5 ¶
And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to
virtue knowledge; (revised)
Believing is one thing but faith must put on flesh to have a
usefulness in God’s plan. As James told Jewish Christians in his letter, faith without works is dead.
James 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead,
so faith without works is dead also.
Paul made it clear that we are called to something after we
are saved.
Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ
Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in
them.
The evidence or fruit of having God’s Spirit in us, being
saved, is also made clear by Paul.
Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy,
peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is
no law. 24 And they that are Christ’s
have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in
the Spirit.
Peter here begins building on the foundation of faith, given
by God. He wants the Christian to do these things diligently, to cultivate
these traits. First, adding to the faith given to us we seek virtue, the moral
power of a changed life. Virtue is many things such as moral courage and the
courage of your convictions, not standing on them for the purpose of forcing
others to mirror you but the courage of living in the manner deliberately in which
Christ has called you to live.
Romans 6:12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal
body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. 13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments
of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are
alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
14 For sin shall not have dominion over
you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. 15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not
under the law, but under grace? God forbid. 16
Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his
servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience
unto righteousness? 17 But God be
thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart
that form of doctrine which was delivered you. 18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the
servants of righteousness.
This is very difficult for young people driven by biology
and a need for validation and love, for certain sub-cultures within our country
who regard sexual desire as a mere physical need to be satisfied, and for older
people who have become obsessed with sex as a symbol of youth and health. But,
moral virtue is fundamental to being a Christian in practice with fornication underscored
here next in the context of adultery with another person’s spouse.
1Thessalonians
4:3 For this is the will of God, even
your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: 4
That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in
sanctification and honour; 5 Not in the
lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God: 6 That no man go beyond and defraud his brother
in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also
have forewarned you and testified. 7 For
God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. 8 He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not
man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit.
Knowledge here, because of the context, must be linked to
the knowledge of Christ in verse 3. This was a desire of Paul which he expressed in 1Corinthians and
Philippians.
1Corinthians 13:12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then
face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am
known.
Philippians 3:9 ¶ And be found in him, not having mine own
righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of
Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 10 That I may know him, and the power of his
resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto
his death; 11 If by any means I might attain
unto [understand as in Psalm 139:6 and Proverbs 1:5] the resurrection of the dead. 12 Not as
though I had already attained, either were already perfect [complete in understanding as in Col. 4:12 and
2Chronicles 8:16]: but I follow after, if
that I may apprehend [to know,
as in contrast to know in verse 10] that
for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. 13 Brethren, I count not
myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things
which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I
press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
The knowledge
of Christ is attained by prayerfully reading the Bible and submitting to Him
and His authority over you and by exercising your faith in the practice of
virtue which requires a conscious rejection of sin and its hold over your body
and your mind.
Added to the faith which came from God is virtue or a desire
to do right by God and then seeking the knowledge of Christ and His will for
your life. How can you know Christ if you hold His standard for your life in
utter contempt by your behavior?
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