5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins. 10 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
The author is very clear that faith is really only shown by one’s behavior. We must live a life that illustrates our faith and demonstrates that we have a true knowledge of God and understand all that he has done for us. We must make every effort to behave as God wants us to. As such, the first three verses here list the virtues that Christians should practice. Notice that the author begins with faith and shows how each virtue develops into another with the culmination being love. Faith comes first because without this gift from God we cannot start on the Christian path. But we must respond and accept this gift. Of course, love should be there from the beginning as the greatest of all Christian virtues but as we develop, it should become ever more dominant. Love should be the most obvious sign of a Christian community. Nor should this list be considered as exhaustive. We will certainly fail at times for the author writes of “making every effort” but we should not give up at failure. We must keep trying.
Verses eight and nine tell us the results of practicing these virtues. We will show we have a correct knowledge of God rather than being blind and stumbling around in the dark. It is not enough to say that one believes and to say that one’s sins have been forgiven. The way one lives shows what one truly believes. Being a Christian is a very long-term commitment.
Verses ten and eleven suggest that Peter may very well be criticizing some members of the community who have forgotten true knowledge of God. We are pilgrims and on our way to a better place. We must make sure that our journey there reflects our goal. The goal is mentioned in the final verse here. Daniel Harrington has said that 2 Peter “provides an excellent short description of the dignity and the challenge of Christian existence.” It is God who takes the initiative to call us but we must respond to his call and work seriously at it.
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