While we have no control over the actions, thoughts, or words of others, we do have the ability to control ourselves. This ability, however, seems to be rare. Self-control is literally the idea to control oneself. To possess self-control is to reign in one’s “emotions, impulses, or desires” (BDAG). Bringing all of these thoughts and actions under control is a challenge, but it is a necessity for the Christian. Peter writes that it is because of the knowledge God has given to us alongside His promise of eternal life that we as Christians must give “all diligence, [to] add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, [and] to knowledge self-control” (2 Pet. 1:5-6, NKJV). When we come to understand the surety of our convictions, the morals we are to live by, and grow in our knowledge of what is and is not right, working on our self-control is the next step to making our “call and election sure” (2 Pet. 1:10). To exhibit self-control is a way in which we put our faith, virtue, and knowledge into action. We trust that God’s word is right, we desire to live with all moral excellence, we know what is or is not right, so it only makes sense that we would then do what is right or restrain ourselves from doing that which is not right. Understanding self-control is one thing, but exhibiting self-control is something completely different. It is easy to know on a practical level what self-control is, but it …

                  You’re standing at the gas pump when an old friend pulls up to the pump next to you and asks, “What do you know?” Generally, our response to such a question is, “Nothing much.” But when it comes to our spiritual lives, what do we know? Hopefully, our answer to that question would be rather different. Hosea warns that when we don’t know much, destruction is imminent (Hos. 4:6). Knowledge is valuable, and knowledge is necessary in the life of a Christian. After all, Peter encourages us to put forth the effort to “add to [our] faith virtue, [and] to virtue knowledge” (2 Pet. 1:5, NKJV). When Peter says that we as Christians are to add to our knowledge, we must understand what type of knowledge he means. The knowledge in which we are to be growing is in what God has given has – “all things that pertain to life and godliness” (2 Pet. 1:3). This means that we as Christians are to grow in the knowledge of all that God has given to us through His word. Another way we might see this point being established is in the sequence that Peter gives. Our knowledge should be based on the moral excellence which we know is found in and rooted in Christ (2 Pet. 1:5). When our faith is where it should be, and we desire to be virtuous like Christ, we will then work to grow in our knowledge. Growing in the knowledge of God’s word and …

Virtue is rare, but it is a quality that we as Christians should all be striving to possess. Virtue has been described as an “uncommon character worthy of praise” and as being the marker for “excellence of character” (BDAG). Praise-worthy and excellent character ought to be the markers for the child of God – and this is exactly what Peter tells us in 2 Peter 1:5. With the right foundation and willing effort, such an uncommon characteristic ought not to be uncommon within the body of Christ Jesus. Peter tells us Christians to “add to [our] faith virtue” (2 Pet. 1:5, NKJV). As noted above, virtue is “uncommon.” Therefore, if we are looking to add virtue to our lives, we must know where to turn to find virtue. Thankfully, Peter points us in the right direction. Virtue is only going to be found through the example of Jesus – the one in whom we have faith (2 Pet. 1:3-5). With a proper conviction concerning Christ Jesus, we will come to mold our lives to His character. We will look to His example of service to grow in our service toward others (Mk. 10:45). We will look to His compassion to grow in our compassion toward others (Matt. 9:35-36). We will look to His example of faith to grow in our endurance (Heb. 12:1-2). We will look to His example of patient suffering to grow in our ability to handle persecution (1 Pet. 2:21-25). In all that Jesus did, virtue is …

The basis of our Christian growth according to Peter is our faith (2 Peter 1:5). Faith is essential to our walk with Christ – for without faith, we have no real conviction or reason to live for Him. As Christians, we must give our best effort to build upon our faith. Building upon our faith, however, requires us to have an understanding of our faith.                   According to Hebrews 11:1, “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (NASB). Faith is not a wish, nor is faith a doubt. Faith is true belief. It is true belief that can only be produced by the truth of God’s word (Rom. 10:17; Jn. 8:24; Jn. 17:17). In the case of 2 Peter 1, this true belief is in the all-sufficiency of God’s word for the knowledge of all pertaining “to life and godliness” through Jesus Christ, as well as the “exceedingly great and precious promises” concerning eternal life through Him (2 Pet. 1:3-4, NKJV). If we truly believe that we can find all the necessary knowledge for this life and for our salvation in Christ Jesus, it only makes sense that we will then wish to build upon this faith. A desire to build upon our faith is a sign of a true, living faith. The Holy Spirit reveals to us through the writing of James that “faith without works is dead” (Jas. 2:20). Even in Hebrews 11, the Hebrews writer reveals the connection between one’s …