June 14
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QUALITIES FOR CHRISTIAN FOR PRODUCTIVE LIVING
5 Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, 6 and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness
7 and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they do not make you useless nor
unproductive in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For the one who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins. – 2 Peter 1:5-9
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In this letter, Peter gives us all the secret for Christian living. He discusses the process involved in a Christian’s spiritual growth.
1. Apply diligence. – Merriam Webster defines diligence as steady, earnest, and energetic effort: devoted and painstaking work and application to accomplish an undertaking. No wonder Peter wants believers to be use this quality in their lives.
2. In your faith, supply moral excellence. It is the quality of doing what is right and avoiding what is wrong. We are expected to use this quality in our faith.
3. Employ knowledge in your moral excellence. – Knowledge is defined as facts, information, and skills acquired by a person through experience or education.
4. Self-control must be applied as you use knowledge. – There is a danger of being boastful when we do not have self-control. It makes us performers rather than using knowledge to edify the body of Christ.
5. In your self-control, there must be perseverance. – it is a continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties, failure, or opposition or steadfastness.
6. In persevering, there must be godliness. – it is the quality or state of being pure or clean. Without this quality, we will only be striving to perform instead of being righteous.
7. In your godliness, do not fail to give brotherly kindness. – Always make sure that you are always considerate, generous and patient.
8. Show love as you exhibit brotherly kindness. – We are all made in God’s image, so we have an anointing
These qualities are very essential for a believer to grow in their walk with the Spirit.
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REFLECTION
• Which of these qualities are you abounding or lacking in?