“For this very reason make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love,” (2 Peter 1: 5-7).
Faith is the foundation of the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. When we received him as our Lord and saviour, we began to have a relationship with him. We began to know him simply because we believed (had faith) in him. “But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave them power to become children of God,” (John 1:12).
Through him we have become children of God. More than anything we have become friends with him because we believed in him. Knowing him is not enough though if it is not effective and does not bear fruits.
Jesus said, “You did not choose me but I chose you that you should go and bear fruits and that your fruit should abide (last) so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.” (John 15:16).
Peter presents seven qualities that are needed to supplement our faith in Jesus Christ. “For if these things are yours and abound, they keep you from being ineffective and unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ,” (2 Peter 1: 8).
The seven qualities are:
1) Virtue (goodness/righteousness)
2) Knowledge
3) Self-control
4) Steadfastness (perseverance)
5) Godliness (Holiness)
6) Brotherly affection (kindness)
7) Love
The important thing to note is that Peter presents these qualities as building blocks, with faith as foundation of everything. In other words faith is the root of our knowledge and as you grow in knowing him you develop each quality and grow deeper into knowing him thus bearing fruits.
In the next discussions we will look at each quality and draw some lessons from Jesus’ teachings and his life with regards to each quality.
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