Peter Warns All Believers Against False Teachers Within and Exhorts Us to be Steadfast Volume 4

Making our Calling and Election Sure (to ourselves & to the world 🗺) Part 1 2 Peter 1:5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; KJV Note: NKJV=New King 👑James Version; NLT=New Living Translation The Apostle Peter right after his very warm greeting in this his second letter ✉, he wanted those early believers (and all of us who have truly believed long after their departure into Heaven) in our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ to know what their/our lives should look like or produce even while they/we were/are under going intense, inordinate, and infuriating persecutions. They/we must show forth the fruit of our regeneration our new birth into the Kingdom of Heaven by being full of these things or adding them to the gift 📦of faith we have so graciously been given; just as Peter first declares with these words beginning in 2 Peter 1:5, "And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;" The first 2 things Peter wants us to add to our faith is 'virtue' and this little English word is translated by the Greek word aretē (which we have covered in a recent Volume) and it means manliness and valor, that is, exceptional or heroic courage when facing danger. Also 'knowledge' and this little English word is translated by the Greek word gnōsis which simply means Knowledge of God that is actual Knowledge of Him given to us by His Spirit, as it is written by Paul the Apostle to the Corinthian Church ⛪, "But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God." (1 Corinthians 2:10-12) (NKJV). It takes real men 🚹and real women 🚺armed by the Spirit of God with the true Knowledge of God to walk steadfastly with our Lord Jesus Christ in this world 🗺where that which is evil is called good and that which is good is called evil (Isaiah 5:20); call to mind what has just recently happened to NBA Basketball player Jaiden Ivey who was released from the Chicago Bulls all and only because he stands with and for our Lord Jesus Christ and the truth of His Holy Word, for being a true Christ follower is not for the cowardly, as it is written for us by the Apostle John with these words, "'But COWARDS, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars—their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.'" (Revelation 21:8) (NLT). Our Lord Jesus Christ told us that as His true followers we were to take up our Cross every day and follow Him no matter anything or anyone. The taking up of the Cross every day means a dying to ourselves and living for Christ Jesus our Lord and His truth no matter what the world calls truth. Many faithful brothers and sisters 'in Christ' since His death, burial, and resurrection from the dead for our sins have been murdered/martyred for their faith in Christ alone. It is still true now in 2026. We must be willing to say and to mean what the Apostle Paul said to the Church of the Philippians, "For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain." (Philippians 1:21) (NKJV). Don't ever quote this verse of Scripture if you don't mean it, Paul meant it and I also mean it. I will never be in any type of union with the people the Apostle Jude speaks of in the beginning of his letter. Here is what the preface or introduction of Jude's letter ✉ says in my Bible by Olive Tree (NKJV), "False teachers have crept into the Church turning God's grace into unbounded license to do as they please. Jude reminds such men of God's past dealings with unbelieving Israel, disobedient angels, and wicked Sodom and Gomorrah. In the face of such danger Christians should not be caught off guard. The challenge is great, but so is the God who is able to keep them from stumbling." The Apostle Peter commanded us that we should be 'giving all diligence' to be adding these things to our gift 📦of faith. What does Peter mean by this phrase? Peter means we should whole-heartedly with eagerness and care and speediness' to carry inwardly bearing these things in our inner man 👨and inner woman 👩so that we can stand firm in our gift 📦of faith in this world 🗺that hates Christ Jesus our Lord whom we love; even as we do as Paul the Apostle commanded the Ephesian believers to do with these words, "A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in His Mighty Power. Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God's armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the Belt of Truth and the body armor of God's righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the Shield of Faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere." (Ephesians 6:10-18) (NLT). Here is what John Wesley had to say of 2 Peter 1:5, "For this very reason - Because God hath given you so great blessings. Giving all diligence - It is a very uncommon word which we render giving. It literally signifies, bringing in by the by, or over and above: implying, that good works the work; yet not unless we are diligent. Our diligence is to follow the gift of God, and is followed by an increase of all His gifts. Add to - And in all the other gifts of God. Superadd the latter, without losing the former. The Greek word properly means lead up, as in dance, one of these after the other, in a beautiful order. Your faith, that 'evidence of things not seen,' termed before 'the knowledge of God and of Christ,' the root of all Christian graces. Courage - Whereby ye may conquer all enemies and difficulties, and execute whatever faith dictates. In this most beautiful connexion, each preceding grace leads to the following; each following, tempers and perfects the preceding. They are set down in the order of nature, rather than the order of time. For though every grace bears a relation to every other, yet here they are so nicely ranged, that those which have the closest dependence on each other are placed together. And to your courage knowledge - Wisdom, teaching how to exercise it on all occasions." Here is what Matthew Henry had to say of 2 Peter 1:5, "The righteous must be bold as a lion (Proverbs 28:1); a cowardly Christian, who is afraid to profess the doctrines or practise the duties of the Gospel, must expect that Christ will be ashamed of him another day. 'Let not your hearts fail you in the evil day, but show yourselves valiant in standing against all opposition, and resisting every enemy, world, flesh, devil, yea, and death too.' We have need of virtue while we live, and it will be of excellent use when we come to die. The believer must add knowledge to his virtue, prudence to his courage; there is a knowledge of God's name which must go before our faith (Psalm 9:10), and we cannot approve of the good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God, till we know it." Finally, Here is what the Expositor's Bible Commentary had to say of 2 Peter 1:5, "St. Peter begins his scale of graces thus: 'In your faith supply virtue.' Here virtue means the best development of such power as a man possesses. It may be little or great, but in its kind it is to be made excellent. And here it is that the Christian workers in every sphere must surpass others. They work from a higher motive. What they do is a constant attestation of their faith, is done as in God's sight, and in the confidence that in every act it is possible to give Him glory. There can be no carelessness in such lives, for they are filled with a sense of responsibility, which is the first fruit of a living faith. And in St. Peter's figurative word the believer is said to supply each grace in turn because he contributes by his careful walk to wake it into life, to make it active, and let it shine as a light before men. 'And in your virtue knowledge,' he continues. For, with duty rightly done, there comes illumination over the path of life: men understand more of God's dealings, and hence bring their lives into closer harmony with His will. And we have Christ's own assurance, 'If any man willeth to do His will, he shall know of the teaching.' (John 7:17) And the same is true not only of the Lord's own lessons, but of all the promptings of the Spirit in men's hearts. If they hearken to the voice which whispers, 'This is the way,' it will become at every stage plainer, and there will be shown to them not only the how, but the wherefore." If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...