NOTES by Editor | AdventAI

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Oct 19, 1888

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 14, No. 40.

NOTES.

By Editor

"And beside this giving all diligence, add to your faith," etc. A literal rendering of the words translated "and beside this," would be, "and for this cause," which is equivalent to "wherefore." The reference may be to the divine power that hath given us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, or to the exceeding great and precious promises, or to the divine nature of which we are made partakers. Because of this power, because we are sons of God, we should use all diligence to add the Christian graces.

The idea of the apostle is not that any one grace cannot be obtained until the one preceding it has been perfected, as, for instance, that we cannot have any godliness until we are perfect in faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, and patience; for all these things are a part of godliness. But he means that we should possess them all, and daily add to each. It may, however, be observed that there seems to be a definite relation in point of order, especially between temperance and patience, for it is utterly impossible for an intemperate man to be a patient man. Indeed, temperance is, in a sense, patience, for temperance is self-control, and patience is the controlling of one's self under trying circumstances. All the graces are, in fact, interwoven, but faith is the foundation of all. It must precede every other good thing.

On the word "virtue" Dr. Barnes says:—

"The word here rendered virtue is the same which we used in verse 3. . . . All the things which the apostle specifies, unless knowledge be an exception, are virtues in the sense in which that word is commonly used, and it can hardly be supposed that the apostle here meant to use a general term which would include all of the others. The probability is, therefore, that by the word here he has reference to the common meaning of the Greek word, as referring to manliness, courage, vigor, energy; and the sense is that he wished them to evince whatever firmness or courage might be necessary in maintaining the principles of their religion, and in enduring the trials to which their faith might be subjected. True virtue is not a tame and passive thing. It requires great energy and boldness, for its very essence is firmness, manliness, and independence."

By a comparison of Phil. 3:19 and Ex. 20:3 we learn that intemperance is a violation of the first commandment. But one who violates the first commandment is an idolater. Therefore it is utterly impossible that an intemperate man should be a Christian. A man who is given to surfeiting, has his mind so beclouded that he cannot appreciate divine things, or if he dimly realizes them, he is unable to give them his full attention, and so the great day of God comes and finds him unprepared.