p. 5 | Steps in the Attainment of True Christianity

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Apr 9, 1912

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 39, No. 15.

Steps in the Attainment of True Christianity

By By a Bible student of "The Health Culture Home" of Lowville, New York

PETER, by inspiration, has given us a most minute and specific rule by which to come into Christian discipleship with our great Leader.

In the first chapter of his second general epistle, the fifth to seventh verses, we read as follows: "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."

"Giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue." Then the first thing which we must have in order to be Christians is faith. What is faith? We find the answer in Heb. 11:1: "Now faith is the substance [ground or confidence] of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." In other words, faith is simply believing that what God has said is so.

Now what is the first thing necessary in order to believe that what God says is so? The answer is inevitable: We must know what He has said, for "faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God." Rom. 10:17. Therefore the first thing required in the establishment of faith is the hearing of the Word of God.

Perfect faith is shown by our works. Such faith as takes God at His word, implicitly obeys His precepts, and trusts His promises, is pleasing to God, and is the kind which is sure to bring results.

The next quality to be added to faith is virtue. What is virtue? Webster defines virtue as goodness. There are many ways in which goodness may be defined, but virtuous goodness may properly be said to mean moral perfection. God is pleased with a perfect man, and will show him favor. This is a very important factor in the attainment of the Christian character, for it is placed next to faith, the first attribute.

The apostle now goes on in the enumeration of the steps, by saying, "and to virtue knowledge." Most of us possess what we consider to be a goodly amount of knowledge, yet God instructs us to "grow in . . . knowledge." What kind of knowledge? The answer is found in the rest of the verse just quoted: "Grow in . . . the knowledge of our Lord."

True enough, we possess considerable knowledge of ordinary things, of whatever is necessary for us to know in order to gain a livelihood; but when we start out in the Christian pathway, we need another kind of knowledge, of which we find we have but little. Why do we need this knowledge? Why

does the traveler need to study his railroad guide? — Simply to find out the best, the right way to reach his destination. Just so the Christian must study to obtain a knowledge of the best way — the right way, which is God's way — to enter heaven. All of us have a deep desire to reach heaven finally. Then how necessary it is that we obtain that knowledge which shall enable us to get there!

Do we obtain this knowledge all at once, or by one month's or year's study? — Ah, no; we must go on and on through life daily searching for new knowledge, which will often come to us from the most unexpected sources. We shall have to remain long on this round of the ladder; but while we are there, let us not waste our time. While still seekers for knowledge, we may be adding to our characters the other virtues which follow.

"And to knowledge temperance." We must have knowledge in order to know what true temperance means. Peter did not mean for us simply to be temperate by abstaining from alcoholic drinks and tobacco and tea and coffee and so on, for we are instructed to "be temperate in all things." Then we should be temperate in all that we do, in our eating, drinking, working, amusements, sleeping, everything. "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." 1 Cor. 10:31. This kind of temperance paves the way for the attainment of the next step, which is patience.

"And to temperance patience." When we do all that we do, in moderation, not overtaxing our bodies beyond the limit of endurance by improper food and drink and extremes in work and play and the like, our nerves will be steady and firm as steel, and we shall not find it difficult to exercise that most powerful and estimable quality, patience; whereas if we yield to our own tastes and inclinations and indulge in the excesses which so many people ordinarily practise, until our nerves are wrecked, what wonder that upon the least provocation they give way and we become irritable, hasty, and impatient instead of calmly patient under all circumstances!

O, let us cultivate the virtue of temperance for our own sake and that of others, that we may obtain patience.

"And to patience godliness," or God-like-ness. This Christian quality embraces much, for it takes in all the attributes of God, which are, "merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth." Ex. 34:6. This is indeed a great height to which to climb; but we must move on, striving unto perfection by God's help and guidance.

"And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity." When we shall have attained to the virtue of God-like-ness, we shall exercise the kindness of brothers to all men. "As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men." Gal. 6:10. And to this virtue finally must we add charity, which is love, the greatest of all; for without it, all other virtues are useless. "Tho I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And tho I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and tho I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And tho I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and tho I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing." 1 Cor. 13:1-3. "And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men." 1 Thess. 3:12.

The true Christian must strive for his perfection of character by these means, "till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ." Eph. 4:13. "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 Saviour Jesus Christ." 2 Peter 1:10, 11.