How blessed is the state of those who have the knowledge of God. The apostle Peter outlines some wonderful benefits enjoyed by those in Christ Jesus, the manner in which we ought to build, and the graces which we must combine to inherit eternal life.

Notice the benefits of God's elect:

• "...grace and peace be multiplied to you..." (1:2; cf. John 17:3; Philippians 3:8-10)

• "...all things that pertain to life and godliness..." (1:3; cf. 2 Timothy 3:16-17; Jude 3)

• "...exceedingly great and precious promises..." (1:4; cf. Hebrews 8:6; 1 John 2:25)

• "...partakers of the divine nature..." (1:4; cf. Colossians 3:10; Ephesians 4:24)

• "...escaped the corruption..." (1:4; cf. 1 John 2:15-16; Galatians 6:8)

Acknowledging these wonderful blessings which can be ours in Christ Jesus, he states, "...for this very reason, giving all diligence, add..." These great blessings ought to motivate us to zealously pursue the lifestyle the Lord would have us live. In the word "add", the apostle does not mean that we must have the fullness of faith before adding (or literally 'supplying') virtue, etc.. Rather, each quality listed works in harmony with the others, and the whole must be worked upon, to the end that we might be perfected in the Lord.

Consider the co-dependent nature of these traits:

• VIRTUE (moral excellence, goodness) puts our FAITH (conviction, assurance) into action, otherwise, our faith will be found dead or hypocritical;

• KNOWLEDGE (correct insight, understanding) provides a basis for VIRTUE, otherwise, VIRTUE will come from subjective self-righteousness;

• SELF-CONTROL (self-discipline) enables proper application of KNOWLEDGE, otherwise, knowledge may lead to extremism/legalism;

• PERSEVERANCE (bearing up under trials) allows consistent SELF-CONTROL, otherwise, we would be irregular in our Christian walk;

• GODLINESS (godly character out of devotion to God) is the goal of our PERSEVERANCE, without it, our PERSEVERANCE would be baseless and unwarranted;

• BROTHERLY KINDNESS (love toward brethren) is the expected expression of GODLINESS, even as we see the great example of Jesus Christ;

• LOVE (active goodwill) is the expansion of our BROTHERLY KINDNESS to all men, as the Lord Himself showed us to do.

If we will do these things, the Lord's promise through the apostle's writing is "...you will be neither barren nor unfruitful..." We will be on the right path, walking the Lord's way, and grasping the great blessings the Lord gives to His own. However, if we do not excel in such things, we are "...shortsighted, even to blindness..." The apostle charges the one who does not grow in these things before the Lord as having "...forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins." Whether by ignorance or by arrogance, such a one has returned to the corruption of the world, forsaking the divine nature and the instruction of the Lord which pertains to life and godliness.

No greater conclusion could be written than that which is provided by the Spirit:
"Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

Click here for this week's Answering The Atheist
Who was at the tomb? One or two? Angels or men? Is there a contradiction between Matthew 28:2-5, Luke 24:4 and John 20:12?