The previous lesson was the start of a series about the characteristics we are to add to our faith. We began by noticing that faith must be the foundation for all that we do. Now we turn our attention to the qualities we are to add. These are not apart from faith, but are the characteristics we “supply” to our faith. The first trait Peter listed was moral excellence.
“Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:5-8).
What Is Moral Excellence?
Other translations use the term virtue (KJV, ESV) or goodness (NIV). The Greek word (arete) refers to a moral goodness that can be seen by others. It is virtuous behavior that is public, consistent, and excels that of others.
What Moral Excellence Looks Like WITHOUT Faith
This may seem like an odd point. As Christians, we naturally associate these qualities with faith. However, worldly people can possess a form of these characteristics without faith. As we study these lessons, we will notice what this looks like with each of these characteristics.
There are people without faith in God, but who are viewed as being morally upstanding by others. The people around them may see them as being good citizens, spouses, parents, neighbors, employees, and so on. However, what qualifies as “good” will depend on the world’s definition of this. Sometimes it will be similar to the good produced by a life of faith, but not always. For example, one can be a “good” spouse in an adulterous marriage,* a “good” citizen to a God-hating tyrant, or a “good” neighbor who hosts drinking parties. The list could go on and on. The point is that the world may see some behavior as “good,” even though it is not consistent with the teachings of the word of God.
What Moral Excellence Looks Like WITH Faith
We are to add this quality to our faith. Again, faith is the foundation, and the source of faith is the word of God (Romans 10:17). Therefore, the “moral excellence” we display in our lives must be based upon this standard.
In essence, moral excellence (virtue, goodness) is faith in action. James wrote, “But someone may well say, ‘You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works’” (James 2:18). It is not enough to claim to have faith; we must show our faith through the things that we do.
Jesus spoke of the need for His followers to let their light shine: “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16). Through our actions, we demonstrate to those around us what a life of virtue looks like. Like a city set on a hill, we will be noticed by others, so we need to demonstrate the character of a true disciple of Christ.
However, because some people oppose Christ, they will oppose His people. This means looking for anything in our lives that can be used to discredit our claim of being a follower of Christ and undermine our effort to call people to a higher standard. Because of this, Peter wrote, “Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation” (1 Peter 2:12). We should strive to live in such a way that even under the harshest scrutiny, our good deeds shine through.
As we live a virtuous life, we must continually improve and excel in our character. Paul wrote, “Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you excel still more” (1 Thessalonians 4:1). We cannot claim to follow Christ if we are not doing what is good. However, we need to keep improving as we seek to become more like Jesus and His perfect example.
How to Add Moral Excellence to Our Faith
Since the word of God is the source of faith (Romans 10:17), we must go to His word to see how to add moral excellence to our faith.
We first need to remember that the word of God was revealed in order to train us in doing what is right. Paul told Timothy, “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). If we want to know how to conduct ourselves virtuously, the Scriptures explain how to do that.
Then, once we see what God’s word says is good, we must put that into practice. James wrote, “But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does” (James 1:22-25). Many will hear what God’s word says, and may even say they agree with it, but fail to do what it says to do. We will be blessed if we do what the word of God teaches.
We also need to recognize that God demands consistency in us. In discussing our speech, James wrote, “From the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way. Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water? Can a fig tree, my brethren, produce olives, or a vine produce figs? Nor can salt water produce fresh” (James 3:10-12). This principle also applies to our actions. God is not pleased if we do some good things while ignoring the evil that we should have given up. We must strive to consistently carry out God’s instructions in our speech and our behavior.
As we take what is taught in God’s word and practice it, we must also continue to grow in it. Paul encouraged the brethren in Thessalonica, “Now as to the love of the brethren, you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another; for indeed you do practice it toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, to excel still more” (1 Thessalonians 4:9-10). There will always be room for improvement as we strive to reach the high standard to which God has called us. We must not look at that high standard and give up, thinking we will never reach it. Instead, we are to continue following God’s instructions and improve every day. If we do this, we can be pleasing to Him.
Conclusion
Growing in our faith includes developing a character of moral excellence. We must continually work to conform our behavior to the instructions the Lord revealed in His word. Even as we do this, we will never reach a point at which we are virtuous enough. Instead, we must keep doing what is right and “excel still more.”**
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* For more on this point, see the article, Adulterous Marriages.
** For more on this point, see the article, Excel Still More.
