Second Epistle of Peter
COURAGE AND KNOWLEDGE
Scripture Reading: 2 Peter 1:5 (KJV)
The first four verses of our chapter tell of the many blessings we receive from the hand of the Lord. The third verse speaks of the divine power by which has been given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness. The fourth verse tells of the many exceeding great and precious promises, and how we have been made partakers of the divine nature. Now verses 5, 6 and 7 tell us that because of these blessings, we should give forth every effort to develop a string of seven lovely characteristics. It is pictured as our responsibility to see to it that these excellences are forthcoming. He has done so much for us and certainly, we should do what we can to help along in the situation. "For this very reason do your best to add to your faith manliness, and to manliness knowledge"
(Montgomery translation).
"giving all diligence"
"Diligence" is a word which Peter uses often. In 2 Peter 1:10 we have, "Give diligence to make your calling and election sure"; and in 2 Peter 3:14, "Be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot and blameless." The word translated "endeavour" in 2 Peter 1:15 is the same word in the Greek. He also uses it in 1 Peter 1:10.
The first thought in the word translated "diligence" is haste or speed. So we could translate our verse, "Besides this, giving all haste, add to your faith virtue." It also has the sense of earnestness, and applying ourselves to a matter with all effort and zeal. It further speaks of active, close, steady application to any matter.
With some Christians there is a great contrast between their business life and their spiritual life. In business matters they are all zeal and ardor, but in matters of the Lord they are very slow, lax, and careless. There is order in the office, but disorder in the meetings of the church. It is indeed sad to see some Christians consume their energies and time on trifles and show little or no diligence in the things of God. So many of us are like the wicked servant of Matthew 25:24-30, who had a talent given him by his Lord, but hid it in the ground instead of using it to gain other talents.
What a blessing it would be if all Christians were diligent in their Christianity. Who knows how many souls would be won if we were all awake and looking for opportunities to speak for Christ. How alert a salesman is to find prospects for his goods. We need more Christians with the same alertness, daring to venture for Christ. Our portion especially mentions diligence in connection with the development of Christian character. To become Christ-like and battle against sin within ourselves we need a fixed purpose. Diligence makes for growth spiritually, just as physical exercise causes our muscles to grow and become strong. A diligent Christian who starts out with Christ, trusting and obeying Him for all things, is sure to be a successful Christian. An old but true saying: "If Christianity is worth anything, it is worth everything." Let us put our all into it. If the virtues of this and the next two verses are to be attained, we must give "all diligence." They cannot be attained without a struggle.
"add to your faith"
The word translated "add" in our verse is a long one in the original. It literally means "furnish beside." It is a term usually applied to music and refers to different parts of a band or choir. "Faith" would be the leader of the choir and each virtue, like a member of it, or a part of a grand song. "Add in your faith" would be better than "to your faith." A good translation would be "provide in your faith, virtue, etc." To our faith we are to add one excellency after another, as a builder adds stone to stone in a building. Perhaps it would be better to picture it as growth, as a plant adds cell to cell. The apostle desires that we be like a growing tree with faith as the seed from which the other virtues spring.
"faith"
All the excellent qualities which the Lord desires us to provide are based on faith. Faith is assumed to be in each of Peter's readers. This certainly is a foundation stone of Christianity. Faith in the Lord Jesus is what causes us to seek out the Lord and to say, "Speak Lord and I will obey; lead and I will follow." It is faith in the Lord Jesus that causes us to obey Him and be born again. Without faith in Jesus Christ none are Christians at all; without faith there can be no beginning of life, and consequently no further growth. However, faith does not stop with trusting and obeying the Lord pertaining to salvation; it should continue on and grow, and from it should bud all other Christian virtues. Faith not only links a sinner to Christ, but it provides power to develop other excellences. It is the foundation on which the other virtues are built. We should not be content with the foundation alone; surely we want a lovely superstructure.
Faith is very important subject and much could be written on it. We find it everywhere in the New Testament, also in the Old Testament, only there the word "trust" is used more often to express the same thought. God makes it the beginning because its opposite, "unbelief," in Adam and Eve was the beginning of sin. It is naturally the beginning, too. A child has faith in parents before learning to walk or talk. Faith in God also puts confidence in His Word, causing us to obey what it says and do the work of the Lord as taught us in that Word. It’s like a telescope which brings near the glories of heaven. If faith is strong we will be able to overcome the world, sin, and the devil.
"add to your faith virtue"
The first of the seven virtues which are to bud out from faith is "virtue." The word "virtue" has degenerated to mean mostly just "chastity." We also apply the word to any lovely characteristic. For instance we say, "That man has many virtues," meaning "good qualities." It originally meant manliness, courage, valor, vigor or energy. It has also been described as "Christian fortitude" or "energetic faith."
Some might wonder why virtue is the first excellency we are asked to add to our faith. Probably many would put knowledge first, but Peter puts it second. Much knowledge without manliness or courage to speak and to live for Christ is of little value. Faith should affect our lives before we can acquire great knowledge of the things of the Lord. Courage can be quickly acquired and used after salvation, but knowledge is a much slower process. One may know very little of the Bible and yet speak for Christ and live for Him too. The story is told of one new Christian who could neither read nor write. But his zeal and courage brought others to Christ. He slowly began to learn how to read and write saying, "I must learn how to teach others about Jesus."
The story is also told of an illiterate man was saved and then taught to read the Bible by his wife. He was known as a courageous Christian because when he saw a group of people along the road, he would often stop his truck, roll down the window, and speak about Jesus. Knowledge is excellent if it’s added to courage, but alone, apart from courage, it is quite useless.
All great men of God were men of courage. This is true of historical heroes as well as Biblical. There are so many like Daniel who could be named who dared to stand for God.
Almost every Bible character of any note demonstrated bravery. Think of Abraham, how he dared leave his home city, Ur of Chaldees, and go to a land which he knew not. Think of Elijah, who dared tell wicked Ahab of the drought which was coming, and then face him again and all the prophets of Baal after those terrible three and a half years. Besides
Daniel, think of his three friends who refused to bow before Nebuchadnezzar's image even in danger of the fiery furnace. Then we could mention Joseph, Joshua, David, and many other Old Testament men.
The New Testament also abounds with accounts of real heroes of faith. John the Baptist feared not the wrath of Herodias and King Herod, even though it meant imprisonment and death. There never were more valiant men than Peter, Paul, and the other apostles. Paul lists some of the things he had to undergo in 2 Corinthians 11. As in all other excellences, none ever exceeded the Lord Jesus. He set His face like a flint to go to Jerusalem and the cross.
It took real courage for the early Christians to trust and obey Christ. To do so meant persecution, perhaps bodily injury, imprisonment, or even death. We see examples of this in the book of Acts and also in later church history. Some could not be intimidated by the threat of death, nor could anything stop them from living for Christ and witnessing for Him. Some were ordered not to speak or teach in the name of the Lord Jesus, but like Peter and the other apostles, they replied, "We ought to obey God rather than men" (Acts 5:29).
Many things require Christian courage today. It takes a courageous person to follow Christ. The world offers many allurements and temptations and it takes courage to say "No." Moses had opportunity to be a great man in Egypt. His fleshly nature would say, "Moses, take it," but he had the courage to say "No," choosing rather to serve the Lord and His people (Heb. 11:24-26). No doubt it was a difficult decision to make, but he chose against the flesh and the world. If we would be well pleasing to the Lord we, too, must deny self and walk with Him.
Unexpected trials come; we must learn to bear up under these bravely. Satan will at times thrust in his fiery darts to hinder us. It may be necessary to endure difficulties, sickness, and pain. The Lord may call us to some hard and difficult service. We must bravely go forward in spite of any hindrance or danger.
Some Christians are too cowardly to witness for Christ, or to live for Him. Such are lowly esteemed by the Lord, and will miss great reward in eternity. "The fear of man bringeth a snare" (Prov. 29:25). It was this fear of man that caused Pilate to condemn the Lord Jesus. This also caused Peter to deny Him. It is this same fear of man which causes some to fail utterly in their Christian life. In a considerable number of cases, Christianity today is the home of the sick and disabled, rather than the home of the brave and the strong. "The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion" (Prov. 28:1).
Strong faith will naturally inspire bravery. It knows that the Lord is in all, behind all, and above all. It also knows that "all things work together for good to them that love God" (Rom. 8:28). Faith assures us that in the end our enemies will be defeated and in Christ we already have the victory. Like Jacob, it is weak faith that says, "All these things are against me" (Gen. 42:36). The strong faith says, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" (Phil. 4:13).
"and...to virtue knowledge"
This is the third time in these first five verses that Peter brings in knowledge. In verses 2 and 3 he speaks of knowing God and our Lord Jesus Christ. It is first of all necessary to know Christ in this personal way. To this knowledge of Christ we must add knowledge of His Word. No doubt, it is this aspect of knowledge which we have in our fifth verse. We must first of all be brave Christians to speak and live for Christ, but it is likewise important to have a good understanding of the Word and spiritual matters. Some of the Lord's people do not read the Bible enough; consequently they do not know it as they should. Too many of us depend too much upon a preacher or teacher, thus not studying the Word for ourselves. When the preacher or teacher goes wrong, they go wrong with him. Every Christian should seek to have a thorough knowledge of the whole Bible. As time goes by, we should find new height, depths and breadths in the wonderful Word of the Lord.
Unless we know the Word of God, we cannot know the will of God for our lives. We cannot live for Him unless we know from His Word how He expects us to regulate our lives. However, some seem convince themselves that they know the Word while making little or no attempt to live according to it. The main purpose in knowing the Word is that we might know how to live to please Him. Our every step should be guided by His Word. As we are ready to act on the Word, the Lord will enlighten us further as to its meaning. "If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine" (John 7:17).
