Hard work can be a welcomed challenge to some. There are those who enjoy exerting and exhausting themselves over a job. They find great satisfaction in knowing that something good was accomplished by the sweat of their brow. At the same time, there are those who seem to be allergic to hard work. Any effort at all is unenjoyable and creates more problems than it solves. When it comes to Christianity, we need those who are willing to work hard. In fact, Peter tells us by inspiration that if we are to excel in our Christian walk, we must apply “all diligence” (2 Pet. 1:5, NKJV).
To give “all diligence” is to put forth some hard work. If one has “all diligence,” he will have a certain eagerness and great desire to tackle whatever task might be thrown his way. It is the quality that is demanded of us all as Christians (cf. Rom. 12:11). This effort exerted by the hardworking Christian, however, merits nothing. Jesus would say concerning the labor done by the child of God that we “have done what was our duty to do” (Lk. 17:10). In other words, hard work is merely what a Christian does.
There is a misconception by some that we work with “all diligence” so that we can be saved. No amount of hard work will save us – “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Eph. 2:8-9). This fact is not foreign to 2 Peter. Just before Peter tells the Christians to give “all diligence,” he tells them it is to be done “for this very reason” (2 Pet. 1:5). Looking in the context, the reason given that we as Christians ought to put forth a diligent effort is because we have been given all that we need and we have been given the great hope and promise that we “may be partakers of the divine nature” (2 Pet. 1:3-4).
God has given us so much. He has blessed us so richly, and He has provided us with the knowledge and hope of His son. If we realize what God has so graciously given to us, we will find motivation to give “all diligence” to growing in our Christian lives. Lord willing, over the next several weeks, we will take the opportunity in these bulletin articles to examine 2 Peter 1:5-7 to see where we as Christians ought to be putting forth our best effort to grow.
By Preston McElyea