and to godliness brotherly kindness

2Pet 1:7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

the Greek word translated as brotherly kindness is philadelphia; meaning fraternal affection. It is derived from philos, which is a friend. It is found 6 times in 5 verses.

Peter had used it in his previous epistle:

1Pet 1:22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:

In Romans 12 Paul is laying out instructions to guide daily living in the character of God.

Rom 12:9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. 10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;

This is the character of the people of God.

Paul also instructs the Thessalonians how to walk with God, (1Thess 4:1) and brotherly love is included in that instruction as a summary of what has come before.

1Thess 4:9 But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.

In Hebrews 13 Paul gives similar instruction on walking in the ways of God, and he begins with brotherly love:

Heb 13:1 Let brotherly love continue.

All of this brings us back to Jesus' admonition to his disciples:

John 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. (Also in John 15:12)

And to the recurring admonition in John's epistles:

1Jn 3:10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother. 11 For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.

1Jn 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. 8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

See also 1Jn 4:11-12 and 2Jn 1:5

Therefore, giving ourselves to brotherly love is essential in walking with Jesus and showing forth the character of God. It is essential in our response to how God has loved us that we love one another. So add to your godliness brotherly love, the spirit of God that is in you will teach you to love one another in the same way that Jesus loved us.

Appendix

Paul's Instructions leading up to brotherly love:

1Thess 4:1 Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more. 2 For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus.

3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: 4 That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; 5 Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God: 6 That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified. 7 For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. 8 He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit.

Another discourse by Paul on brotherly love:

Rom 13:8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. 9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

Note that this is often placed as an opposite to sin

and to Patience Godliness

 2Pet 2:5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

Godliness here is translated from the Greek eusebeia, (yoo-seb-i-ah).

it means piety and is derived from a word which means devout and a further derivation from a word which means to revere or adore.

In Acts 3:12 it is used to explain that it wasn't by Peter and John's own holiness that a lame man was made to walk. Making it clear that godliness is not how we earn anything from God, but it is a maturing in the ways of God. It is not that they did not have godliness, but that it was not the reason for the miracle. The word pious is often used derisively in our world today, but godliness is valuable to add to your faith.

Paul uses this word often in his instructions to Timothy. 

1Tim 3:14 These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly: 15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. 16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

He goes on further to instruct Timothy to exercise thyself unto godliness because it is profitable, and to teach doctrine which is according to godliness and that gain is not godliness, but godliness is great gain. (1Tim 4:7-8; 6:3-6, 11) He also makes reference that there are forms of godliness, but they deny the power of godliness. (2Tim 3:5)

Lastly Peter lets us know that godliness is key in light of the judgments of God:

2Pet 3:11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, 12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

Reverent worship of God, a life of devotion to God and to his ways is great gain.

and to Temperance Patience

2Pet 1:5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

The word for patience means cheerful constancy. It is used in Rom 5 of enduring tribulation. Growth in the character of God and the result hope, (or expectation) (Rom 5:3-4; 8:25; 15:4)

In second Corinthians Paul uses the word again in context to enduring sufferings, (2Cor 1:6, translated enduring; 6:4; 12:12), resulting in signs wonders and mighty deeds.

Another description of endurance in the face of trials/persecution:

2 Thess 1:4 So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:

James tells us that the trying of your faith works patience, and you need to let patience have its perfect work. (James 1:3-4) He also uses the Prophets and Job as examples:

James 5:10 Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. 11 Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

You have need of patience (Heb 10:36), and we are to run with patience (Heb 12:1)

Having patience is commended in Revelation 2:2, 3; 2:19; 3:10.

And to knowledge Temperance

In 2Pet 1:6 we are told to add to or knowledge, temperance.

Temperance is translated from the Greek (eng-krat-i-ah) and means self control, or strength (kratos) over self)

When Paul was explaining faith in Jesus to Felix the governor and his wife Drusilla, we see the themes that he reasons with Felix about.

Acts 24:24 And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. 25 And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.

In this context we see the three great doctrines. What God has done for us, our response to what he has done and the clear expectation of a coming judgment.

we have received like precious faith, we have added virtue and knowledge, now add self control. A submission to those higher ways and a consecration not to violate them.

Titus 1:7 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; 8 But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; 9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.

A slightly different word; also means strong/self control.

To Virtue add Knowledge

 2Pet 1:5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;

This word is first seen in the NT in the book of Luke. Both times linked to the way of salvation.

Luke 1:76 And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; 77 To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins,

Here Zacharias prophesies of the calling of his son John, known later as the Baptist. He was to give knowledge of salvation, manifested by the remission of sins. This is an incredible and Holy calling.

Next we see it used in in the opposite way by Jesus.

Luke 11:52 Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered.

Jesus had pointed to John as the forerunner for his ministry and asked the Pharisees to tell him whether John was from God or not, they could not or would not tell. He also pointed to John as more than a prophet and one who was not shaken with the wind.

In Rom 2:20 the knowledge is likened to a form because the so called teachers have not put away sin.

In Rom 11:33 we see the knowledge of God as the higher ways...

In Rom 15:14 Paul declares that those in Rome to whom he was writing were full of this knowledge and able to admonish one another

He also in 1Cor  uses the word as knowledge of what is going on with meat and drink offered to idols and how to use this knowledge correctly. He also talks of "the word of Knowledge" as a gift of the Holy Spirit. These all describe a higher knowledge

It is found in Jesus:

2Cor 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

The treasure of wisdom and knowledge is in Jesus (Col 2:3)

In 2Cor 6:6 we see knowledge listed as part of the equipment of the ministers of God

In 1Cor 13:8 we see that love is greater than knowledge and in Eph 3:19 we see that the love of Christ passes knowledge.

This knowledge of Jesus is excellent and Paul suffered loss of all in this life to obtain it (Phil 3:8)

Husbands are to dwell with their wives according to this knowledge (1Pet 3:7)

We can grow in it (2Pet 3:18)

The last point is look at 1Tim 6:20-21

20 O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: 21 Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen.

The word translated science here is the same as all those translated knowledge. There is a knowledge which is contrary to the knowledge of God, it is falsely called knowledge, but will cause one to err concerning the faith.

So, we want to add to our virtue, the higher ways of God, the knowledge of God. It is knowledge of the true way of salvation and is only found in Jesus. It is equipment we need to walk as ministers of God and is associated with knowledge of sin and the putting away of it.

Add Virtue

 Add to your faith virtue. 2Pet 1:5

What is virtue?

When we try to understand the word virtue we clearly need to go to the original Greek. It is only found 5 times in the New Testament.

Phil 4:8; Paul giving instructions in how to walk in this way lists what we should be thinking about:

8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

1Pet 2:9; The word is translated as praises in this passage in the KJV

9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

2Pet 1:3, 5 (twice) add to your faith virtue and to virtue knowledge...

What I see in the words from which it is apparently derived are the sense of a lifting of man. We could say, virtue is the better or higher things a man can do. It is excellence of character, the character of God. We are called to glory and virtue in 2Pet 1:3 and then told to add to our faith that same virtue.

The ways of virtue are the higher ways described clearly by God. They include Love, Joy Peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, Temperance:...(Gal 5:22-23)

The ways of God come from the life of God, and we have been made partakers of the divine nature so we are able to allow these to be seen in our lives. While Paul tells us to think or meditate upon this virtue, Peter tells us that we are to show forth this higher praise and to diligently add it to our faith.

God's ways are so much higher than ours, but we who are joined unto the Lord are one spirit and able and called to manifest the virtue, the higher ways, of God!

Giving diligence in this great salvation

 2 Peter 1:1 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:

2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, 3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

The purpose of this post is to set up a series on giving diligence.

In verse one we see Peter writing to those who have obtained like precious faith through the righteousness of Jesus. This is an incredible statement, it declares that faith comes from the life of Jesus. This faith has been summarized by my Pastor as knowing who Jesus is and what he has done and will do. It is the faith which is declared to be what the righteous (just) live by. This righteousness comes by knowing what God has done to bring righteousness to the unrighteous through Jesus Christ.

Rom 3:21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

This faith comes from God, it is not of works lest any one should boast. All one needs to receive it is to call upon the name of the Lord Jesus in repentance, forsaking a life of sin, all having been done away with by the shedding of Jesus' blood. Included in this salvation are exceeding great and precious promises, including the divine nature!

Now having received such a wonderful salvation, what should we do? Peter will lay out for us some activities in diligence to become fruitful in the knowledge of this salvation. In John 15 we are told by Jesus that he is the vine, the root of life, and we are the branches. Fruitful branches are pruned and unfruitful branches are cast away. In like manner Peter tells use if you diligently go after these things you will not be barren nor unfruitful, a state without a good end here and in Jn 15.

So the next few posts will be looking at these activities of diligence one by one as they are listed starting with virtue added to the faith we have received.

Let's begin by acknowledging that faith which we have freely received, know what Jesus has done, and continually give thanks that He has truly done it all for us. What we do is in response to his love for us, not works to earn, but diligence to keep ourselves in this ability to walk with God.

1Jn 5:18 We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.

There are other lists, similar in character, for example:

Rom 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope: 5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

1Tim 6:11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. 12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

Titus 2:1 But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine: 2 That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience.

A growth in the character of God, all as a result of keeping ourselves, of adding to ourselves the wonderful character of God.