A Faith As Precious As Ours
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:
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 a godly life through our
knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he
has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may
participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world
caused by evil desires.
For this very reason,
make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;
and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to
perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual
affection, love. 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.
But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they
have been cleansed from their past sins.
Therefore, my
brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election.
For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich
welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
2 Peter
1:1-11
The apostle Peter had
a list of Christian qualities. We should be mindful of them. He encouraged
believers to add to their life of faith with these qualities.
Virtue –
Fulfilling God’s design for a life with moral excellence. Knowledge – Studying God’s Word to gain wisdom to combat falsehood.
Self-control – Revering God so much
that we choose godly behavior. Perseverance
– Having a hopeful attitude even in difficulties because we’re confident in
God’s character. Godliness – Honoring
the Lord in every relationship in life. Brotherly
kindness – Displaying a warmhearted affection to
fellow believers. Love – Sacrificing
for the good of others. Develop these qualities in increasing measure and
integrate them into every part of our life.
Godly
exercise is the key to godly character.
Our Daily Bread –