Fruitful Growth in the Faith: A Reflection Study on 2 Peter 1:5-11

 

FRUITFUL GROWTH IN THE FAITH: A REFLECTION STUDY ON 2 PETER 1:5-11
By Ezekiel Kimosop

TEXT
But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.
10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; 11 for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. [2 PETER 1:5-11, NKJV]

PASSAGE ANALYSIS

Faith is the foundational pillar in our relationship with Christ. Every child of God relates with our heavenly Father through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, having been admitted and adopted into God's family as His child (John 1:12; 1 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 2:8-9]. Our faith should be built through the spiritual development process of sanctification as we walk with Christ and grow in the knowledge of Him. 

In the passage of 1 Peter 1:5-11, the writer identifies seven moral disciplines that should stand out in the life of a maturing believer. These spiritual ingredients are incrementally and sequentially added to our growth process as we walk the maturity path. Peter emphasizes on the incremental addition of one ingredient on the one that already stands out. Adam Clarke identifies the ancient Greek phrase “add to your faith” with the literal allusion of leading up hand in hand in the ancient Grecian dance where hands are locked up in celebration.[1] Faith is the foundational pillar of Christian growth. It is the anchor on which the rest of the disciplines are built. Peter underscores the significance of diligence as the believer navigates this godly process. The Holy Spirit guides each believer through this process, admonishing him in Christ. We shall examine the seven moral disciplines in turns below.

1. VIRTUE
Christian virtue is understood as behavior that demonstrates high moral standards. Matthew Hermon & John Sloat opine that virtue in the Greco Roman world philosophy was construed as excellence in the moral, intellectual, and physical realms.[2] Biblically speaking, virtue is founded on godly moral calibration. It is the ability to observe moral etiquette that is consistent with our calling in Christ. Galatians 5:22-23 identifies the fruit of the Spirit as "love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control." These bundles of the fruit of the Spirit are consistent with a life of virtue. Notice that some of the features conveyed by Peter are inextricably intertwined such that it is difficult to extricate one pillar from the rest. Virtue therefore stands out the believer as a distinct person whose conduct is consistent with the moral principles of God’s word. Are you a virtuous person?

2. KNOWLEDGE
Christian knowledge is founded on our regular and consistent commitment to the devotional study of Scripture and our regular submission to congregational exhortation as a corporate Christian community. Walter Bauer defines knowledge as “restraint of one’s emotions, impulses, or desires.”[3] Restraint is indeed a key component in virtue in a person who is deeply soaked in the word of God. Scripture informs their moral worldview. 

Ephesians 4:13-14 describes a maturing Christian community as one that has"...come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting" (NKJV). Knowledge steadies the believer in the tempests of this evil world and inspires hope and focus on their calling.  Paul was consumed by his pursuit of the knowledge of Christ (Philippians 3:8). The believer’s growth in the knowledge of Christ is the pivotal anchor that secures his footing in the slippery paths of this passing evil world. Notice that Jesus overcame Satan during His temptation because He stood on the revelation and authority of the word of God (Matthew 4:1-11). Three times, Jesus replied to Satan's deception, saying , "It is written." Elsewhere in Scripture, the word of God is metaphorically described as a lamp unto the feet and a light unto the path (Psalm 119:105). . It illuminates the believer’s journey of faith. 

3. SELF CONTROL
When is a believer considered to have sufficiently exercised self-control in their walk of faith? Self-control has been described as a virtue that involves controlling one's thoughts, words, actions and desires. Harmon and Sloat assert that self-control does not consist of the mastering of the self but rather submission to the Holy Spirit.[4] It is built through the wisdom of God, the capacity to hold ground under provocation or temptation. It is a mark of Christian maturity. 2 Timothy 1:7 says "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.". A self-controlled believer is emboldened in his resolve to abide by the moral compass of God’s word.

4. PERSEVERANCE
Christian perseverance connotes steadfastness under pressure and endurance in the face of trials and afflictions (James 1:2-4). It is the capacity to endure adversity in life. Job demonstrated this discipline by standing steadfast under horrifying afflictions. Job 1:22 sums up Job’s perseverance: “In all these this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong. Job painfully endured the series of afflictions listed in Job 1:13-21. In the New Testament Scripture, Paul exemplifies utmost perseverance through harrowing afflictions in his missionary journeys that left him stronger in faith. He was thrice beaten with rods; was once stoned; suffered shipwreck three times; faced danger from robbers; endured sea perils and  persecutions from his Jewish countrymen and Gentiles, among other afflictions. Paul remained steadfast in perseverance and finally faced his martyrdom with compelling courage (2 Timothy 4:7-8). Are you steadfast in perseverance?

5. GODLINESS
Christian godliness has been described as the quality of being devoutly religious. It is the capacity to discern the mind of God in what informs our daily deportment in our Christian living. This discipline is closely related to the discipline of virtue. Scripture elsewhere proclaims that godliness with contentment is great gain (1 Timothy 6:6). It is informed by our consistency in our Christian convictions in an evil world where anything goes. The diligence of a godly person is elaborately described in Psalm 1. The psalmist projects the godly man with poetic finesse. He walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful. Instead, he delights in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season (Psalm 1:1-3). 

6. BROTHERLY KINDNESS
Brotherly kindness is driven by love that promotes the welfare of fellow believers. It is the caring concern for fellow Christians, especially under circumstances of need. This discipline informs Christian hospitality. Paul identifies this virtue among the Thessalonians who stood out for their brethren in Macedonia who were in great need. 1 Thessalonians 4:9-10 says "But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another; 10 and indeed you do so toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, that you increase more and more." Brotherly kindness was perhaps most aptly demonstrated by Onesiphorus, an Ephesus Christian who served Paul in Ephesus and followed up on him to his prison cell in Rome. Notice Paul’s heartfelt commendation for this diligent brother in 2 Timothy 1:6-18: “The Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chains; 17 but when he arrived in Rome, he sought me out very zealously and found me. 18 The Lord grant to him that he may find mercy from the Lord in that Day – and you know very well how many ways he ministered to me at Ephesus” (NKJV).

7. LOVE
This is the sacrificial and selfless love that believers should appropriate towards others. This kind of love was demonstrated by Christ at the cross of Calvary. He died for undeserving sinners who were condemned by under Adam (John 3:16-17; Romans 5:8). We are to love even those that offend us because of Christ. Luke 6:27-28 says "But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you." 

 Our sacrificial love should compellingly mirror Christ's sacrificial death on the cross for the redemption of undeserving sinners (Romans 5:8).  This love love should cascade beyond the confines of our Christian communities. It should touch the lost and the dying and demonstrate God's selfless love towards us in Christ Jesus. 

CONCLUSION

2 Peter 1: 8-9 says “For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.”

The writer concludes his exhortation by underscoring the significance of these maturity pillars. They are evidence of fruitfulness in the life of the believer. Those who lack these fruits of maturity are allegorically described as shortsighted even to blindness. This is a state of spiritual darkness in which godly discernment is lost. This does not however suggest that believers should attain moral perfection in their maturity process but that Christian growth and sanctification should be evidenced by the progressive investiture of these disciplines. Peter conveys his concluding statement in vv. 10-11 by saying, “Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; 11 for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

Notice the emphasis on diligence in the pursuit of the seven disciplines in this closing section, The writer had earlier mentioned the same in v. 5. The believer is reminded of this indispensable obligation. He should diligently observe the spiritual disciplines in order to remain steadfast in the faith.

 

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2025

  

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[1] Adam Clarke, Clarke's Commentary: The Holy Bible Containing the Old and New Testaments with a Commentary and Critical Notes. Volume 6 (Romans-Revelation) (New York: Eaton and Mains, 1832)

[2] Matthew Harmon and John Sloat, Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, 1:458–60; New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, 3:925–26.

[3] Walter Bauer, Greek English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3^rd Edition, Edited by Frederick William Danker, University of Chicago Press, 1957.

[4] Matthew Harmon and John Sloat, TDNT, NIDNTT, Ibid.