Add to Your Faith (Part 2): Add Moral Excellence

Add to Your Faith

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).

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Add to Your Faith (Part 1): The Foundation of Faith

Add to Your Faith

At the beginning of his second epistle, Peter spoke of various qualities that Christians are to possess and continue to develop throughout their lives. He just reminded them that they had “escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust” (2 Peter 1:4), so they were to live differently from the world. But what would this look like? Notice the characteristics that he listed:

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).

All of these qualities are essential, and we will discuss them as we progress through this series. However, it is important to note at the beginning that these characteristics are built upon a foundation of FAITH. So as we begin, let us consider this foundation of faith upon which the character of a Christian must be built.Continue Reading