WISDOM FOR LIVING DAILY DEVOTIONAL
MARCH 02, 2023
TOPIC: SEVEN THINGS YOU MUST ADD TO YOUR FAITH
BY T. O. BANSO
“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” (2 Peter 1:5-7 New King James Version).
Faith is one of the most important subjects in the Bible. It is one of the three important things 1 Corinthians 13:13 talks about: “And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love” (New King James Version). Although this verse says love is the greatest of the three, it shows that faith is great. Faith is so important that the Bible says without faith, it is impossible to see the Lord (Hebrews 11:6). Also, without faith, nobody can be saved, for by grace we have been saved through faith, and that not of ourselves; it is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8).
However, as important and great as faith is, the Bible says faith is not enough. We need to add other things to our faith. Peter presupposed that the Christians he wrote to already had faith. He Peter said, “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” (2 Peter 1:5-7 New King James Version). In this passage, Peter mentioned seven things you must add to your faith.
Note the opening phrase in this verse: But also for this very reason. The New Century Version uses instead the phrase, “Because you have these blessings.” So this reason refers to the blessings the preceding verses talk about. Verses 3-4, in the New Century Version, say, “Jesus has the power of God, by which he has given us everything we need to live and to serve God. We have these things because we know him. Jesus called us by his glory and goodness. Through these he gave us the very great and precious promises. With these gifts you can share in being like God, and the world will not ruin you with its evil desires.” Because of this, we should, giving all diligence, add virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love to our faith.
Peter added that if these things were in us and were growing, we would be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. In other words, if we add them to our faith and possess them in increasing measure, they will keep us from being ineffective and unproductive in our knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
GOD’S WORD Translation renders 2 Peter 1:5-8 thus: “Because of this, make every effort to add integrity to your faith; and to integrity add knowledge; to knowledge add self-control; to self-control add endurance; to endurance add godliness;  to godliness add Christian affection; and to Christian affection add love. If you have these qualities and they are increasing, it demonstrates that your knowledge about our Lord Jesus Christ is living and productive.” The New Living Translation uses the word supplement instead of add. It says, “Supplement your faith with.” Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1). Examine your life to see if you have these qualities that Peter mentioned.
Note that this scripture, 2 Peter 1:5, says you should make every effort to add these qualities to your faith. In other words, they will not be added automatically. You will not wake up one day and see that these qualities are manifesting in your life. You must make conscious efforts to develop them. That passage says if you have them in your life in increasing measure, you will neither be barren nor unfruitful in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. It, therefore, also means that if you lack them, you will be barren and unfruitful in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is not God’s will for you.
The first thing the passage says you should add to your faith is virtue or moral excellence, as the Amplified Bible puts it. Note that you are to add to, not replace. So you don’t lose your faith to develop virtue or moral excellence. The same thing applies to other qualities mentioned. Add to each quality; one quality is not a substitute for the other. You need all to be effective and productive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Faith and virtue are not enough. You also need knowledge (insight, understanding), self-control, steadfastness or perseverance, godliness, brotherly affection or kindness, and lastly, love, which the Amplified explains as learning to unselfishly seek the best for others and to do things for their benefit. These are all important qualities a Christian must develop.
Look at knowledge for instance. Peter, in 2 Peter 3:18, prayed that the church at large would grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. You need knowledge – divine insight and understanding. Also talking about godliness, Paul says in 1 Timothy 4:8 that bodily exercise profits a little but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come. He further says in 1 Timothy 6:6 that godliness with contentment is great gain. According to Paul, one of the things a man of God must pursue is godliness (verse 11).Â
A Christian must also develop self-control, which is part of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). Leading a life without self-control is like driving a car without a brake. “A man without self-control is as defenseless as a city with broken-down walls” (Proverbs 25:28 The Living Bible). One of the features of the last days is that people will be without self-control (2 Timothy 3:3). Develop self-control.
You also need perseverance. Romans 8:25 says if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. Paul says suffering produces perseverance, and perseverance produces character (Romans 5:3-4). James 5:11 talks about the perseverance of Job. You should learn from his life.
In addition, you must cultivate brotherly affection or kindness, which is kindness for your brothers and sisters in Christ, for you belong to the same family, and God is your Father. Galatians 6:10 says, “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith” (New King James Version).
Love is the last supplement Peter mentioned. You must develop it. Paul prayed for the Thessalonians thus: “And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you” (1 Thessalonians 3:12 New King James Version). The Bible talks a lot about loving others. Jesus commanded us to love one another. “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another” (John 13:34 New King James Version). The Apostle John also says, “And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also” (1 John 4:21 New King James Version).
Love is very important. As Romans 13:10 says, love does no harm to a neighbour; therefore, love is the fulfilment of the law. Remember that love is greater than faith and hope. 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 says, “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing” (New King James Version). Walk in love with others.
You must add virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love to your faith.
TAKE ACTION!
If you are not born again, you need to give your life to Jesus now. I urge you to take the following steps: *Admit that you are a sinner and you cannot save yourself and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life – your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your life. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church. There they will teach you how to grow in the Kingdom of God.
Kindly say this prayer now: O Lord God, I come unto You today. I know I am a sinner and I cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me and God raised Him on the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I surrender my life to Jesus now and invite Him into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.
I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You will need to join a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church in your area where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like a palm tree and grow like a cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The Lord be with you.
PRAYER POINTS: Holy Spirit, help me to make every effort to add virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love to my faith. In the name of Jesus, as these qualities increase in my life, I shall not be unfruitful in my knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
(For over 900 in-depth and powerful messages by T. O. Banso, visit www.cedarministry.org).
T. O. Banso is the President of Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria.
Phone No: +2348155744752, +2348033113523
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Email: cedarministryintl@yahoo.com,
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