Moral Excellencies

But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

2 Peter 1:5-8

 

 

The Christian life is not lived to God's glory without effort—an effort that produces godly fruit. Having God-given blessings and abundance of divine grace calls for total dedication—giving maximum effort to live a life for God's glory. Even though God has poured His divine power into us, we are to make a disciplined effort alongside what God has done (See Philippians 2:12-13; Colossians 1:27-29) to live a God glorifying life.

 

For this reason then, as we live out God glorifying lives we will see added to our lives faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love.

 

The word "add" in this Scripture is to give lavishly and generously. In Greek culture, the word was used for a choirmaster who was responsible for supplying everything that was needed for his choir. The word never meant to equip sparingly, but to supply lavishly for a noble performance. Knowing this we realize that God has given us faith and all the grace necessary for godliness to live a diligently devoted life to Him.

 

As we read in this Scripture we find a list of moral excellencies to guide us in our devotion to live God glorifying lives and they are as follows:

 

 

• Virtue – In classic Greek this word meant the God-given ability to perform heroic deeds. It also came to mean the quality of life which made someone stand out as excellent. It never meant cloistered virtue, or virtue of attitude, but virtue which is demonstrated in ones life. Here in this particular Scripture virtue is referred to as moral energy, the power to perform deeds of excellence.
• Knowledge – This means having understanding, correct insight, truth properly comprehended and applied. This involves being involved in constant study and pursuit of truth in the Word of God.
• Self-control – Literally meaning to hold oneself in. In the day and age this Scripture was written, self-control was used of athletes who were to be self-restrained and self-disciplined. Thus, a Christian is to control the flesh, the passions, and the bodily desires, rather than allowing them to be in control.
• Perseverance – This is patience or endurance in doing what is right, never giving in to temptation or trail. Perseverance is that strong spiritual staying power that will die before it gives in. It is a quality which can endure, not simply with resignation, but with a vibrant hope.
• Godliness – To be godly is to live reverently, loyally, and obediently towards God. As Christians we have every necessary spiritual resource to manifest and sustain perfect godly living.
• Brotherly Kindness – This means having a brotherly affection and mutual sacrifice for one another.
• Love – This form of love means having more concern with giving than receiving.

 

To not find these qualities actively growing in our lives is to be compared to barrenness—inactive, indolent, or useless. However, with these qualities cultivated and increased in our lives, as Christians, we will not be found useless, ineffective or unproductive.

 

We need to continue to be diligently devoted to God by living out the moral excellences—virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love—which are manifested in the life of every Christian by the power of God in us as we seek to live God glorifying lives.