2 Peter 1:5-7
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Today’s Bible verse is
2 Peter 1:5-7 (NIV)
5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.
Let’s read the verse in context:
2 Peter 1:1-11 (NIV)
1 Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours: 2 Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. 10 Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Today’s Quiet Time with God
I really enjoy the progression in today’s verse. The goal of our lives as believers is to become more like Jesus. He is the model of humanity as God intended it to be. Today’s passage highlights the characteristics along the way. It all starts with Faith. Faith is the foundation. To our faith we need to grow into the following seven characteristics.
1. To our faith we should add goodness (literally, “moral excellency,” or “virtue”).
2. Then comes knowledge, not as in an intellectual pursuit but spiritual knowledge which comes from the Spirit to illuminate the Word of God.
3. Self control is the ability to keep our passions under control with the help of the Spirit.
4. Next we add perseverance. Perseverance is steadfast endurance under adversity, without giving in or giving up.
5. Godliness refers to our reverence of God
6. The first five characteristics pertain to our inner life and our relationship to God. The last two relate to others. Brotherly kindness is demonstrated in a practical caring of others.
7. Love in this instance is the word Agape. This is the kind of love God exhibits toward us, an amazing unconditional love. It is this knd of love that needs to flow through us and splash on to the lives of others.
This list starts with faith and ends with love. It is a beautiful picture of how the Spirit of God transforms us. Always yield to what the Holy Spirit is doing in your life, you will be blessed as you do!
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