2 Peter 1:5-8 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Many Christians, young and older, experience doubts and uncertainty and sometimes look back to where the Lord has brought them. They experience an up and down walk with the Lord which causes more doubts and uncertainty. If the condition persists they may end up returning to their former life and become disillusioned over spiritual life.
Peter gives instruction to help those in this type of situation of experience and says if what he instructs is followed the person will be fruitful, fulfilled and remain on the pathway to heaven. The people Peter addresses are Christian but struggling in their walk. One misunderstanding some have is to think that Christians are always up and never experience valleys in their life. Christians experience valleys but we should not live there. Those Pete instructs are not happy in their walk, they are not productive; they are ineffective in witnessing and seem to be going nowhere. They are not experiencing what Jesus said in Jn 4:14 of having springs of living water.
Why is it that some struggle in this way? Is it God’s will or determination that they thus struggle? Peter does not think so but give generals instructions to all.
- There seems to be lack of discipline in the life of some for Peter says give diligence. Often our lives are controlled by this world and it attractions and we fail to discipline ourselves against the world’s influences; and the demands of life crowd out spiritual things. In our early walk or life there did not seem to be as many distractions and our life was more ordered. As we mature the order in our life may be difference but discipline is still necessary. According to Peter, this may be caused by an improper view of faith – faith does not stand alone. Some think that as long as we have faith and believe all truth that is enough and all is well. Peter says we must add to our faith – it will not work automatically – there is more to go with faith in our walk.
- The second cause may be laziness on people’s part -- slackness. Peter says to give all diligence. Some seem to lack the zeal for spiritual things. The same zeal we have for the world needs to be in us for spiritual things – even more so. Some tend to grow weary sooner when it comes to spiritual things and discipline is not as strong because of it. They may even procrastinate when beginning spiritual endeavors (ex: reading through the Bible). The reason some experience these problems is they do not really understand the danger of drifting. The Christian life is a fight not a pleasure trip – we are literally fighting for our lives.
- Peter emphasizes diligence, so he wants us to be serious about what he says. Be diligent in seeking God and His help – “ . . . he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Believe that the Bible is more important than the newspaper, TV guide or other materials; and be serious about it in action.
- Supplement (add to) faith with virtue. Virtue could carry the idea of energy, power or vigor. Don’t shuffle through the Christian life – live it to the full every day. He says to add knowledge to virtue. Not just the gathering of facts but insight, understanding and enlightenment. To this he says to add temperance – self-control which would include all areas of life. If we do not apply it to life in general we will not be able to apply it spiritually. All our passions, desires and wants must come under control. Add patience to temperance which is endurance – the long haul not a sprint; keeping on through discouraging circumstances and events in life; then Godliness, which is maintaining a right standing before God and building and strengthening our relationship with Him. Brotherly kindness which speaks of relations with other believers and love for all people – saved and unsaved alike in spite of how we feel.
Peter encourages them with the fact that we are all partakers of Divine nature – God’s Spirit indwelling us and strengthening and guiding us. If we follow his instructions we will not be neither unfruitful nor barren nor fall.