Add to Your Faith
by Edwin Crozier
via Read the Bible, Make Disciples
Text: II Peter 1.
Because God has given us everything we need to become partakers of His divine nature, we need not sit on our hands moping that we cannot be with or become like God. No doubt, our efforts alone would always fail to bring us into fellowship and communion with God. But our efforts are not alone. They are multiplied by God’s divine power and precious promises. Therefore, we should make every effort to imitate Jesus and grow in spiritual maturity.
Peter provides a road map to fruitful, effective maturity. We begin with the foundation of faith. Understand that this faith is not merely mental assent to facts about Jesus. This is trust in Jesus as Savior and allegiance to Jesus as the Lord Christ. Faith is not the capstone of maturity, but the beginning. Peter instructs us to add virtue. In today’s world, we read “virtue” and think simply of good works or moral works. We think this all the more because some translate the word here as “moral excellence.” To the ancient mind, “virtue” was so much more. Virtue is the idea of orderly, right conduct that provides the greatest benefit not only for the individual but also for the community. Though included, virtue would not simply be doing the moral thing in any given moment. Rather, it would be leading a well-ordered life, with well-ordered thinking, speech, behavior, and relations. Of course, we model this well-ordered life after Jesus’s own virtue or excellence as II Peter 1:3 implies.
As we imitate Jesus’s virtue, we develop a cyclical interaction with knowledge. That is, the better we know Jesus, the greater our virtue. The more we imitate Jesus’s virtues, the greater our knowledge. Recognizing this cycle demonstrates, as others have said, that maturity in Christ includes knowing the Word of God, but progresses to knowing the God of the Word.
Self-control is perhaps the most difficult characteristic to fit into this list. After all, we turned to Christ precisely because we have been so bad at self-control. We turn to Him for God's control. But maturity in Christ is not handing ourselves over as automatons to be manipulated and manually directed in God’s ways. We turn to God to work within us so that we ourselves will learn to value what He values, prioritize what He prioritizes, and want what He wants. Through love for Him, we learn to say “No” to our sinful and corrupt desires. Yes, that will always be a process of growth. Yes, we will have to pray for God’s strength to fully accomplish that. But maturity is not simply asking God to take over against our will, but asking God to grow our will to align with His so He doesn’t have to take over, but we freely submit.
A moment of self-control here and there is possible for nearly anyone, even the least mature. Maturity means stringing together those moments of self-control, even in the face of opposition. Therefore, we add steadfastness. That is endurance, perseverance, and patience. We do not rest on the laurels of past victories, but use those victories to propel us forward to more and greater victories by the strength and grace of Jesus Christ.
We do not add self-control and steadfastness, however, to attract praise for our strength. After all, if God had not provided what was needed for this maturity, our diligent efforts would accomplish nothing. Therefore, no matter what victories we attain, we add godliness. We add piety. We add an awe-filled respect for God. The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. It is also the means by which we maintain the proper respect for Him and dependence on Him as we grow in maturity.
Our relationship with God is not merely about our relationship with God. We cannot claim godliness if we ignore or disdain God’s children. We grow in our relationship with God as we grow in our relationship with His family. We add brotherly love. Our allegiance to Christ extends to His family and kingdom. Our well-ordered living grows into well-ordered relationships with God’s children. Our self-control and steadfastness become patient kindness, compassion, tender-heartedness, and even forgiveness toward our fellow family members.
Finally, we add the capstone: love. As Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount, our goal is to be perfect, complete, wholly mature like our Father (see Matthew 5:43-48). The goal of all our instruction is, as Paul told Timothy, “love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith” (see I Timothy 1:5, ESV). Maturity is not demonstrated by mere doctrinal correctness. It is demonstrated through relationships with God and others. It is demonstrated by loving as God teaches and as God loves.
If you are like me, this list is overwhelming. You and I are a long way from true maturity at any point on this list, let alone the list as a whole. Take comfort. Peter says, “If these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (II Peter 1:8, ESV). Not if these qualities are perfectly yours. If they are yours and are increasing. If my virtue increases tomorrow, that means I lack some virtue today. Once again, Scripture demonstrates the main concern is not what level of maturity we have today, but which direction we are growing.
As we said earlier, we do not need to be overwhelmed by this list. God has given us everything we need to grow in it. Our diligent effort brings maturity not because we are so good at growing, but because God is working with us, in us, and through us to grow as we give our diligent effort.
What are your plans today to be diligent in these qualities today? Perhaps you can pick one quality to meditate on today and consider how to be diligent in it. Let us know in the comments below your suggestion for growing in diligence in one of these characteristics.
