By

Shelby G. Floyd

After exhorting his readers to add to their faith—goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love—Peter urges them to put all of this into action. Unless one is active nothing happens:

“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” (2 Peter 1:8).

Jesus and the apostles all command us to do the things we say we will do. James declares, “Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do” (James 2:18). Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21).

My mother always said, “If is a big word.” And it is! “If” is a conditional particle. Peter states that on the condition that we do certain things then something will happen that is good. If we do not do certain things, then there will be negative results by default. What are the results IF we do not do our part?

We will be ineffective and unproductive in our knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.

We will be nearsighted and blind.

We will forget that we have been cleansed from our past sins.

But what is the result IF we do our part faithfully?

“Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:10-11).

Shelby G. Floyd
Heartland Church of Christ
1693 West Main Street
Greenwood, Indiana 46142
shelby@thefloyds.net