"His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
For this reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 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. But if any of you do not have them, you are nearsighted and blind, and you have forgotten that you have been cleansed from your past sins.
Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." 2 Peter 1:3-11
What do you spend of your time and energy working toward? Is it school and trying to get good grades? Is it work and trying to make money? Is it relationships? Sports? (Dare I say) video games?!?! When I look back at the goals or accomplishments that I've focused my efforts on, very few of them actually exist still today. Now, as I try to look toward the future, I'm don't know exactly where I'm going or what I'm doing. I have an idea, but things change. However, when I look to the future, I have a crystal clear picture of the man I want to be. The husband and father I want to be. I know exactly what kind of Christian I want to be. Maybe more so, the Christian I don't want to be.
Simon Peter is telling us in this passage that we are to "make every effort" in developing our character. Often times, we focus on accomplishments and we push our character aside. You can probably think of someone in your life that did this and achieved neither the accomplishment nor character. A perfect example is someone who focuses all their energy in "finding the right person" instead of becoming the right person. Then when they find the right guy or girl, the right guy or girl has no interest in being with them.
Verse 3 tells us that "His divine power (or the Holy Spirit) has given us everything we need for a godly life” and when we participate in the divine nature, we escape "the corruption in the world caused by evil desires." For this reason, make every effort. Because we have the Holy Spirit in us and we have the potential to live a godly life apart from the corruption of the world, make every effort to build your character. If we do, we "will never stumble, and we will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."
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