Spiritual Growth Is Work

 

2 Peter 1:5-7 (NKJV)

5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge,

6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness,

7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.

 

We are told to add some traits to our faith. These traits do not automatically come. Here, we are told to add to our faith some things. Based on the context it we are the ones who do the adding.

 

These characteristics are not automatic. You have to work at exercising self-control. You have to work and loving some people. We are the ones who add these things to our faith.

 

In verse 5 where it speaks of giving all diligence, that implies great effort. So we are the ones to put forth the effort to be what the Word of God says we can be.