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Timothy Maas
Supporter
As the Bible makes clear in passages such as Ephesians 2:8-9, salvation and eternal life are by God's grace. However, the eternal rewards that each redeemed believer will receive from God will be based on the degree to which he or she puts that faith into practice. This should not be viewed as a burden, but as a joyful opportunity to thank God for His mercy, and should also serve as a powerful incentive for believers to maximize their personal witness in order to be able to ultimately hear the words, "Well done, good and faithful servant" (Matthew 25:23).
Donna Williams
Supporter
Dear Anonymous, the Apostle Peter is not talking about self effort. In my opinion he makes it very clear that he is speaking about the believers' intimate relationship with Jesus Christ and God our Father. That same union or oneness that He taught His disciples about in John chapter 15. Peter is saying that we have already been equipped with everything that we need to become more like Christ as we grow in our relationship with Him. The more we grow in the knowledge of who He is, the more we will grow in displaying His divine nature. As we continue to abide in Him, we will continue to grow in the fruit of the Spirit. Jesus said, in John 15:4-5: "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in Me. "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." It is the Holy Spirit who is at work within us to produce the virtues mentioned in 2Peter 1:5-7.
Leslie Coutinho
Supporter
2 Peter 1:5: And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge. Today, one needs to have the divine nature to “seek the kingdom of God,” and then all things shall be added unto you. For when He cometh, shall find you watching, for he shall then gird himself and make you sit down to eat, and shall come and serve you. For then one needs to discern, for He shall then come in the second watch and the third watch to find those who then began to watch, for then be aware at that time you may have a thief who may come to break down your house. One needs to then be with diligence for the “Son of men,” cometh at an hour when ye think not. (Lk 12:31,37-40) Therefore, lay not up for yourself treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt and where thieves break through and steal. Lay up for yourself treasures in heaven, where your treasure is, there will your heart be to seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. (Mat 6:19-21,33) One who then has a virtue, that is, an asset of their possessions of knowledge that is given unto you to bear fruit, needs to be aware that you are the “branch of the True Vine.” Lord Jesus is the true vine, and God the Father is the husbandman of the tree. Every branch that beareth not fruit is then taken away, and every branch that beareth fruit, is purged that it may bring forth more fruit. One needs to abide in Him, our Lord Jesus, for He shall then abide in you, as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself; one needs to abide in the vine, for then you shall bring much fruit. (John 15:1-2) Being the branch that beareth fruit, giving all diligence to your faith, virtue, and knowledge, you shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. The efforts that one needs to have, need to be aware of, the ones who stand before you, as they were before among people, false prophets, false teachers. For those who brought privily damnable heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, who then brought upon themselves swift destruction. (2 Pet 1:6-8,2:1) One having the spirit of thoroughness, which is diligence, is an asset of knowledge. This asset leads one to walk in the light as He is in the light, leading us to have fellowship one with another, as His blood, our Lord Jesus the Son, the living God the Father cleanses us from all sins. Walking in the light, one then needs to confess their sins, for “He is Faithful and Just to Forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, for His Word then shall not be in you. (1 John 1:7,8,9) It is therefore to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud. The heart of the wise shall then teach his mouth and will addeth, learning to their lips. (Pro 16:19,23) Therefore, be aware that we see today the “latter time has begun,” as the Spirit has revealed, “some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of the devils. Speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their conscience seared with a hot iron.” (1 Tim 4:1-2) Proverbs 16:7: When a man’s ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.
Jeffrey Johnson
Supporter
2 Peter 1:5: Yes, for this very reason, by YOUR contributing in response all earnest effort, supply to YOUR faith virtue, to [YOUR] virtue knowledge. [Emphasis added by the author] If you wanted to increase that knowledge, what would you do? Albert Einstein once used such an illustration to make the point that scientists have not really increased very much in knowledge of the universe and certainly very little about the One who created it. And - Dr. Lewis Thomas wrote: “The greatest single achievement of science in this most scientifically productive of centuries is the discovery that we are profoundly ignorant; we know very little about nature and we understand even less.” Many experts in the field of education know the value of timely and purposeful repetition. This is not a mere parroting of words, which you may have tried in school while learning some name, fact, or idea by rote. How many times have you done that, and then, through time, you have forgotten what you had learned? According to what Peter wrote, it should be different with Christians, back then and now. He urges us to supply to our faith the knowledge that would help us to avoid being inactive or unfruitful. (2 Peter 1:5, 8) For this to prove true in our case, we must want to grow in that knowledge and want to have it affect us down deep, touching our inmost self, in other words, our hearts. What we learn will more readily stay with us and be useful if we use and talk to others about God's Word. Remember, the more we talk about things, the more we will remember, plus we need to enjoy our Bible reading, and that will aid in remembering as well: And once we get into a good routine, wholesome habits become easier—especially when we taste the benefits. And Peter closed his second letter: “Go on growing in the undeserved kindness and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity.”—2 Peter 3:18. Conclusion: How much "effort" does the Christian life require (2 Peter 1:5)? Peter closed his second letter: “Go on growing in the undeserved kindness and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity.”—2 Peter 3:18.
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