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. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fail. For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. — 2 Peter 1:5-11
A long time ago, I remember having a conversation with one of my best friends in high school. We were talking about life after death and he said something to the effect of, “When I die, I will go to heaven.” At the time, I marveled and questioned how he could be so sure. A year later, had I had the same conversation, I would have replied, “Me too.” I think every believer has a moment of doubt every now and again, but a Christian who believes and practices his belief can be sure of the salvation provided by his savior. This section of 2 Peter addresses this issue in detail.
Context: In verses 3-4, Peter has just stated that God blesses his followers with everything they need to completely follow Christ. So now he says that “for this very reason” we should “supplement [our] faith with virtue.” Why? “They will keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful” and to “make your calling and election sure.”
Salvation is Assured
There are those who would use this passage to say that salvation is something we must work at. They believe that we must in our own free will participate and hold fast to our salvation. However, I think it’s pretty clear that this is not what Peter is referring to. I have two reasons for this.
- In verse 9, Peter equates failure to “supplement” these things with blindness rather than death, the spiritual state of someone who is not saved.
- In verse 10, Peter uses terms that indicate failure here leads to sin and assuring oneself, not death.
Peter seems to be pretty circumspect if he’s trying to say this is a salvation issue. Instead, he’s speaking to those who have been elected and telling them to seize the assurance of election by embracing these qualities.
This leads to a very practical conclusion. If you believe, you must act like you believe if you want to be sure of it. As James put it, “Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” (James 2:18) Not only does doing so help us to grow in the knowledge of Christ, but it helps us to be more confident in that knowledge.
Qualities of Assurance
So what are these qualities? Let’s look at each:
Faith: “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. … By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.” (Hebrews 11:1,3) This is the foundation of all Christian quality and virtue. Without faith, you are not a believer and can do nothing at all that pleases God. “For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.” (Romans 14:23b)
Virtue: This term is translated “moral excellence” in the New American Standard Bible. It indicates a life lived with great virtue. Christian virtues include “love, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23)
Knowledge: “Make me know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths.” (Psalm 25:4) Virtuous and faithful knowledge is of great worth (Philippians 3:8) and such knowledge comes grows out of faith and virtue. (Proverbs 9:10)
Self-control: Self-control means “being sober-minded” and not being “conformed to the passions of your former ignorance.” (1 Peter 1:13-14) Know your sins and resist temptation. Pray for the strength to overcome and grace will be provided. (1 Corinthians 10:13)
Steadfastness: Sometimes this is called “perseverance.” This indicates the ability to patiently endure trial and still hold fast to your virtue. (James 1:2-3)
Godliness: “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.” (Ephesians 5:1) It is said that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. When talking about God, flattery is called worship. Attempt to be as perfect as you can.
Brotherly Affection: While the virtue of godliness is vertical to God. This is performing the same act horizontally. This is the second great command, “love your neighbor as yourself.” (Leviticus 19:18; Matthew 22:39)
Love: “For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Galatians 5:14) Love is the capstone and chief of all virtues. Love can be used to describe the essence of all other virtue and a mature believer can term all acts of virtue in how they show love to others and most especially to God.
Our pastor, Bob Flack, recently defined love as “continuing to seek my joy by pursuing God’s best for another person regardless of the cost to me.” Love is both the most fundamental virtue and a fitting end to this list.
Practice Virtue and…
Practice virtue and you may become assured of your salvation. If you have been saved by Christ, your salvation cannot be taken away at all. As Paul said, “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rules, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39) Yet, you may forget the great gift of salvation if you fail to practice your faith.
Cheers.
