to grow because of what He has done for us and what He has provided for us.

Final Thoughts

I am far from mastering any of these traits. For example, I quickly grow impatient with other drivers. I realize in order to work on my self-control, I must show love towards the other driver. Once I remember this little fact, the impatience and temper subsides.

But, this brings up another point. Sometimes to add one of these traits, you must focus on another trait as well. These traits can combine with each other and become dependent on each other. Don’t be surprised or dismayed when this happens, but rather embrace it and think of it as a two-for-one teaching moment.

Pray and ask the LORD to show you what He wants you to work on. What are some ways you can add these traits to your faith? Is there any particular trait you’re focusing on now?

* “Confirm Your Election” by John Piper desiringgod.org