Wednesday, 17 March 2021

Add virtue

 

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

 

As Peter begins his second letter, he introduces the importance of growing in our Christian lives.

 

We lays the foundation of faith for us to build on and he tells us things that we need to give ourselves diligently to as we build on that foundation.

 

The first thing he mentions, which seems a little strange, is virtue. Virtue is one of those that we are told to think about and put into action in Philippians 4. The Greek word used here means ‘moral excellency, perfection, goodness of action.’

 

This both a heart attitude and outward action. The word virtue is originally tied to godliness. That makes sense. Godliness and goodness are tied together.

 

I think this comes early in the list because all of the rest of the list could be seen as virtues on their own. True faith is going to involve a change. True faith works.

 

If virtue is my standard of my faith, how much faith do I really have. 

 

Lord, help me live that virtuous life.

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