2 Peter 1:5

2 Peter 1:5 ‘Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge;'

‘Now for this very reason' -‘With all this in view' (NEB). In light of all that God has done for us, so that we can escape the corruption that is in the world, ‘we cannot sit back and rest content with “faith”' (Green p. 66)

‘applying' -‘to bring in besides, to contribute besides to something' (Thayer p. 487). ‘introducing by the side of ‘, i.e. besides those precious promises on God's part, bringing in on your part.' (Alford p. 1673). ‘adding your diligence to the divine promises' (Vincent p. 625)

‘all diligence' -‘earnestness, interest one's self most earnestly' (Thayer p. 585) ‘do your level best' (Wms); ‘try your hardest' (NEB). So much for the idea of bare minimum service. Consider the following statement: ‘we frequently come across. false understanding of Christian freedom which says that if we are justified by God's irrevocable grace, we enjoy. new kind of relationship with God where ideas of law and obedience are inappropriate…Anxious Christians think they lack the key to Christian growth and certainty, and move from guru to guru seeking the touch of God to change them. Some even claim to have had an experience that makes it impossible for them to sin…People say that provided they believe as the early Christians believed, they need not behave as the early Christians behaved….One of the major concerns of Peter's letters is that Christian faith which is firmly rooted must make. radical difference to the way we behave. We will want to please Jesus more, rather than presume upon his love.' (Lucas/Green pp. 55-56)

‘in your faith' -Faith is the foundation which one builds upon (Hebrews 11:6). The faith in this passage is one's own personal faith. You must have your own conviction. Borrowed faith will crumble. Growth can't happen is we won't allow ourselves to trust in the goodness of God. The person who remains doubtful (James 1:6), is undermining whatever they might try to accomplish to terms of spiritual maturity.. full and complete trust in God is the first requirement that man must supply.

‘supply'. The background for the word rendered ‘supply' is very interesting. Originally it was as term from the theater. And was used for the person who put up all the money to finance. production. Was also used to described someone who gave much back to his own community, i.e.. generous city benefactor. ‘It never means to equip in any cheese-paring and miserly way; it means lavishly and willingly to pour out everything that is necessary for. noble performance…always at the back of it there is this idea of. willing and lavish generosity in the equipment.' (Barclay p. 353) Unfortunately, there have always been Christians who tried to grow using only the bare minimum of effort and time. God's great promises, deserve our best effort! Don't try to live the Christian life on. shoestring. Rather, give your soul all the teaching, time, encouragement, help, and assistance that it needs!

‘moral excellence' -‘moral goodness, moral vigor' (Thayer p. 73). ‘it is Christian manliness and active courage in the good fight of faith' (P.P. Comm. p. 4). ‘courage and soul vigor, and manliness and the determination to do what is right' (Woods p. 150). (See 1 Peter 4:8; 1 Peter 2:9; 2 Peter 1:3)

Points to Note:

‘Moral character' (Wms); ‘noble character'(Wey). 2. ‘This is where the false teachers had gone wrong. They talked. good deal about faith, but exhibited in their lives none of that practical goodness which is indispensable to genuine Christian discipleship.' (Green pp. 67-68) 3. ‘True virtue is not. tame and passive thing. It requires great energy and boldness, for its very essence is firmness, manliness and independence' (Oberst p. 268) 4. Virtue is the love of goodness, the moral backbone to do the right thing.. love for goodness. ‘If Christians are supposed to be the kind of people non-Christians admire for their genuine goodness. it should not surprise us that the visible immorality of the new teachers will “bring the way of truth into disrepute” (2 Peter 2:2). It is still. frequent obstacle for many non-Christians that publicly recognized Christian leaders advocate standards that non-Christians find unprincipled.' (Lucas/Green p. 58)

‘knowledge' -Specifically, spiritual or moral knowledge. Insight, understanding, discernment,. right understanding of the truth (Hebrews 5:14).. lack of such knowledge is spiritually fatal (Hosea 2:6; Romans 10:1; 2 Peter 3:16).

Points to Note:

‘He (Peter) was confident that the God who had revealed Himself in Jesus was the God of truth. Knowledge, therefore, could never harm the Christian. Peter would have no truck with that so-called faith which shrinks from investigation lest the resultant knowledge should prove destructive. Trust has nothing to do with obscurantism. The cure for false knowledge is not less knowledge, but more.' (Green p. 68) 2. False teachers often stress ‘knowledge', but it is often. ‘knowledge' which is supposedly beyond the average member. We need always to beware of doctrines based on. newly found definition for. word found in some obscure source, or. teaching that cannot be explained in simple terms or clear verses. 3. We can't let ourselves be intimidated by the intellectual elite. Every faithful Christian has knowledge, while even the most intellectually gifted false teacher is ignorant (2 Peter 2:12; 2 Timothy 3:7).