Adding Moral Excellence

"For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness;..." (2Peter 1:5a).

By grace we are saved through the blood of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross.  We are sanctified, and Holy Spirit comes to dwell in us; "I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power  through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith" (Ephesians 3: 16-17a). being settled in heaven yet to be worked out on earth.  Peter is writing that we must give earnestness, eagerness to bring alongside, to give every effort, diligence to add, fully supply, to our faith moral excellence, virtue.  This is our part, God provides salvation which we cannot do for ourselves, yet, God will not do what we can do. 

God will not give us good habits, or good character, He will not make us walk in paths of righteousness.  We have to to that for ourselves working out in every day life our salvation; "Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed--not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence--continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling..." (Philippians 2:12).  We are working out that which God has worked in and we do this by developing the habit of doing things, taking the initiative, a beginning even though it is difficult we instruct ourselves in the way we should go and that instruction comes by the Word of God.

Be resolute when God speaks, act in faith immediately on what He says, and never revise your decisions.  If you hesitate when God tells you to do a thing, you endanger your standing in grace.  Form the habit, daily Bible reading, prayer, taking time to allow God to speak to you through His Word.  Then when a crisis comes, as surely as one will, and we instinctively turn to God, we know that the habit has been formed.  We have to take the initiative where we are, not where we are not. 

Daily Prayer:

Today Father I come to You in prayer thanking you for You do not ask of me anything that I cannot do, for it is in Your strength through the power of Holy Spirit that I might accomplish You will.  May You receive all the glory and praise for what is being worked out in my life, moral excellence.  Thank You that I do not have to do this all alone.   May all that You desire for my life to be used in You Kingdom work be done so that others will be lead to give their lives over to You in full submission.                                  Amen