More Than Bread Devotional 2/6/08

2 Peter 1:5-9
5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.

The Christian life is one of steady progression. We see throughout Scripture the need for personal growth in our relationship with God. Here, Peter outlines for us a general checkup if you will. It isn't so much that things have to appear in your life in this order. But the things mentioned here should be showing up in all of us who call on His name. The positive way to say verse 8 is that if we posses these qualities we will be effective and productive in our Christian life. We can make an impact on those around us as we grow in these things. That's why Peter urges us to make every effort to do so.