NECESSARY ADDITIONS

Text: 2 Peter 1:5-7.

And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 

And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

Today's message is expressly for those who have obtained a precious faith of believing God through our Saviour Jesus Christ. People who share of the same faith that Peter and other Apostles of old shared. 

That is, the first thing anyone who has not accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior should do, is to quickly do so- this cannot be overemphasized. 

However, the next important step after this, is the necessary additions. We'll be talking about this for the next couple of days. 

We are enjoined from our text to give all diligence to this matter, that is, we should give it all it takes to achieve this.

The Contemporary English Version, renders the verse thus: Do your best to improve your faith by adding .... 

That is, primarily, the onus is on you to do the addition. It is your responsibility as a child of God to ensure that these necessary additions are added to your FAITH.

Anyone who claims to be a child of God and is lacking in any of these is only paying a lip-service. 

Today,  we shall be looking at the very first Addition.

         *VIRTUE* 

Other words that were used for 'VIRTUE ' in the  Bible are Goodness, moral excellence, good character and integrity. 

These are big words with big imports.

 *The reason many can't be regarded as Christians is because they lack moral excellence, they lack integrity, and good character* 

It is no accident that the first ingredient we are told to add to our Faith is VIRTUE.

The reason our society is how it is now is because many Christians are lacking in virtue. Gone are the days when someone who introduced himself as a Christian could be trusted on all fronts.  Today,  you will need to double your defense and security when you are dealing with some so called Christians. 

Virtue is not a gift of the Spirit that comes upon you the instance you give your life to Christ. It is a Christlike fruit which you must cooperate with the Holy Spirit to grow in you and through you. 

When you are full of virtue, you will be reliable, dependable and responsible.  People will be able to count on your words.  Your 'YES' will be yes,  and your 'NO' will be no. 

Virtue cannot be hidden, when you have it, people (both believers and unbelievers) will testify of it, because your life will bring out beautiful fragrance. 

Bible reading:

2 Peter 1:1-21.