Make Every Effort to Add…

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.

All these qualities – goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, love – they do not “grow on trees” for us to just pick.  They do not fall from heaven.  I remember a story I heard of how a young boy slept with his bible under his pillow hoping that God’s Word would enter his mind while asleep.  This, sadly, is how many Christians hope the Christian life will come to them.  Oh, they know that the qualities above need to be seen in their life.  It’s just that they want them to come by magic.

Peter said “make every effort to add…”.  The Greek word used here literally means “speed”, with eagerness, with earnestness.  The picture here is someone diligently performing his work or duty.  And this is how God wants to see His children – diligently, earnestly, and eagerly adding to their faith the Christ-like qualities that the Holy Spirit has placed in our hearts and need to be seen, practiced in our life.

We cannot lazily walk the Christian life and expect victory.  If we put no effort whatsoever into bringing these qualities in our life then they will not be seen.  When we are faced with temptation we need to make every effort to fight it.  When faced with trials we need to make every effort to hold on to God and trust Him.  When faced with conflict we need to make every effort to respond with Christ-likeness.

Paul said it in another way:

Philippians 2:12-13 (NIV)
12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed--not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence--continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,
13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.

We are to work out our salvation, the salvation we already have in Jesus Christ, but needs to be seen in our lives.  The word “work out” always entails effort, diligence, hard work.

Why work out?  Because God is working in us (verse 13).  Peter reminded us that everything we need for life and godliness has been given us (2 Peter 1:3), because our Lord Himself has indwelt us, and He Himself is working out these things in us.  All He is asking is that we work them out, make every effort, to add His character, His qualities, into our lives.