©2002 Charles Darby
2 Pet 1:5-11 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 neither be 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 ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Eph 5:8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
We, if we are in Christ, are children of light. Jesus is the light of the world and Jesus in us causes us to be children of light. He is the Word made flesh. If we are to walk in the light we must walk in the truth of God's word. The word becomes a light to our feet and a lamp to our path. Jesus said “Why call me Lord and don't do as I say?” He is Lord of our lives only if we become a doer of His word. It must be more than confession with our mouth but also actions and deeds that show we believe He is Lord. Walking in the light as He is in the light we have fellowship with one another and His blood cleanses us of all sin.
As in the natural birth being born-again is just a beginning not the end. We are commanded to add some attributes to our walk. After being delivered from the lust of the world through the new birth we are to add some things to our lifestyle. This requires diligence on our part to accomplish this. If we don't add these things we are going to be out of harmony with our Lord.
1 Cor 13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
This Is What We Should Add.
Virtue – Our faith needs morality,
goodness and uprightness added to it.
Knowledge - To virtue add knowledge,
knowing the word of God and believe it to be all truth, not just part of
it. Gained by Bible study, prayer and fellowship with our Lord.
Temperance – Now we need to
add moderation, discipline and restraint in all things. Live by the Word
of God.
Patience – We should have uncomplaining
endurance in distress. Waiting on the Lord, serving with gladness of heart.
Godliness – Walking in love
for God in all things and showing it by our actions and deeds.
Brotherly Kindness – We are
to love the family of God, our brothers and sisters in Christ. Also we
are to have a godly love for the lost.
Charity – Now to all the above
we are to add charity. Charity is the bond of perfection in Christ. This
is the very nature of Christ. Charity, like grace, is unmerited favor.
Every gift of God must be operated in charity, love. God is Love.
You might ask "How do I add these?" Glad you asked! First we must be very diligent and don't give up pressing forward. When we see we don't have one of these in our life confess it to God and ask to receive it. Then began to study what the word of God has to say about it. Believe you receive it and began to walk in it. Ask our Lord for His strength to do it. We can do all things through Christ who gives us strength. Find out what God wants us to do. Pray as we study and ask for the understanding. Causing us to understand is part of the work of the Holy Spirit. He will guide us into all truth, we must let Him lead! Be patient it won't happen overnight. Never be content to not have God's best in your life.
If we add these attributes to our walk we will never fall. (Some versions say “stumble”. When you stumble you are near falling.) We will never fall; we have God's word on it. We will be given an abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
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