For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness … 2 Peter 1:5-6, NIV

 

Peter teaches us that God has provided everything we need to live a godly life. Faith is a precious gift from God, but we do have a responsibility to grow in this God-given faith. Peter is teaching us how to enrich our faith with seven characteristics. We have already looked at goodness, knowledge, self-control and perseverance.Today, we look at godliness. The Greek word can also be translated as “holiness”, bearing the fruit that honours God. In Luke 3:8a, Jesus warned, “Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.” And in verse 9: “The axe has been laid to the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”

 

The most famous scripture dealing with the fruit we bear is in John 15, when Jesus used the image of the vine and the branches. The disciples enquired what God the Father wanted from them. Jesus answered them: “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples” (John 15:8). A following question would be how we bear fruit that will glorify God. Jesus answered: “Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me” (John 15:4). We can only bear fruit when we remain in a living relationship with Jesus as Lord of our lives. We bear fruit when we obey his commands. And the one command that stands out is to love one another, as he has loved us (John 15:12). Love is the greatest fruit that God wants to see in our lives. God is love, as 1 John 4:16 teaches us, and whoever remains in love, lives in God and God lives in them. We were created in the image of God (Genesis 1:16), therefore, it follows that we were created to love. We are helping God transform this world when we bear fruit of love in this dark world.

 

Jesus gave this command to love one another the evening before his crucifixion. After his resurrection and ascension, the Holy Spirit filled every believer. Wherever he is working, he is busy restoring us to the image of Christ. We know the fruit of the Holy Spirit in us as: “love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23). These are the fruit that the Holy Spirit produces in us when we submit to him and obey him.

 

Peter calls on us, in today’s verse, to enrich our perseverance with godliness. Keep on doing the right things that will honour God. Bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit and show repentance in our lives. By doing this, God can use our lives to transform this world to his glory.

 

Prayer: Lord, thank you for making me a new person in Christ. Thank you for your continuous work in my life, Holy Spirit. Empower me to bear fruit that glorifies God’s name and enrich my faith with godliness. Amen.