The Christian Graces

2 Peter 1:5-11

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. And 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. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and bath forgotten that he was purged from his sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

This text teaches us how to assure that we (those of us who have accepted and obeyed the gospel of Christ) are in a saved condition. Unfortunately, some insist that the Christian falls from grace each and every time he sins, no matter the nature of the sin. This doctrine is contrary to the teaching of John who wrote, "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin" (1 John 1:7). Yet these brethren deny that this "walk in the light" is in view of one’s general manner of life. In other words, they are saying one stops walking in the light if he commits a sin.

But isn't it great when the Bible explains itself? Peter gives the answer to those who question John's teaching regarding the meaning of "walk in the light." He tells us how to keep from falling and assures us of an entrance into the eternal kingdom; and the idea of maintaining sinless perfection is not only far from consideration, it is refuted. One who adds the Christian graces has divine assurance that he “shall never fall.” Now surely no one would insist that those who have added the Christian graces are living totally above sin. Thus, the teaching of Peter refutes TWO false doctrines regarding the Christian and sin. The first is the suggestion that a Christian falls from the grace of God every time he sins. The second is the notion that once one becomes a Christian he cannot be lost no matter how he lives or what sins he commits. The truth taught by John is now clear: "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." Thanks to God through the efforts of the apostle Peter, we can know for sure what John meant.