Virtues! Virtues! Virtues!

Only virtues! Virtues for everything you can think of! This is really what it says in 2 Peter 1:5-15! What these verses tell us is simply amazing! It would really pay to spend a fair amount of time on these especially significant words!

“But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue . . . .” If we give all diligence (giving all our interest and all our strength) in doing this, it is obvious that it will occupy us completely. He writes further: “Be even more diligent . . . .” And further: “Therefore I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things . . . .” In other words, this very thing was always of the utmost importance!

How many people really see it that way? And again in verse 13, “As long as I am in this tent, to stir you up . . . .”—namely, to this very thing! In addition to that, it says in verse 15: “Moreover, I will be careful to ensure that you always have a reminder of these things after my decease”—so that these things would actually ring in their ears!

Seen in this light, the only thing that has any meaning at all is that we seek after and search out all and each and every one of all the divine virtues which can be found for the sole purpose of possessing them, living in them, increasing in them, as well as preaching them.

When reading 1 Peter 2:9, it seems as if the entire preaching of the Word of God consists of proclaiming the virtues of Christ. It must at least mean that this very thing is and remains the main point, the most essential point!

This is in full harmony with what Paul exhorts us to in Philippians 4:8 and 9: “If there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.” In all these things! Then there will be no unrest!

There certainly is a need for more diligence, for being extremely diligent!

Laziness and lukewarmness are extremely unchristian!