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Add To Your Faith
Add To Your Faith
“For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” – 2 Peter 1:8
In 2 Peter 1:5-7 we are instructed to diligently add to our faith seven qualities. If we want to be fruitful we
should pay special attention to these attributes to add to our faith. Here is a list of verses which, in my mind, exemplifies each attribute of Peter’s list. I would encourage you to make your own compilation of verses that exemplify each characteristic as you diligently add them to your faith.
Virtue
“Abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation” (1 Peter 2:12).
Virtue is behavior showing high moral standards. If you claim to have faith in God then there is a standard you should be living up to. By living with virtue and moral excellence, the people around you should be able to see your faith.
Knowledge
“They have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge” (Romans 10:2).
What is the point of zeal if it is not according to knowledge? If you were the most excited and energetic player on the baseball field it would not do you any good if you did not know how to play baseball. If we have zeal for God but do not really know His righteousness, then we will not be fruitful in our faith.
Self-Control
“Whoever has no rule over his own spirit is like a city broken down, without walls” (Proverbs 25:28). This proverb makes it clear what a life without self-control will look like. You will not have protection from your surroundings, and your surroundings are probably going to make you more like the world instead of more like God. Protect your faith by having self-control.
Perseverance
“For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise” (Hebrews 10:36).
Persevering and enduring in our faith is important because it shows we believe what we are waiting for is worth it. If you got tired of having faith after a day then you might not really believe in the value of what you are doing. Persevere in your faith.
Godliness
“For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come” (1 Timothy 4:8).
Many people devote lots of time and effort to bodily exercise that profits only a little. As Christians we should be so much more devoted to godliness since it is profitable for all things.
Brotherly Kindness
“Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith” (Galatians 6:10).
Showing kindness to brethren should be part of our faith in God. If our faith is in a God who is kind to us then we should treat His people with the same kindness.
Love
“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love” (1 John 4:7-8).
Love is the ultimate result of faith. Why? Because our faith is to a God who is love. A life that does not show love probably does not have faith in the God who is love.
Examine these attributes in your life. Make every effort to be increasing in these qualities to be fruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
– William Speer
