2 Peter 1:5

But also 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'll neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is short-sighted even to blindness and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure... — 2 Peter 1:5–10

Salvation is the starting block, not the finish line—and God calls us to give all diligence to grow our faith into faithfulness.

Giving All Diligence

One of the biggest stories of the 2016 Olympics in Rio was Michael Phelps. In his very last race, he and his team placed first, giving him his 23rd gold medal. Across all his events—not just the Olympics—he has won more than 65 gold medals and shattered records, including one that had stood for 2,182 years. Sometimes it looks as if he does it with ease, an entire body length ahead of the next swimmer.

But to reach that elite level takes exactly what Peter describes in three little words: giving all diligence. Diligence is careful and persistent effort or hard work. Anything worth doing is worth doing well, and excellence is a good target to aim at. Even with natural talent, you still need deliberate practice, determined effort, and diligence every single day.

Some try to hack the system and get around the hard work in unethical ways. The same name probably comes to your mind that comes to mine—Lance Armstrong. In 2005 he and his team were doping to gain a competitive edge, and his name has since been dragged through the dirt, his titles taken away. If you're going to reach a mastery level honestly, it will take diligence.

The Basis for Our Diligence

When you apply yourself diligently, there always needs to be a why. For some, the reason may seem trivial—fitting into a suit for a vacation, or saving money to buy a house or a boat. But there is always a reason behind the effort. Peter is asking the Christian to give all diligence, to put in every effort. So what is the basis?

Notice verse 5: "But also for this very reason." He has already given the reason in the verses before. According to His divine power, God "has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust."

So the reason Peter gives is not something we are working toward but something we work from. Since God has already given you everything you need to live godly, since He has given you precious promises through which you will partake of the divine nature, therefore—because of all that—give all diligence to add to your faith virtue.

Salvation Is Just the Starting Block

Salvation is really just the starting block for the Christian. That isn't a perfect way to say it, because salvation in the New Testament encompasses more than something in the past. But many believers think of salvation only in the past tense: "I got saved at such a place, in such a year." We attach it to a time and place.

Yet Scripture speaks of salvation in the past, present, and future. We're talking about justification, sanctification, and glorification. Justification is the past-tense experience: "For by grace you have been saved" (Ephesians 2:8). Two thousand years ago Jesus died for your sin, and through His death, burial, and resurrection He made it possible for us to be forgiven. If you've put your faith in His grace, you have been justified—a completed, done work.

But salvation is also present tense. "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God" (1 Corinthians 1:18). At this very moment, by the power of the Spirit through the Word and work of God, sanctification is taking place—God is cleansing us of our old dead works, renewing us, and making us more like His children.

And the Bible describes a salvation we shall one day receive: "the end of our faith, the salvation of our souls" (1 Peter 1:9). That is glorification, when He rescues us from this place, and this corruption puts on incorruption, this mortality puts on immortality. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, we shall be transformed and given a new, glorified body.

So why bring this up? Because justification is the starting block. It's just the start, the place we set out on the path that John Bunyan called Pilgrim's Progress—I highly recommend that book. We are pilgrims progressing through this world toward eternity, and our faith must be worked out in our lives.

Faith Must Become the Christian Life

Peter says it takes diligence to add to the faith that brought justification. By grace are you saved through faith—now add to your faith these seven things, progressing through them in clear order: virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, love. The Christian faith must become the Christian life. Faith must always move to practice; what you believe now must actively become part of your daily life.

This is why James wrote, "Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead," and again for emphasis, "Faith without works is dead" (James 2:17, 20).

God Saves the Ungodly for Godliness

God by His grace saves the ungodly for godliness. We are not saved by our good works, but we are saved for good works. Ephesians 2:8–9 is explicit: "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast." But verse 10 continues: "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."

So your trust in Jesus is the foundation, but that is not where we stay. We are to keep moving forward, building upon our faith. Upon that foundation Peter lists seven things.

First, virtue. Peter already used this word in verse 3, where God has called us by His virtue and desires that we develop it in ourselves. Its definition is a virtuous course of thought and feeling that leads to action—a moral excellence of mind, goodness, modesty, purity. Paul uses the same word in Philippians 4: "Whatever things are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, if there is any virtue and anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things."

Biblical meditation means to think upon, ponder, and set your mind upon something. So adding virtue to your faith has a lot to do with your mindset. Even secular researchers are finding that a person is more likely to perform the right actions if they have the right mental model. Watch an Olympic gymnast before the vault—eyes closed, going through the motions, building a mental model in their head. They look goofy, but they're developing the right focus. The Christian who wants fruitfulness must develop the right mindset.

Set Your Mind on Things Above

This is why Paul writes, "If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on the things of the earth" (Colossians 3:1–2). Your mindset is important.

We live in a world constantly trying to redirect our minds onto earthly things. You don't have to look far—turn on the news and your attention is pulled toward fear, anxiety, uncertainty, and doubt. Just look at the presidential election in our nation; it brings your focus into fear and doubt. The whole of this world wants to grip your attention. That's why Paul says: if you have been raised with Christ, set your mind on things above.

In Philippians 3:15 Paul says, "Let us, as many as are mature, have this mind." Your walk in this life will be directed by your mindset. He warns in verse 18 of many "who walk... as enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, whose glory is in their shame, who set their mind on earthly things." Many walk wrong because they have an earthly mindset. Do you see the correlation?

Why does this matter? "For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body" (Philippians 3:20–21)—that is glorification. So if you're freaked out about politics, set your mind on things above. Take a moratorium on CNN or Fox News for a week. Your citizenship is in heaven; this passport will expire, that one is eternal. We are not eagerly waiting for any candidate; we are waiting for Jesus Christ.

The Head and Heart Must Move Our Feet

I've taught it many times and believe it to be true: where the head goes, the heart follows; where the heart goes, the feet will follow. So Peter says, "Add to your virtue knowledge." What kind of knowledge? The knowledge of God, gained chiefly through His revelation in Scripture. As we'll see, holy men of God were moved by the Spirit to write down inspired Scripture. We can learn certain things about God through nature and through one another, but our knowledge of God comes chiefly from His Word.

But head and heart must move our feet. So Peter says, "Add to your knowledge self-control." Do we have that? If we're honest, by nature we do not. Consider the two-year-old. When you see a parent struggling with one, you think, why can't they get that child under control? I thought that—and then God gave me a two-year-old four times over. Here's the thing: that two-year-old is in you and in me too. We may mask it from others, but it's right under the surface. By nature we lack self-control, which is why we need the grace and Spirit of God.

Self-control is actually evidence of the Spirit. "The fruit of the Spirit is... self-control" (Galatians 5). According to His divine power (2 Peter 1:3), God has given us everything we need. So we must practice it—even mentally model it. How will I respond to the person who makes me angry, maybe my spouse? You could respond according to your nature, which causes a problem. Instead, pray, "God, help me respond with Your control."

Perseverance and Godliness

"Add to your self-control perseverance"—another word for it is patience. I need the Spirit of God to make me patient, because I'm an impatient person, and our culture caters to impatience. That's why we have Netflix and instant access, Amazon Prime, and now they want to fly your package to you within an hour by helicopter.

The most perfect laboratory for impatience is the incubator called the airport—from curb to curb. Next time you go, pray beforehand, "God, give me patience." Take a deep breath, count to ten, and then just watch: at the curb, the ticket counter, the security line, the gate, the overhead compartments, and the scramble to get off the plane. We don't like to wait for anything. Yet Scripture gives dozens of exhortations to wait on the Lord. Isaiah said 2,700 years ago, "Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint."

Then, "to perseverance godliness," or holiness. Paul wrote to young Timothy, "But you, O man of God, flee these things"—greed and lust—and pursue godliness (1 Timothy 6:11).

Brotherly Kindness and Love

Faith in God must lead to faithfulness toward God. And such faithful holiness leads to brotherly kindness. The Greek word is philadelphia, the idea of brotherly tenderness. Now, having grown up with an older brother, an older sister, and two younger brothers, "brotherly kindness" doesn't always conjure the right picture for me. So I need a framework. Romans 12:10 gives one: "Be devoted to one another in brotherly love, honoring one another above yourselves." That's not in my nature, but according to His divine power, He has given me everything I need.

Finally, "to brotherly kindness love"—the Greek word agape, believed by many to be the highest form of love. It is self-sacrificial, the love with which God loved us, the love Jesus demonstrated in that "while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." It is the love personified in God, "for God is love." Paul describes it in 1 Corinthians 13: "Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; it does not parade itself, is not puffed up... bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails."

This is the love by which Jesus said Christians are to be identified: "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:35). Regrettably, when you survey people about what they think of when they hear "Christian," love is not what comes to mind. Maybe it's because we as a church have not moved beyond faith to grow in our faithfulness.

Faithfulness Always Produces Fruitfulness

Notice verse 8: "For if these things are yours and abound"—if they are increasing—"you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is short-sighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins."

What was the basis for our diligence? Our forgiveness. When you find a Christian who is not adding these things to their faith, what does it reveal? They have become so myopic, so short-sighted, that they've forgotten they were saved by the grace of God.

So Peter says, "Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble." Work hard to prove to yourself and to the world that you truly are among God's called and chosen people. May it be that when people see us in the community, at work, at school, they say, "There's something different about that person. They have self-control. They have patience. They're tender and kind. They're sacrificing for others. That's a Christian."

Our culture needs to see genuine, real Christians. There is a misconception about what Christians are, and that misconception originated with us—the church created it over the last several decades by becoming short-sighted, just looking at ourselves. Peter says we need to grow.

This is why he writes that he will not be negligent to remind us always of these things, though we know them. "As long as I am in this tent," he says, "I will stir you up by reminding you, knowing that shortly I must put off my tent... I will be careful to ensure that you always have a reminder of these things after my decease."

Oh, God, we need Your help—to be patient, self-controlled, tender, kind, loving, and sacrificial. In ourselves we can't do this. But according to His divine power, He has given us everything we need to live this way. So God, help us.

Closing Prayer

Father God, I come before You and say, Lord, I need Your help just as much, if not more, than any person in this room—to have grace, self-control, and patience, to be tender and kind. I pray that You by Your Spirit would enable me by Your power to do that. But Lord, I also pray that You would stir us up to put feet to our faith, that our faith becomes faithfulness, and that in that faithfulness our lives would be fruitful, so people would see our good works and glorify You, our Father in heaven. Work a work in us that can only be attributed to You. We thank You, Jesus, that You have power, and that You are willing to make us whole.

As we stand in an attitude of prayer, perhaps you have not yet put your trust in Jesus but recognize your need for His grace. If you would like His grace and forgiveness today, pray with me: Dear Jesus, I know I need You. I know I can't save myself. I pray that You would come into my life, forgive me of my sin, and help me to follow You by faith and to trust You with my life. In Jesus' name, amen.