by: Allen Domelle
2 Peter 1:8
“For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Three times in verses 8-10, God uses the words, “these things.” These things that God is talking about are not a pick and choose list, but they are a combination of virtues that He wants a Christian to add to their faith. Let me show you what “these things” are before I show you their power.
Virtue, which is strength through integrity, is the first thing God wants the Christian to add. God then wants them to add knowledge, which is being proficient in the Word of God. After knowledge, you are to add temperance, which is self-control. Once you are temperate, God wants you to add patience, which is letting God do what He wants when He wants to do it. God then wants you to add godliness to your patience, which is acting like God would act while you patiently await for Him to perform what He is going to do. Afterwards, God wants the Christian to add brotherly kindness to their godliness. In other words, God is telling the Christian to be kind to their brethren while you are living a godly life. The last thing that is the glue to this whole list is charity. If the Christian adds charity, which is love in action, they will find themselves being able to perform this whole list.
This is quite the list that God gives the Christian to add to their faith, but what is the power of “these things?” First, “these things” will cause the Christian to be fruitful in their life. In other words, if you lack fruit, you might want to see if you lack “these things.” These things added together are the key to being fruitful in all that you do. These things will give the Christian the power to have a testimony to those who they are trying to lead to Christ.
The second thing “these things” will do for the Christian is they will allow you to see ahead. Verse 9 says, “But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.” One of the greatest weaknesses of many Christians is the ability to see where certain things will take you. When “these things” are a part of your life, you will find the ability to see things more clearly than others. You won’t see things more clearly because of your skills, but you will see where things take you more clearly because you are looking through the eyes of God.
The third thing “these things” do is they will keep the Christian from falling. What a powerful promise! There is no doubt that a Christian should fear the day when they fall into sin or false doctrine. God promises that if you have “these things” in your life, you will never fall. If “these things” will keep you from falling, “these things” should be the focus of what you add to your faith.
Christian, which one of “these things” are you lacking in your life? The ability not to fall, to bear fruit and to be able to see things from afar will separate you from most Christians. If there is anything you should spend time studying so that you learn what to add to your life, it is the list of “these things.” Let me encourage you over the next few days to ask the Holy Spirit which one of “these things” you lack, and correct whatever area He reveals to you so that you can experience the power of “these things.”