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Make Every Effort - 2 Peter 1:5
Make Every Effort - 2 Peter 1:5
Peter instructs us: "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…” (2 Peter 1:5–6). While the ESV, NRSV, and NIV translate this "make every effort”; the NASV has "applying all diligence”.
We are thus to make every effort to add to or supplement our faith by molding our very character. We are God’s people who shine as lights in a dark world. We hold forth the word of light by our very character and being. Hence Peter describes the moral qualities that are to be present in each and every one of us as God’s children. These include:
excellence - (moral excellence, Or “moral excellence,” “virtue”; this is the same word used in v. 3 (“the one who has called us by his own glory and excellence”). We strive not for getting by, not for mediocrity, but for moral excellence. Our morality is to be a reflection of the very moral character of our God. It is morality without compromise on our part.
knowledge - for we must have knowledge not only of what we are to believe and trust but also what our moral standard is.
self-control. Given the understanding of God and the knowledge of how He wants us to conduct ourselves, we are asked to say NO to ourselves. We are drawn away and enticed by our own lusts and it is ourselves to which we must say NO. We dare not indulge ourselves. We are to refuse to be like the false teachers of chapter two who “indulge in the lust of defiling passion” (2:10), having "eyes full of adultery” (2:14).
steadfastness - perseverance. Literally to ‘stand under’ with the idea that as pressure mounts we do not crumble or give in. When we are confronted with temptation we withstand it being firm in our faith.
godliness - Strong’s defines this as “reverence, respect, piety towards God.” We fear, love, and stand in awe of God. We live our lives with the ever-present consciousness of God. Our aim is to always do His will, even as Jesus showed us by example (cp. John 4:34; 6:38).
brotherly affection - the love which Christians are to cherish for each other as joint members in the family of God. We are a family of like-minded people who love God with all of our hearts. We are different than the worldly who live around us and hence we are joined together in a common faith and hope.
love - the love that puts other’s above ourselves, it puts their best interests ahead of our own desires and convenience.
We are to give every effort and apply all diligence to make sure these qualities are not only ours but are increasing (cp. 1:8). We must plan, purpose, and put into practice those things that develop these qualities. Such is not a sometime thing but becomes our all-consuming passion. Daily we are drawn closer to God.
Does this really describe us? What is it that you gave your attention and effort to last week? How is your character different today from what it was a year ago? What can you do? Will you do it?
Hugh DeLong
