Christian Graces
"And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity; for if these things be in you and abound, they make you that ye shall be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if you do these things ye shall never fall." (2 Peter 1:5-10.)
These words of the apostle Peter were written to children of God.' Peter once again "freely speaks" and sets forth the things that a Christian must add in order to enter the everlasting state of the kingdom. Our Lord had promised Peter the "keys of the kingdom" which simply meant that Peter would have the power to declare the terms of entrance into the kingdom. Peter exercised this power on the day of Pentecost. He declared the terms of entrance into the earthly state of the kingdom. In our text Peter declares the terms of entrance into the heavenly state of the kingdom.
"Add to your faith . . ." The faith of these Christians had led them to obey the gospel. They had been "born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible by the word of God that liveth and abideth forever." In being born again they had believed on the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 16:31); repented of their sins (Acts 17:30); and had been baptized for the remission of sins. (Acts 2:38.) If we will do the same we will likewise be born into the kingdom of God. As faith, repentance and baptism are essential to entrance into the earthly state of the kingdom, even so are these graces essential to entrance into the heavenly state of the kingdom.
In verse five Peter exhorts saying, "and beside this give diligence .. . " Here we find the key word in the addition of the graces. Diligence means, "Steady application to business of any kind; constant effort to accomplish what is undertaken." (Webster) Being a Christian is no accident. Before we may have these graces we must steadily apply ourselves and make a constant effort to obtain them. The reason why many do not have these graces is that they have not been diligently about their Father's business. They are careless and indifferent. No one can be a Christian unless he "gives diligence."
"Add to your faith virtue . . ." Virtue, as here used, is generally understood to mean the manliness or courage to dare to do right and oppose wrong. Your faith is worthless unless you have the courage to stand up for what you believe and teach. God has no place in his kingdom for a coward. When Gideon with an army of Israelites came out to meet the Midianites God said to him, "The people that are with thee are too many . . . . Now therefore go to proclaim saying whosoever is fearful and afraid let him return." Out of an army of thirty-two thousand twenty-two thousand returned home. Over two thirds of Gideon's army were cowards! I wonder what the proportion would be in the army of the Lord today? No doubt if all cowards were removed from the church our ranks would thin considerably.
Virtue is sometimes defined as "heroism." There have been many heroes of the faith. Think of Abraham as he wandered as a stranger in a strange land; think of Moses as he forsook Egypt not fearing the wrath of the king; call to remembrance the three Hebrew children as they bravely marched to the fiery furnace; remember the courage of him who was a night and a day in the deep, who received of the Jews forty stripes five times save one, yet who said, "none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself . . ." "And what more shall I say ? Space forbids me to tell of Barak and of Sampson, of David and other heroes of the faith of whom the world was not worthy." These are men whose courage we should imitate. If we ever expect to be true soldiers of the Lord we must take our stand for truth and right. We must not lag behind in fear, but get in the front line and wield the sword of the spirit until the captain of our salvation calls us home.
"Add to virtue knowledge . . ." Though we may have all courage and have not knowledge it profits us nothing. The trouble with the Jews was that they were lacking in knowledge. Paul said of them, "I bear them record that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge." Their zeal, not being directed by knowledge, was worthless. The same is true of courage. It is the obligation of every Christian to "grow in the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." (2 Peter 3:18.) We may acquire knowledge through the study of and meditation upon God's word. It is also helpful to read good literature, attend Bible classes and any other service where the gospel is preached. Knowledge of God as manifested through His Son Christ Jesus is essential to salvation and life eternal. "And this is life eternal, to know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent."
"Add to knowledge temperance .. ." This is an often misused word. We hear much today of temperance societies. They seemingly think the word pertains only to intoxicating beverages; hence they vigorously campaign against the saloons: Then there are others who think the word only prohibits excessive use of strong drink. This is wrong. The word as used in the Bible means, "A moderate indulgence in those things that are good for the body, and a total abstinence from those things that are harmful to the body." This means that we cannot drink alcoholic beverages in any amount. The word also means self-control. Is one practicing self-control when he indulges in those things that are harmful to the body? Paul practiced self-control. He said, "I keep under my body and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway." (1 Cor. 9:27.)
"Add to temperance patience . . ." This also is a much abused word. The admonition to be patient means that we must bear up under strain; remain steadfast under any kind of hardship. Patience is much needed in the church today. There are far too many members that are always ready to quit. If they do not like the preacher, the song leader, the elders, or the way the services are conducted they quit the church. They call it quitting the church, really it's quitting the Lord. Then there are others who think that patience demands a tolerance of sin. If there are wicked men in the church they refuse to correct and discipline them under the pretense that they are exercising patience. A toleration of sin in the church is not patience, but sin and rebellion against God. Patience does not demand that we tolerate sin in any of its forms.
"Add to patience godliness . . ." The word "godliness" means "reverence or piety." It does not mean godlikeness as many are prone to teach. The Greek word translated godliness is thus defined by Thayer: "Reverence, respect; in the Bible everywhere piety toward God." Godliness then is piety or reverence. Many Christians fail to reverence God as they should. We often speak lightly of His word. His name is used in jests and jokes. This is wrong. We must learn to be reverent. Parents should teach their children respect for God and His word. Then, there is this thought: if godliness means reverence or piety, then irreverence and impiety would be ungodliness. A person who is impious and irreverent is an ungodly person. I have often seen ungodly persons in the assemblies of the saints. Who are they? They are the ones who whisper, laugh and who otherwise act like heathens during the services of the church.
"And to godliness brotherly kindness . . ." Brotherly kindness is "the love of brothers (or sisters); in the New Testament the love which Christian's cherish for each other as brethren." We often do not behave ourselves toward our brethren as we should. John teaches that only he who loves his brother abides in the light. (1 John 2:10.) Paul reveals the Christians attitude toward his brother, "Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." We should not seek our own but our brothers good. Let us watch in his behalf, cast no stone of stumbling in his way, then we will be characterized by brotherly kindness.
"And to brotherly kindness love . . ." (R.V.) This means universal love. Jesus Christ loved the souls of men enough to die for them. Surely we should love the souls of men enough to preach the gospel unto them. It is only when we really love the souls of men that we will "go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature."
To all of those who add these things Peter holds out a wonderful promise, "For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."