Yesterday's Message: Faith Additions

Pastor Michael's message yesterday came from 2 Peter 1:3-11 where the apostle Peter urges Christians to add to their faith "excellence," "knowledge," "self-control," "perseverance," "godliness," "brotherly affection," and "unselfish love." I think an important verse in the entire passage is v. 8 that says, "For if these things are really yours and are continually increasing, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your pursuit of knowing our Lord Jesus Christ more intimately" (New English Translation). What Peter is saying in v. 8 is that these virtues don't add to your salvation, since nothing can add to the saving work of Jesus Christ, but rather that if one yields to Christ's work in their life, these qualities will become increasingly yours and you will grow closer to Jesus. As a result, you will be a useful servant of Christ and a participant of whatever He has for you to do. I notice these virtues Peter lists are similar to the fruit of the Spirit Paul names in Galatians 5:22-23. These are the fruit of the Spirit, not our fruit. We can bear the fruit of the Spirit, but the Spirit must produce them in us. Whenever we see a list of virtues in Scripture, we must always keep John 15:5 in mind, where Jesus said, "I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me—and I in him—bears much fruit, because apart from Me you can accomplish nothing."