For this very 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, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, 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. –1 Corinthians 1:5-8
If we read further into this passage, Peter writes that if we do these things, we will never fall. That is a very bold statement! But think about it with me for a second. If you are faithful, good, knowledgeable, possess self-control and perseverance, are godly, kind and have love in your heart, you are just like Christ. And so, if Christ being the way he was did not fall, then we also, if we are like him, will not fall. You may say to yourself, ‘we are not Christ, we were born sinners, etc’ but we can only inherit the Kingdom of Heaven if we become like Christ.
Possessing these qualities is the first step. If you look at the last sentence in the excerpt, Peter writes that we will be effective and productive in our knowledge of Christ if we possess the qualities in increasing measures. Our Christian walk should be one of continuous growth in knowledge, faith, godliness, kindness, faith, perseverance, etc. The faith that you possess as a babe in Christ should not be the same amount that you have as a mature Christian. That was why it warns us in Hebrews 5:13-14 against falling away because we, as adults, may still be drinking milk that is intended for infants.
I urge us all to make every effort to heed to Paul’s advice to the Corinthians in the verses above. It is not going to be easy, but I am certain that it will be worth it.
Stay blessed and spread the word.
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POSSESS THE QUALITIES