‘Yes, and for this very reason, adding on your part all diligence, in your faith supply virtue; and in your virtue knowledge; and in your knowledge self-control; and in your self-control patient endurance and in your patient endurance godliness; and in your godliness brotherly kindness; and in your brotherly kindness love.'
This is to be seen not so much as a progression but as an expansion (you do not start with faith and gradually build up to love, rather, as you truly believe, your life expands to take it all in. The idea is that by our enthusiasm and determined activity (‘work out your own salvation with greatest care' - Philippians 2:12) which results from our being participators in the divine nature, we must ‘work out' all the attributes that Christ Himself displayed, and that God will work within us (Philippians 2:13), and that Peter has described in his first letter.
The effort that is to be put into this should be noted. ‘Adding on your part all diligence.' The word for ‘adding' indicates a largess of effort. It was used of generous citizens who lavishly gave of their wealth to finance shows for the less well off. Thus the Christian must be lavish with his efforts, although in his case it is in order to show forth God's excellencies (1 Peter 2:9). And it is to be done with ‘diligence'. With both effort and speed. The Christian must not dawdle in his spiritual growth.
Thus as a result of the faith that they have in Him they are with the utmost diligence to develop moral excellence, and additionally to moral excellence they are to add true spiritual knowledge, and additionally to true spiritual knowledge they are to add self-control, and additionally to self-control they are to add patient endurance, and additionally to patient endurance they are to add godliness, and additionally to godliness they are to add true brotherly affection, and additionally to true brotherly affection they are to add divine love.
Here indeed is the sevenfold (divinely perfect) pattern of the true Christian life based on faith. The importance of lists like this was that they were easily remembered. Those who could not read remembered them and took them into their daily lives with the impetus of faith behind them (compare Galatians 5:22-23; 1 Timothy 6:11):
· Faith - that is faith in all that has been described as we look to the Source and Upholder of our salvation (Hebrews 2:10; Hebrews 12:2; 1 Peter 1:7). It is through His response to our faith, exercised especially in prayer, Bible study and obedience that all this will be possible.
· Moral excellence - that is the energetic outliving of a Christ-like life (Galatians 2:20; 1 Peter 2:9). Note its relation to the moral excellence of God (2 Peter 1:3).
· Spiritual knowledge - that is a growing in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour (2 Peter 3:18; 1 Peter 2:2). It also includes the wisdom of the balanced mind. By being illuminated by the Spirit ‘we have the mind of Christ' (1 Corinthians 2:16).
· Self control - that is a submitting to His yoke as we walk with Him (Matthew 11:28-30) and submitting patiently to all authority (1 Peter 2:13 to 1 Peter 3:7). Behind the word is the idea of the discipline of the athlete. He keeps under his whole body and plays according to the rules (1 Corinthians 9:25-27; 2 Timothy 2:3-5).
· Patient endurance - that is enduring the contradiction of sinners against ourselves (Hebrews 12:3), and maintaining a patient endurance as we face the road ahead (Romans 5:3-5; 1 Peter 2:11).
· Godliness - again eusebeia. But here it is more related to behaviour and attitude, although still empowered by God. It is a God-outworked life of true worship towards God and true goodness towards his fellowman. The one who exercises godliness shuns the world and its desires (1 John 2:15-17). Indeed in 2 Peter 3:11 this godliness is to be cultivated in view of the fact that the world as we know it will be destroyed.
· True brotherly affection - showing unfeigned love of the brethren and sisters (1 Peter 1:22; Galatians 5:13-14). This is central to what it means to be a Christian (John 13:35; 1 John 4:19-21).
· ‘Divine' love - love revealed towards all men in spite of what they are (Mat 5:42-48; 1 Corinthians 13:4-8; 1 Peter 1:22; 1 John 4:7-11).
Here then we have the description of the full-orbed spiritual life which Christ expects of His own.