“Giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.” 2 Peter 1:5–7 (NKJV)
If you would enjoy the eminent grace of the full assurance of faith, under the blessed Spirit’s influence, and assistance, do what the Scripture tells you: give diligence. Take care that your faith is of the right kind—that it is not a mere belief of doctrine, but a simple faith, depending on Christ, and on Christ alone. Give diligent heed to your courage. Plead with God that he would give you the face of a lion, that you may, with a consciousness of right, go on boldly. Study well the Scriptures, and get knowledge, for a knowledge of doctrine will tend very much to confirm faith. Try to understand God’s word. Let it dwell in your heart richly.
When you have done this, add to your knowledge temperance. Take heed to your body; be temperate without. Take heed to your soul; be temperate within. Get temperance of lip, life, heart, and thought. Add to this, by God’s Holy Spirit, patience. Ask him to give you that patience which endures affliction, which, when it is tried, shall come forth as gold. Array yourself with patience, that you may not murmur nor be depressed in your afflictions. When that grace is won, look to godliness. Godliness is something more than religion. Make God’s glory your object in life. Live in his sight. Dwell close to him. Seek for fellowship with him, and you have “godliness.” And to that add brotherly love. Have a love to all the saints. And add to that a charity, which opens its arms to all men, and loves their souls.
When you are adorned with these jewels, and just in proportion as you practice these heavenly virtues, will you come to know by clearest evidence “your calling and election.” Give diligence if you would get assurance, for lukewarmness and doubting very naturally go hand in hand.
Adapted from Morning and Evening.
