2 Peter 1:5: For This Very Reason, Make Every Effort To Supplement Your Faith With Virtue, And Virtue With Knowledge

2 Peter 1:5

[5] For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, (ESV)

This phrase, "for this very reason," refers us back to verses 3 and 4 which inform us that God's divine power has given us everything that we need, including his promises which secure our salvation. Because we have received such an amazing gift from God himself, we ought to respond by using what God has given in such a way that God is glorified, and the world around us takes notice.

There are far too many Christians who are content to claim eternal life, while living a lazy, sinful, life on this earth. What Peter is saying here is in great contradiction to a casual approach to a Christian walk. We are to make every effort. It should be our lifetime ambition to use God's gifts to be a better disciple of Jesus. Yes, you have a faith in God for salvation. Now, Peter tells us things to add to that faith.

We should add virtue. This word in the greek speaks of that quality of effort that creates great heroes. It is a good thing to look in Scripture and read of all the heroes of the faith. In Hebrews 11 there is a list of men and women who lived heroic lives of great virtue. We are all called to be heroes. Not everyone lives a heroic life. The fault is not the Lord's. We are admonished here in 2 Peter to add virtue to our faith.

Knowledge is to be added to our virtue. We have no excuse to be without knowledge. Not only has God given us salvation. He has given us his Word. It is in the Bible that we find the knowledge of God. By faithful study we are able to learn how to discern truth and apply it. We cannot possibly fulfill this command of Scripture that Peter is giving if we ignore the reading and study of Scripture.

Do you see yourself as a hero? Are you full of knowledge? If these do not describe your current Christian life, that can change today! Devote yourself to the work of applying God's gifts to your life and pursuing virtue and knowledge.