And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and brotherly kindness charity.
Faith is a gift from God, but it is also a thing that we are called to diligently work at and improve. In fact, these verses on diligence are further informed by verse 10 of the same chapter where our diligence is said to be the means of making "our calling and election sure. " That is, when faith, virtue (moral fortitude), knowledge (gained through experience), self-control, patient endurance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love to abound in our lives, it is the fruit of righteousness that helps assure our hearts that indeed we are God's children and will enter his everlasting kingdom (verse 11).
Lord, we take seriously your command to strive diligently after godliness and all Christian virtues in our daily walk. We know that you do not desire our faith to remain "alone, " but that it should be accompanied by all Christian graces. We are encouraged to know that you will help us and guide us as we grow in all of these areas, step by step. Amen.
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