Woman Holding a Bible Beside a Tower of VirtuesBible World
1:72 Peter 1:7
And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
To godliness is to be added brotherly kindness and to brotherly kindness charity as the crowning upper steps of steady growth by addition. Brotherly kindness means recognizing those Christ died to redeem as brothers and sisters and treating them with tender, forbearing compassion, godliness is the spirit and likeness of Jesus formed in thought, word and deed, and charity is selfless, supreme love to God and to fellow people shining in good works. This climbing is daily, progressive work requiring all diligence with every grace cultivated together, while believers add grace to grace and God multiplies grace and peace through the knowledge of Christ. When these qualities with the other graces are present and abound they keep believers from being barren or unfruitful in the knowledge of Christ, and giving all diligence to do these things makes calling and election sure and ministers an abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom. Lived out, they appear in practical daily kindness in speech, temper and home life without harshness or faultfinding, and this life of love becomes light that wins souls and fits character for heaven.
Terms Sequence and Sense
Brotherly kindness is to be added to godliness and charity to brotherly kindness as successive crowning upper steps of growth by addition, to be cultivated diligently, developed together and made to abound and increase through exercise. As they are present and increasing they keep believers from being barren or unfruitful in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, belong to perfection of character through cooperation with divinity, and lead to assurance of never falling and to abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom. The verse belongs to the full ladder beginning with faith and continuing through virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness and charity, to be added continually with all diligence by active effort and not by mere profession. This adding forms a virtuous Christian character that determines future destiny for life or death, develops the attributes of Christ, fulfills the command to be perfect as the Father in heaven is perfect with the Word as standard, and fits for the home Christ has prepared, for the society of angels, for entrance through the gates as members of the royal family, and for a future immortal life. It is built like a firm wall brick by brick, yet a rotten foundation makes what is built unstable, and it is possible because God gives exceeding great and precious promises by which believers become partakers of the divine nature having escaped corruption through lust, and because Christ never commands without furnishing power to obey.
Charity means love, including selfless love, supreme love to God and love to fellow people, added daily to a character being perfected and cultivated until it abounds in steadily growing experience. It is the perfect crowning grace and highest step, expressed as practical duties with patience, long-suffering, gentleness and meekness shining in good works, strengthening character and preparing the soul for eternal life and entrance into the kingdom. Brotherly kindness means recognizing those Christ died to redeem as a family of brothers and sisters and treating them kindly and tenderly, being affable, kind, forbearing and compassionate. It grows from kindness toward fellow believers into fuller disinterested love shown in faithful work and not words alone and in restrained, thoughtful speech, since indulgence in food producing digestive discomfort may produce harsh irritable speech and cause forgetfulness that speech is a gift to be used with care, with Daniel, called a man greatly beloved, as the pattern of standing firm and reaching the highest round.
Godliness follows patience as its outgrowth and advance grace, and is the spirit and likeness of Jesus Christ formed in thought, word and deed as grace works in the person. It draws the soul upward from worldly corruption toward God by laying hold on Christ and climbing by Him as the ladder with the eye fixed on God above, leaving guilt of the past behind and refusing to look down, receiving multiplied grace and living connection with God at each step with ever-increasing vigor and holier ambition. In this way believers partake of the divine nature and become holy in the measure of limited human powers, reproducing the truth and love that exist in God, receiving and retaining the moral image of God as wax takes the counterpart of the seal, and becoming filled and transfigured by His brightness. Loving God supremely and keeping His commandments makes love for one's brother natural and easy, so godliness leads to practical kindness toward others and is expressed in kindness at home without irritation, where kind gentle words showing tenderness and unselfish care influence children toward what is right while parental irritation stirs irritation in them. A person who does not cherish godliness will lack brotherly kindness, and sinful leniency toward people God condemns can blunt moral judgment and lead to harshness toward faithful Christians whose integrity then appears blameworthy.
Charity is not permissive weakness or false tolerance that conceals or excuses sins left unrepented, unconfessed and unforgiven. Flattering and deceiving people in their sins makes those who do so sinners and brings dishonor to God, while true charity requires honest dealing between believers, discernment, repentance and decisive break from evil, with faith, hope, love and every form of charity magnified. Brotherly kindness is reached when people are stripped of self-righteousness, confess sins and receive pardon which is justification, see their spiritual poverty, become sympathetic with Christ and receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. It stands opposite service marked by self-emulation, self-exaltation and pretense, shows sympathy with Christ, and enables appreciation of the high and elevated character and importance of Christian missions.
Ladder Growth and Diligence
The ladder is divine and scriptural, set firmly on earth to be climbed heavenward round after round, rung by rung, never beginning at the top but from the lowest round upward. Starting the Christian life is being brought to the first round and learning where to place the feet, with each effort preparing for the next difficulty. Men of faith, capability and mind recognize this ladder and climb it, adding brotherly kindness to godliness and charity to brotherly kindness as its rounds. Climbing requires cutting out every thread of selfishness woven into character and working under sacred, elevating, ennobling principles controlled by the Holy Spirit with power from God. Failure to feel the necessity of climbing every round leaves even men in responsible places in great spiritual danger, blocked by earthward interests and unable to rise above mist and fog, and climbing upward requires sitting at the feet of Jesus and learning meekness and self-denial. The standard must stand a hundred percent higher because satanic agencies work with all power to weaken and destroy, and unless every working agency wakes up the enemy gains the victory continually.
Brotherly kindness added to godliness and charity added to brotherly kindness are the top, highest, upper and crowning rounds, with charity as the crowning grace of perfect love, supreme love to God and love to fellow men. They are reached only by climbing every round diligently from the lower rounds upward, which is the only safety for reaching heaven, God and the Holy City and stepping off into the everlasting kingdom of Christ. Reaching them requires stretching every spiritual nerve and muscle, constant striving and spiritual diligence with fearful peril in relaxing for a moment, straining every nerve to leave the world behind, lessen distance from God, forsake sin, obey all commandments, partake of the divine nature and escape corruption through lust. Ascending is step by step the whole height of Christ's work by holding fast to Christ and His merits, believing and working on the plan of addition, entering by the blood of Jesus and laying hold of gospel hope. When godliness leads to brotherly kindness and brotherly kindness to love as the final quality, and these are present and increasing, believers are fruitful in knowing Jesus Christ and have grace multiplied and salvation seen.
The graces are not acquired one at a time in isolation while others are neglected; they are all to be present, cultivated, shared, used and growing together. Christ is the ladder connecting earth and heaven, and growth toward eternal life comes through cooperation with God by adding faith to virtue to knowledge to temperance to patience to godliness to brotherly kindness to charity continually. As one grace is gained and used to overcome, further grace is given, requiring earnest practical work including teaching children by example and instruction. This adding is to be done daily by diligent effort under the Holy Spirit, working and watching and praying and studying from cause to effect and heeding wise counsel without overloading to weakness, trusting rich grace to strengthen.
The qualities need not be counted off step by step but develop as the believer keeps the eye fixed on Jesus, beholds Him, clings to Christ and His merits, works in accordance with faith, and seeks God's glory in ongoing advance toward Christ's ideal and mediatorial work. The climb is gradual, not by one effort, with divine aid joined to human effort, relying by faith on Christ's power and promises and seeking the Holy Spirit until made complete in Him. Each step advances in the knowledge of God with no stopping, and through Christ believers receive wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption with experimental knowledge of Him as pattern.
Growth is ongoing daily work continuing as long as life lasts, progressive, gradual and continual with no stopping point and no graduation in Christ's school. It is not completed in an hour or a day, by one effort, at baptism, at conversion, or by belief alone; when the sinner finds peace through the blood of atonement the Christian life has only begun, and going on to perfection means growing up to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. Sanctification requires giving all diligence, constant diligence by Christ's grace, keeping up warfare against felt promptings of sin with Christ's help uniting human weakness to divine strength. The faith that adds godliness to brotherly kindness and charity to brotherly kindness works by love and purifies the soul, and doing these things makes calling and election sure, keeps from ever falling, and ministers abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom.
The work requires all diligence, constant striving and earnest practical effort with no time to be lost. It means laying aside folly, vanity and frivolity, refusing inclinations of the unconverted mind, meeting difficulties by overcoming so as to be strengthened, maintaining daily living obedience, being grounded in truth so persecution cannot turn aside, and perfecting graces through persevering effort and diligent watchfulness over self. It includes studying the Bible and Christ's lessons to animate and strengthen growth, complying with conditions, encouraging faith and living by faith, living consistent overcoming lives and doing missionary work, so Christ's laying aside kingly honors to suffer and die is not in vain.
The sequence belongs to Peter's ladder of temperance and sanctification describing the duty to know and follow Jesus, begun at conversion and pursued with diligence so as not to fall. It includes the call to overcome intemperate habits and gain victory over evil through obedience and a life escaping worldly corruption by Christ's power and precious promises to become fruitful in knowing Christ. Temperance comes before patience because indulgence undermines patience. The addition is heart work learned in Christ's school in which selfishness, covetousness, fretfulness, quick temper, impatience and fault-finding are put away. Faith sustains works because faith works through love and purifies the soul, and grace is built into a harmonious, consistent, well-formed character through virtues practiced in good deeds including patience, temperance, benevolence, courage and self-denial, lived in this world by looking to Jesus and blessing others.
Mastering this growth is a science of Christianity as much deeper, broader and higher than any human science as the heavens are higher than the earth. The mind must be disciplined, educated and trained to serve God against inborn inclination, overcoming inherited and cultivated tendencies, often discarding lifetime training to become a learner in Christ's school, educating the heart to steadfastness, forming habits of thought that resist temptation, and learning to look upward. The principles of God's word, as high as heaven and compassing eternity, must be understood in bearing on daily life so every act, word and thought accords with them. The precious graces including brotherly kindness and charity are not developed in a moment, but courage, fortitude, meekness, faith and unwavering trust in God's saving power are acquired by years of experience and holy endeavor and firm adherence to the right, sealing destiny.
One bowed down by failure and humiliation after trusting flattery and supposed natural gifts is restored not by flattery or harsh judgment but by patient faithful help setting stumbling feet on the lowest round and encouraging painful round-by-round effort, by which weakness is learned, past errors avoided and defeat turned to victory. Likewise those who help souls and climb with them must meet people where they are on the first and lower rounds and guide them step by step, using God-given abilities in timely helping words rather than self-interest, not standing above with fixed methods demanding they come up to a higher place they cannot reach. Giving others the same opportunities and encouragement received belongs among the highest expressions of godly character so abilities can grow.
Faithful step-by-step climbing by teachers and students gives schools their power rather than size of buildings or number of advanced studies. The same plan of addition governs continually improving in assigned work and using abilities faithfully for God's glory in mechanical, agricultural, mercantile and scientific enterprises, linking spiritual achievements and temporal matters by union of divine and human agency. Kindness without courage and firmness to reprove sin and uphold justice leaves one unable to keep Israel pure, as shown in Eli's need for those qualities. Spiritual growth advances step by step up a ladder toward heavenly character and urges making calling and election sure.
Divine Provision and Cooperation
Believers work on the plan of addition by adding grace to grace in character, while God and Christ work for them on the plan of multiplication, multiplying grace and peace and heavenly graces through the knowledge of God and of Jesus as they lean on God and continue in faith, a cooperation that governs even temporal pursuits. Adding brotherly kindness to godliness and charity to brotherly kindness with diligence belongs to this perfection of character reached through cooperation with divinity, with Christ as the ladder connecting earth and heaven climbed step by step toward eternal life. These virtues are precious treasures, and when present and increasing they make believers fruitful in knowing Jesus Christ, accompanying the promise that grace and peace will be multiplied. The graces are not acquired one at a time in isolation but are all to be present and growing together.
This growth is possible because divine power gives all things pertaining to life and godliness, and through exceeding great and precious promises believers become partakers of the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world through lust, so that though tempted a person does not yield. Fulfilling the Word and doing the will of God through divine help makes them clean and white in character, neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of Christ, with calling and election made sure and an abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom. Christ never commands without furnishing power to obey, so this diligent growth fulfills the command to be perfect even as the Father in heaven is perfect, to be imitators of God in words, spirit and works, with the Word of God as the standard. The ladder is built by active effort rather than mere profession of faith, compared to a firm wall built brick by brick, but a rotten foundation makes what is built upon it unstable. Faithfulness in carrying out this Scripture in life-practice is proved by a daily sum of adding graces to the character being perfected, and can result in the conversion of hundreds and thousands as upon the day of Pentecost.
The faith that adds these graces is the faith that works by love and purifies the soul. There is no graduation from this growth in the school of Christ; through constant diligence and the grace of Christ believers keep adding these graces while the Lord works by multiplication. Doing these things makes calling and election sure, keeps from ever falling, and gives abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom of Jesus Christ. Growth comes through cooperation between divine power and human effort under the Holy Spirit, with God supplying wisdom, strength and blessings and Christ's merits and righteousness aiding obedience and making obedience acceptable, while believers cultivate right habits by persevering effort and overcome faults day by day. Human effort alone cannot produce holiness or perfect obedience. Those who keep the eyes fixed on Jesus and work in accordance with faith will add brotherly kindness and love to godliness rather than remain where they are, keeping advancing rather than standing still until made complete in Him.
Adding grace to grace gives strength to follow Christ and reflects a life shaped by studying His character, as grace added to grace multiplies the influence of the Holy Spirit. Christ laid off His royal robe and kingly crown and came to this world as a little child and took upon Himself the liabilities of human nature to teach how to accomplish this work of adding grace to grace, an experience that cannot be neglected without missing a great opportunity. Seen as child and youth at work at His father's carpenter's bench, He would not be defective even in the handling of tools, was perfect as a workman as He was perfect in character, carried cheerfulness and tact into His labor, never let worldly care leave Him no time or thought for heaven, often expressed the gladness of His heart by singing psalms and heavenly songs, and was faithful in all He did. As He learned His lessons and understood and did His duty, so all must be just as faithful in adding grace to grace. He lived self-denyingly among the poorest so that none could say He did not know poverty and its temptations, and power to live Christlike is available when God's conditions are met.
Christ places before the learner every virtue and every feature of Christian excellence and adds one endowment after another to the one who possesses His graces until at last He looks on him with delight. Through Christ believers receive wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption, heavenly virtues bought by His blood that must be present in life and character. Even weak, sinful mortals may attain the round of adding grace to grace and climbing round by round the ladder heavenward to glory and virtue by learning daily lessons in the school of Christ, by becoming conformed to the divine image, by manifesting His excellency of character, and by becoming complete in the Beloved.
Fruitfulness Assurance and Loss
When brotherly kindness is added to godliness and charity — love — is added to brotherly kindness, and these with faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience and godliness are present and abounding, believers are kept from being barren or unfruitful in the knowledge of Jesus Christ. That fruitfulness is experimental knowledge of Him, maintained in good works, letting light shine, overcoming evil propensities and difficulties, and becoming fruitful in seeking to save perishing souls. It comes by diligent, progressive growth in sanctification, adding continually until assurance of never falling and entrance into Christ's everlasting kingdom are reached.
Whoever lacks these graces is blind and shortsighted, unable to see afar off or to see the outcome of choices, and has forgotten being purged and cleansed from old sins. That blindness is also failing to purify the soul by prayer, making a new record of sin, drifting with worldliness, being blinded by the arch deceiver while thinking oneself wise, and not understanding personal weakness. The two states stand together in contrast: presence and abundance prevents barrenness in knowing Christ, while lack leaves a person blind, unable to see afar off, and forgetful of cleansing from old sins. In speech this same lack appears as inability to see the harmful influence of one's own harsh, angry words and unchristlike course, opposite pleasant speech, self-control and cheerful uplifting influence.
Giving all diligence to do these things makes calling and election sure, keeps believers from ever falling and treading securely, and ministers an abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom of Jesus Christ. That entrance brings a crown of life, realized when the books are opened through belief in God's gift of His Son with decided reform and earnest cooperation, while neglecting them results in loss of the soul. Doing them gives assurance of walking securely and understandingly in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, which matters in preparation for the last great judgment. The passage containing this adding is a life-insurance policy insuring life in the heavenly courts and securing title to the immortal inheritance and eternal life in the kingdom of God, needed because the end is near. Doing these things is eternal life insurance measuring with the life of God through endless eternity, granted to those who obey the Holy Spirit, in contrast to a Freemason policy and far worth more than any policy bought with money.
True godliness takes God into the thoughts, and this adding is the blessing of sanctification described as an everlasting life-insurance policy. Adding what is commanded determines future destiny for life or for death, and prepares character for the society of angels, entrance through the gates and membership in the royal family as children of the heavenly King. It makes believers complete in Christ and looked upon as heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, and God elects those who work by this plan. The verse is part of God's essential requirements and provisions for salvation whose principles are to be received and worked out by taking God's Word as guide and living Christ's teaching. Eternal life is conditional on receiving and cultivating these graces, disobedience leaves people unfit for the kingdom, and this character-building fits for translation, loyal citizenship and an imperishable crown by steady self-control.
These truths are present truth to be always remembered and stirred up, with growth in the knowledge of Jesus letting God's power fill the heart and shape a living testimony toward eternal interests. Being kept in present truth and made doubly sure of entrance through the gates comes by following on to know the Lord, searching and living the Scriptures daily, and confirming experience through prayer, watchfulness and service. Steady growth adding grace to grace is security against shipwreck and ruin, and as God multiplies His graces to persevering diligence believers have assurance they will not fall. The resulting holy character endures the fires of the last day, and the chapter's plan of addition is to be taken as food, wisdom, righteousness and truth in Jesus and applied in bringing children to salvation and preparing the family for eternal life.
Character in Daily Life
The qualities named are practical fruits of genuine conversion and the gospel plan of growth, to be lived in daily life and character as believers grow in grace, reflect Christ, overcome selfishness and work helpfully together, not as surface profession but as the Spirit's cleansing of mind, heart and body received by submitting the heart to be softened, subdued and shaped in the divine likeness, to be within and to abide as grace shapes the heart, with their presence bringing fruitfulness in knowing Jesus Christ and their lack leaving spiritual blindness, shortsightedness, inability to see outcomes, and forgetfulness of cleansing from past sins. Practical genuine godliness must increase in genuine simplicity and not by vain show, worked out in and through Christ's merits bringing peace, and sanctification is expressed in well-doing and willing obedience rather than increasingly intense feelings, with love and spiritual joy resulting from obedient faith, while plain neat clothing avoids fostering love of dress. Living this means practical kindness in daily conduct, helping one another and being kind, tender, compassionate, courteous, humble and pleasant in speech, avoiding criticism, irritation, harshness and angry words, valuing others as precious because of Christ's price for them, shaping character after the divine model, showing kindness toward differing minds and temperaments, yielding wrong habits and dispositions, watching words, avoiding irritation, dissension, strife and needless conflict, keeping individuality under the Spirit's control, with gentleness and courtesy rather than roughness belonging especially in ministers, and unkindness showing failure to know Christ. The same kindness governs speech, for tongue and voice must be converted to appeal without anger or malice, producing pleasant speech, self-control and cheerful uplifting influence instead of harsh angry words, using the tongue to glorify God and bless others with an alert conscience that God sees every word and action to be answered for, using speech thoughtfully and with restraint under the Spirit's presence in heart and mind, since indulgence in food can undermine this through digestive discomfort producing harsh irritable speech. Its teaching is to be studied, taken home, considered and carried into daily life by walking humbly with God without questioning, changing speech and its spirit under the Spirit's converting influence, adding daily to the store of knowledge of God and Christ with ever-increasing capacity, making the Bible the textbook and learning and practicing Christ's lessons, taking no backward steps but following on to know the Lord with advance steps in rejoicing, filling heart and lips with daily praise that moves others to praise God and brings souls to truth. Cultivating brotherly kindness and charity means cultivating the Spirit's precious graces by crucifying and surrendering self to God, cultivating faith and love at all times and under all circumstances, using speech only to bless and strengthen, keeping self under control, and growing into strong, steady, genuine love for Christ and for one another with growing interest, bringing 1 Corinthians 13 and the new commandment into daily experience. Godliness is expressed in kindness at home without irritation, for parental irritation stirs irritation in children while kind gentle words showing tenderness and unselfish care influence them toward right, so the graces are to be received and cultivated in the heart and carried out every day in home and family with no scolding or fretting, overcoming impatience and showing love after Christ's pattern, a growth beginning even in childhood through service and preparing for the higher school and immortal life. Cultivating these graces shapes the household, calling for faithfulness at home, patience and self-denial including avoiding liquor, tobacco and other narcotics, guiding children by prayer and conversation rather than harsh punishment and disciplining with tenderness and sorrow when correction is needed, taking the chapter's plan as food, wisdom, righteousness and truth in Jesus applied to bringing children to salvation and preparing the family for eternal life. For parents this calls for hearts softened by the Spirit to deal with children in Christ's spirit with kind, tender, patient forbearance forming character after the divine model, and parents who are overcomers must lead children step by step up the ladder by teaching the Word as it is, praying kneeling with them with Christ beside and angels around, taking them to the Lord for forgiveness when cross and impatient instead of scolding, and bringing them up in nurture and admonition so the city of God is opened and parents present themselves with their children in praise to God and the Lamb. For children, youth and students this adding is part of true higher education to be learned from the Bible as textbook and practiced daily through service from childhood, developing what is good, virtuous, righteous and holy including temperance, godliness, mutual kindness, compassion, politeness, tenderness, loving care and love for God, with physical, mental, moral and religious training shaping character for righteousness, skillful thorough labor under Christ's yoke, church fellowship, baptism and the immortal inheritance, studied and practiced in dependence on God for strength against contaminating influences. The call is to rise in mental, moral and physical attainments by seeking with all might, adding virtue to virtue and strength to strength, cultivating intellect and fitting time, thoughts and capabilities to do God's will, a work Christ died to make possible that makes believers strong, intelligent and able to think and plan and puts institutions higher, while neglecting it leaves one low and behind, requiring believers not to remain novices but to reach the highest round and step into the kingdom with wisdom, knowledge, skill and correctness in speech and habits. Love must be shown in action in obedience to God's commandments, with loving deeds revealing living faith, patient kindness, forgiveness, benevolence in watching for opportunities to do good and bless others, and spiritual-mindedness in deeds and words rather than mere profession or peaceful death, for love for God and neighbor is the whole duty taking hold of the whole person with new motive, essential to heaven and to be continually cultivated lest it wither, building grace into harmonious consistent character. The Spirit works in the heart to establish brotherly kindness and Christlike love as practical godliness, expelling corruption and bringing every faculty under Christ's control, a growth calling for refinement, purification and testing and keeping from falling. These graces develop in heart and life but can be lost when a person grows weary and lets the enemy rob what was gained or trusts human power and loses sight of Jesus, for climbing requires a changed life and sanctification through God's truth rather than mere profession of truth or keeping the Sabbath, and overcoming deeply formed corrupt habits takes sustained effort. Having assurance requires working from inward to outward with full consecration, no longer mingling common with sacred, cherishing common fire or giving divided service, for no earthly glory makes one great before God and self-righteous patching avails nothing, but the helpless sinner must come to Calvary by faith to lay hold on Christ's righteousness and receive His wedding garment in place of the old dress, discerning unworthiness and Jesus' loveliness with alert conscience that God sees every word and action to be answered for. Practical godliness means claiming to be saved is not enough while the heart is at enmity with God's law, but life must return to allegiance through repentance toward God and faith toward Christ with law and gospel hand in hand as a perfect whole, instructing Christians to obey to honor that name with cultivated mind and pure aspirations, acting at once on light with whole heart and every capability including taking decided position to keep the Sabbath, which brings blessing, advance and victory. Christian growth is part of working out salvation calling for self-denial and sacrifice in service, laying aside distrust of fellow believers because distrust brings bondage and laboring united as fellow workers with God as sowers and reapers together in the harvest field. Seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness is the condition, foundation stone and first work enlisting heart, mind, soul and strength and shaping entire character by adding brotherly kindness and charity, molding character after Christ until it grows into a holy temple through which light shines. This belongs to the life of an overcomer who lives day by day as an overcomer on a foundation of virtuous character, holds fast to what God has given and keeps striving rather than giving up, reaching the standard by resisting strong temptations to go downward, shunning temptation, persevering with untiring energy like soldiers trained for battle, and making daily upward progress. It calls for overcoming evil tendencies, resisting worldly temptations, straining every nerve to leave the world behind, lessening distance from God, forsaking sin and cutting out every thread of selfishness, since satanic agencies work to weaken and destroy so the standard must stand higher and every agency must wake up, with doing one's part meaning acting in fear of God, keeping the soul in His love and making no provision for Satan who knows human weakness. Putting on Christ's character of kindness and love in being kind, courteous, tender, truthful and helpful is the wedding garment preparing for Christ's return and the marriage supper, meaning wanting heaven and wanting all around drawn by the Spirit to a merciful Saviour who rejects none who come, using capabilities to look after souls, helping everyone possible lest they fall to temptation, making the most of opportunities and going forth believing strength will be given to see God's glory in every community. Character growth is steady ascent toward excellence not by chance, for repeated choices form habits for good or evil, requiring persistent effort, diligent self-watch, self-control, patience, true courtesy and using every ability to honor God, while indulging selfishness or neglecting duty makes further failure likely, and adding lacking virtues requires a high standard in habits, patiently bearing imperfections as God does while watching for fruit, putting away frivolous conversation with parents encouraging children higher. Living on this plan means leaning heavily on the Mighty One, doing much praying rather than talking, planning and laboring with willing hearts and sacrifice, working, watching, praying, studying cause to effect, heeding wise counsel and trusting rich grace without overloading to weakness. Pure love for one another belongs to the greatest work of this life, preparation for the future life measuring with the life of God, for probation is granted so virtues may be cultivated despite difficulties to carry into the higher life, exercised by those sharing the divine nature during probation as God's directions and conditions for promises leading to happiness, peace and sharing that nature. When bodily infirmity keeps God's people from committed work the light of these graces is shut from the world with great loss to the church, so living them requires health of body and enlightenment in caring for the body. Baptism and church membership do not complete the work, but practical religion, continued progress and thorough conversion through seeking truth in Scripture are necessary to retain knowledge of Christ, be fruitful, enter immortal life and fellowship with saints in light, bringing hope, peace, joy and assurance. Sinful leniency toward people God condemns can blunt moral judgment and lead to harshness toward faithful Christians whose integrity then appears blameworthy. The climb requires self-denial and strength from the merits of the crucified and risen Savior, with kindness appearing as transformation into Christ's image, for sanctification advances step by step and each rung must be climbed to reach the highest. Taking hold of this ladder requires seeking the Lord while He may be found with no time to lose, wholehearted conversion and laying hold on the Holy Spirit instead of half-hearted indifference, and putting away ungodliness and selfish dealing to come out without spot, which brings assurance of sonship and heirship, answered prayer carrying every trial to Jesus, grace given, and praise instead of complaining with firm hold on eternal life.
Mission Service and Responsibility
Faithfully living out daily addition of brotherly kindness to godliness and love to brotherly kindness perfects character and can lead to the conversion of many, even hundreds and thousands as on the day of Pentecost. These final crowning additions are to be cultivated with diligence as a daily sum by those given hope of escaping corruption in the world through lust and separating evil from the carnal heart, proving character by living faith shown in actions and practice. Constant working in this way lets light received from Jesus Christ be reflected to all around, keeps believers from being barren or unfruitful in knowledge of Christ, fills heart and lips with daily praise that astonishes observers and moves them to praise God also, and brings many souls to knowledge of the truth, while lacking these things leaves blindness, forgetfulness of cleansing from old sins, and lack of true godliness in heart and tongue.
Practicing these successive rounds of the heavenward ladder with the other graces, with no standstill but continual advancement, makes youth a living influence for righteousness wherever they are, true one to another, workers together with God in reshaping moral character and retracing God's image in man, keeping the law as liberty and not bondage. Those who work out this addition of grace to grace with all diligence in genuine simplicity and not vain show, worked out in and through the merits of Christ, become lights shining amid moral darkness and a power to bless. As people add these qualities God multiplies grace and peace, brings closer fellowship with saints in light, prepares character and disposition for immortal life and fellowship with heavenly angels, gives power to resist the satanic antagonist with victory, and makes them victors at last who shall never fall.
This growth in godliness, kindness and love increases usefulness in God's service and fits men and women to become efficient workers for God and soldiers of Christ, serving with intelligence, grace and ability learned through prayer, searching Scripture, and practicing self-denial and self-sacrifice. Those offering themselves for service are to study the first chapter of Second Peter to gain this fitness and be directed to work they can do. Living out these qualities brings power from above so believers represent Christ in words and actions, with His principles shaping treatment of others and reflecting heaven's light to be helpful, cultivating kindness and tenderness of heart through faith that brings lasting good to those served. Diligence in the spiritual life in this way leads believers to work for others beyond their own church, sharing God's instruction and grace to extend the vineyard to those who do not know truth throughout the world, for God looks for evidence of faith, love and patience and faithful use of spiritual advantages.
Brotherly kindness is a mark of Christians living under the converting power of the Holy Spirit, expressed in words and actions following Jesus' humble example by serving others, doing good, showing sympathy and love, helping the needy and oppressed, and valuing people regardless of circumstances or rank. Reconverted believers show brotherly kindness leading on to brotherly love in words and actions placing high value on souls, using influence to bring sinners to God and tell the story of the Lamb. Faithfully seeking to save people from error through interested labor of love belongs to living and working by this plan of addition, by which believers receive grace, become partakers of the divine nature escaping worldly corruption, and form harmonious character like a well-built temple belonging to God preparing for the heavenly city. These graces adorn a transformed life shown in helping fellow workers progress rather than disparaging them, and in living in fellowship and mutual dependence joined by love rather than criticism, forming unity that prepares to meet Christ.
Those truly serving the Lord Jesus will be a holy sanctified people communicating light of truth to all around, not only in households but outside them and not only to fellow believers but to those not in the faith, presenting truth most earnestly by offering books giving the right idea of faith and where books are refused by conversing in kind tender manner out of the Scriptures, doing great earnest work because the world is fast ripening for closing up its history. Ministers and those who teach the way of life must diligently cultivate godliness, brotherly kindness and charity through this deliberate sequence to be fit to guide people, with gentleness, courtesy, tenderness and love rather than roughness or impatience belonging in every minister's life. Wisdom from God makes a man's course harmonious with God's will so those connected with him have confidence in his wisdom to devise and plan for progress of God's work in saving souls ready to die, by giving all diligence to add these qualities as part of receiving multiplied grace and peace, all things pertaining to life and godliness, and partaking of the divine nature through exceeding great and precious promises.
Working on heaven's principles means adding brotherly kindness to godliness and charity to brotherly kindness, and men given responsibilities in God's work and God-directed institutions are tested by these Christlike principles, unless they show a true idea of them they will be removed and others put in place. Everyone, especially those in the office, must stand in own lot and place by obeying this growth, keeping these words in the chambers of the mind, watching actions, avoiding criticism and needless conflict, and serving as patient guardians and shepherds who work together to please God and build character. These crowning steps are to be climbed round after round, written and hung in the mind and done in life, for doing them keeps from falling and ministers abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom, while failure to develop this tenderness, compassion and love leaves men destitute of Christ's character and in danger of losing heaven's blessing.
Sanitarium workers are required by God to stand on higher ground by cultivating kindness and tenderness of heart with strong determination and faith in Christ, taking hold of Christ's faith and daily bringing sanctification imparted by the Spirit into words and actions in humbleness of mind. When these qualities are in them and abound they will be neither barren nor unfruitful in knowledge of Christ, the Spirit will be present and manifest in speech, angels can connect with them, and Christ working with them will make lasting good impressions on unbelievers that the unaided human agent cannot make, with heaven's light shining into hearts and minds as eternal safety and life insurance so they shall never fall. The chapter with the verse is to be studied carefully verse by verse to show right relation to sanitarium work and toward those connected with it, calling for seeking the Lord and walking in all humility before Him as a caution to be heeded, for those connected with the institution are to possess these virtues and graces.
Workers for God must live as in His sight and be constantly developing in true virtue and godliness, with minds and hearts thoroughly imbued with Christ's spirit and solemnized by the sacred message so every thought, action and motive is above the earthly and sensual. This growth elevates the standard, finds happiness in Jesus and His love rather than selfish or forbidden pleasures, forms character Christ is not ashamed to call brethren, and prepares for the heavenly benediction when each receives according to deeds done in the body. It requires daily development with hearts cleansed of superiority and living principles of truth planted in the soul at every age as preparation for service, reaching higher steps through patient painstaking effort not boastful claims so institutional workers grow in character and work harmoniously.
The chapter teaches Christ as only hope and sole dependence, to whom believers come with little trials and large perplexities telling all to Jesus as helper, strength and sympathizing Friend touched with infirmities, confessed by erecting the family altar in every home and bringing the whole family before God morning and evening in petition, dependence, service, and acknowledgment of Christ as Leader, Captain and divine Teacher keeping eternal reality before each member. Brotherly kindness and charity belong to living in conformity with God's will, supporting love and unity, representing God in daily character, and preparing for eternal life. This diligent growth from faith through virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience and godliness to these crowning steps is possible because God gives exceeding great and precious promises for partaking of the divine nature having escaped corruption through lust, and Christ never commands without furnishing power to obey, thus fulfilling the command to be perfect as the Father in heaven is perfect by imitating God in words, spirit and works with the Word as standard.
Growth in this passage is the highest education, learned from Scripture rather than influences rejecting God's authority, developing faith through the named virtues including godliness, brotherly kindness and love to prepare for eternal life and entrance into God's kingdom. Solomon's fall shows danger of failing to continue, where uncontrolled passion displaced devotion while continued growth in virtue would have led to a noble life. The passage presents this plan of addition as overcoming and correcting defects of character while preparing for the higher school and for what God will bring to pass. The verse gives comfort and encouragement to all of like precious faith, filling heart and mind with strength to resist looking on the dark side and talking discouragement, to be read in the churches as uplifting testimony, for studying the chapter brings help, strength and blessing to resist the foe.
The instruction in the chapter is for every man to use to bring himself into order in walking carefully before God to honor, fear and glorify His holy name and to purify himself for His glory and cause, framing life to love Christ and truth and become one with Christ and the Father and to grow in grace and knowledge of truth for the glory of His name and advancement of His cause. This diligent addition brings peace, joy and assurance, with the path growing brighter as believers continue to know the Lord in His strength toward eternal life and meeting Christ and entering His kingdom. This adding is the work of following on to know the Lord and to be prepared, washed and kept without mistake in character through close relation with God, for Jesus understands infirmities and telling Him weaknesses brings His help not to fall, giving courage, hope and faith while constantly looking to Jesus with promise of never falling and abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom.
Failing to live upon that plan leaves believers spiritually blind, unable to see afar off, forgetful of purging from old sins, and revealing Satan's attributes in jealousy, evil surmising and dead Pharisaical formalism, and such ones cannot be helped until humble and contrite before God and yoked with Christ as laborers together with God. Growth in these graces means far more than minds comprehend and requires sound solid experience in the pillars of faith and well-grounded certain understanding of Scripture that storm cannot move, gained by studying the Bible more and understanding it more perfectly, giving a healthful sound mind to discern the true Shepherd's voice from a stranger's amid strange elements. Brotherly kindness and love are virtues to cultivate during this life in preparation for the future life, whose upper heavenward steps parents who are overcomers must teach children step by step from the Word as it is, with prayer kneeling before God, forgiveness sought when cross and impatient instead of scolding, and nurture in the Lord, so that by taking hold of the divine nature, escaping corruption through lust, and receiving life measuring with God's life and an immortal inheritance by Christ's sacrifice, the city of God is opened and parents present themselves with their children in praise to God and the Lamb.
To godliness is to be added brotherly kindness and to brotherly kindness charity as the crowning upper steps of steady growth by addition. Brotherly kindness means recognizing those Christ died to redeem as brothers and sisters and treating them with tender, forbearing compassion, godliness is the spirit and likeness of Jesus formed in thought, word and deed, and charity is selfless, supreme love to God and to fellow people shining in good works. This climbing is daily, progressive work requiring all diligence with every grace cultivated together, while believers add grace to grace and God multiplies grace and peace through the knowledge of Christ. When these qualities with the other graces are present and abound they keep believers from being barren or unfruitful in the knowledge of Christ, and giving all diligence to do these things makes calling and election sure and ministers an abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom. Lived out, they appear in practical daily kindness in speech, temper and home life without harshness or faultfinding, and this life of love becomes light that wins souls and fits character for heaven.
Terms Sequence and Sense
Brotherly kindness is to be added to godliness and charity to brotherly kindness as successive crowning upper steps of growth by addition, to be cultivated diligently, developed together and made to abound and increase through exercise. As they are present and increasing they keep believers from being barren or unfruitful in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, belong to perfection of character through cooperation with divinity, and lead to assurance of never falling and to abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom. The verse belongs to the full ladder beginning with faith and continuing through virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness and charity, to be added continually with all diligence by active effort and not by mere profession. This adding forms a virtuous Christian character that determines future destiny for life or death, develops the attributes of Christ, fulfills the command to be perfect as the Father in heaven is perfect with the Word as standard, and fits for the home Christ has prepared, for the society of angels, for entrance through the gates as members of the royal family, and for a future immortal life. It is built like a firm wall brick by brick, yet a rotten foundation makes what is built unstable, and it is possible because God gives exceeding great and precious promises by which believers become partakers of the divine nature having escaped corruption through lust, and because Christ never commands without furnishing power to obey.
Charity means love, including selfless love, supreme love to God and love to fellow people, added daily to a character being perfected and cultivated until it abounds in steadily growing experience. It is the perfect crowning grace and highest step, expressed as practical duties with patience, long-suffering, gentleness and meekness shining in good works, strengthening character and preparing the soul for eternal life and entrance into the kingdom. Brotherly kindness means recognizing those Christ died to redeem as a family of brothers and sisters and treating them kindly and tenderly, being affable, kind, forbearing and compassionate. It grows from kindness toward fellow believers into fuller disinterested love shown in faithful work and not words alone and in restrained, thoughtful speech, since indulgence in food producing digestive discomfort may produce harsh irritable speech and cause forgetfulness that speech is a gift to be used with care, with Daniel, called a man greatly beloved, as the pattern of standing firm and reaching the highest round.
Godliness follows patience as its outgrowth and advance grace, and is the spirit and likeness of Jesus Christ formed in thought, word and deed as grace works in the person. It draws the soul upward from worldly corruption toward God by laying hold on Christ and climbing by Him as the ladder with the eye fixed on God above, leaving guilt of the past behind and refusing to look down, receiving multiplied grace and living connection with God at each step with ever-increasing vigor and holier ambition. In this way believers partake of the divine nature and become holy in the measure of limited human powers, reproducing the truth and love that exist in God, receiving and retaining the moral image of God as wax takes the counterpart of the seal, and becoming filled and transfigured by His brightness. Loving God supremely and keeping His commandments makes love for one's brother natural and easy, so godliness leads to practical kindness toward others and is expressed in kindness at home without irritation, where kind gentle words showing tenderness and unselfish care influence children toward what is right while parental irritation stirs irritation in them. A person who does not cherish godliness will lack brotherly kindness, and sinful leniency toward people God condemns can blunt moral judgment and lead to harshness toward faithful Christians whose integrity then appears blameworthy.
Charity is not permissive weakness or false tolerance that conceals or excuses sins left unrepented, unconfessed and unforgiven. Flattering and deceiving people in their sins makes those who do so sinners and brings dishonor to God, while true charity requires honest dealing between believers, discernment, repentance and decisive break from evil, with faith, hope, love and every form of charity magnified. Brotherly kindness is reached when people are stripped of self-righteousness, confess sins and receive pardon which is justification, see their spiritual poverty, become sympathetic with Christ and receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. It stands opposite service marked by self-emulation, self-exaltation and pretense, shows sympathy with Christ, and enables appreciation of the high and elevated character and importance of Christian missions.
Ladder Growth and Diligence
The ladder is divine and scriptural, set firmly on earth to be climbed heavenward round after round, rung by rung, never beginning at the top but from the lowest round upward. Starting the Christian life is being brought to the first round and learning where to place the feet, with each effort preparing for the next difficulty. Men of faith, capability and mind recognize this ladder and climb it, adding brotherly kindness to godliness and charity to brotherly kindness as its rounds. Climbing requires cutting out every thread of selfishness woven into character and working under sacred, elevating, ennobling principles controlled by the Holy Spirit with power from God. Failure to feel the necessity of climbing every round leaves even men in responsible places in great spiritual danger, blocked by earthward interests and unable to rise above mist and fog, and climbing upward requires sitting at the feet of Jesus and learning meekness and self-denial. The standard must stand a hundred percent higher because satanic agencies work with all power to weaken and destroy, and unless every working agency wakes up the enemy gains the victory continually.
Brotherly kindness added to godliness and charity added to brotherly kindness are the top, highest, upper and crowning rounds, with charity as the crowning grace of perfect love, supreme love to God and love to fellow men. They are reached only by climbing every round diligently from the lower rounds upward, which is the only safety for reaching heaven, God and the Holy City and stepping off into the everlasting kingdom of Christ. Reaching them requires stretching every spiritual nerve and muscle, constant striving and spiritual diligence with fearful peril in relaxing for a moment, straining every nerve to leave the world behind, lessen distance from God, forsake sin, obey all commandments, partake of the divine nature and escape corruption through lust. Ascending is step by step the whole height of Christ's work by holding fast to Christ and His merits, believing and working on the plan of addition, entering by the blood of Jesus and laying hold of gospel hope. When godliness leads to brotherly kindness and brotherly kindness to love as the final quality, and these are present and increasing, believers are fruitful in knowing Jesus Christ and have grace multiplied and salvation seen.
The graces are not acquired one at a time in isolation while others are neglected; they are all to be present, cultivated, shared, used and growing together. Christ is the ladder connecting earth and heaven, and growth toward eternal life comes through cooperation with God by adding faith to virtue to knowledge to temperance to patience to godliness to brotherly kindness to charity continually. As one grace is gained and used to overcome, further grace is given, requiring earnest practical work including teaching children by example and instruction. This adding is to be done daily by diligent effort under the Holy Spirit, working and watching and praying and studying from cause to effect and heeding wise counsel without overloading to weakness, trusting rich grace to strengthen.
The qualities need not be counted off step by step but develop as the believer keeps the eye fixed on Jesus, beholds Him, clings to Christ and His merits, works in accordance with faith, and seeks God's glory in ongoing advance toward Christ's ideal and mediatorial work. The climb is gradual, not by one effort, with divine aid joined to human effort, relying by faith on Christ's power and promises and seeking the Holy Spirit until made complete in Him. Each step advances in the knowledge of God with no stopping, and through Christ believers receive wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption with experimental knowledge of Him as pattern.
Growth is ongoing daily work continuing as long as life lasts, progressive, gradual and continual with no stopping point and no graduation in Christ's school. It is not completed in an hour or a day, by one effort, at baptism, at conversion, or by belief alone; when the sinner finds peace through the blood of atonement the Christian life has only begun, and going on to perfection means growing up to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. Sanctification requires giving all diligence, constant diligence by Christ's grace, keeping up warfare against felt promptings of sin with Christ's help uniting human weakness to divine strength. The faith that adds godliness to brotherly kindness and charity to brotherly kindness works by love and purifies the soul, and doing these things makes calling and election sure, keeps from ever falling, and ministers abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom.
The work requires all diligence, constant striving and earnest practical effort with no time to be lost. It means laying aside folly, vanity and frivolity, refusing inclinations of the unconverted mind, meeting difficulties by overcoming so as to be strengthened, maintaining daily living obedience, being grounded in truth so persecution cannot turn aside, and perfecting graces through persevering effort and diligent watchfulness over self. It includes studying the Bible and Christ's lessons to animate and strengthen growth, complying with conditions, encouraging faith and living by faith, living consistent overcoming lives and doing missionary work, so Christ's laying aside kingly honors to suffer and die is not in vain.
The sequence belongs to Peter's ladder of temperance and sanctification describing the duty to know and follow Jesus, begun at conversion and pursued with diligence so as not to fall. It includes the call to overcome intemperate habits and gain victory over evil through obedience and a life escaping worldly corruption by Christ's power and precious promises to become fruitful in knowing Christ. Temperance comes before patience because indulgence undermines patience. The addition is heart work learned in Christ's school in which selfishness, covetousness, fretfulness, quick temper, impatience and fault-finding are put away. Faith sustains works because faith works through love and purifies the soul, and grace is built into a harmonious, consistent, well-formed character through virtues practiced in good deeds including patience, temperance, benevolence, courage and self-denial, lived in this world by looking to Jesus and blessing others.
Mastering this growth is a science of Christianity as much deeper, broader and higher than any human science as the heavens are higher than the earth. The mind must be disciplined, educated and trained to serve God against inborn inclination, overcoming inherited and cultivated tendencies, often discarding lifetime training to become a learner in Christ's school, educating the heart to steadfastness, forming habits of thought that resist temptation, and learning to look upward. The principles of God's word, as high as heaven and compassing eternity, must be understood in bearing on daily life so every act, word and thought accords with them. The precious graces including brotherly kindness and charity are not developed in a moment, but courage, fortitude, meekness, faith and unwavering trust in God's saving power are acquired by years of experience and holy endeavor and firm adherence to the right, sealing destiny.
One bowed down by failure and humiliation after trusting flattery and supposed natural gifts is restored not by flattery or harsh judgment but by patient faithful help setting stumbling feet on the lowest round and encouraging painful round-by-round effort, by which weakness is learned, past errors avoided and defeat turned to victory. Likewise those who help souls and climb with them must meet people where they are on the first and lower rounds and guide them step by step, using God-given abilities in timely helping words rather than self-interest, not standing above with fixed methods demanding they come up to a higher place they cannot reach. Giving others the same opportunities and encouragement received belongs among the highest expressions of godly character so abilities can grow.
Faithful step-by-step climbing by teachers and students gives schools their power rather than size of buildings or number of advanced studies. The same plan of addition governs continually improving in assigned work and using abilities faithfully for God's glory in mechanical, agricultural, mercantile and scientific enterprises, linking spiritual achievements and temporal matters by union of divine and human agency. Kindness without courage and firmness to reprove sin and uphold justice leaves one unable to keep Israel pure, as shown in Eli's need for those qualities. Spiritual growth advances step by step up a ladder toward heavenly character and urges making calling and election sure.
Divine Provision and Cooperation
Believers work on the plan of addition by adding grace to grace in character, while God and Christ work for them on the plan of multiplication, multiplying grace and peace and heavenly graces through the knowledge of God and of Jesus as they lean on God and continue in faith, a cooperation that governs even temporal pursuits. Adding brotherly kindness to godliness and charity to brotherly kindness with diligence belongs to this perfection of character reached through cooperation with divinity, with Christ as the ladder connecting earth and heaven climbed step by step toward eternal life. These virtues are precious treasures, and when present and increasing they make believers fruitful in knowing Jesus Christ, accompanying the promise that grace and peace will be multiplied. The graces are not acquired one at a time in isolation but are all to be present and growing together.
This growth is possible because divine power gives all things pertaining to life and godliness, and through exceeding great and precious promises believers become partakers of the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world through lust, so that though tempted a person does not yield. Fulfilling the Word and doing the will of God through divine help makes them clean and white in character, neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of Christ, with calling and election made sure and an abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom. Christ never commands without furnishing power to obey, so this diligent growth fulfills the command to be perfect even as the Father in heaven is perfect, to be imitators of God in words, spirit and works, with the Word of God as the standard. The ladder is built by active effort rather than mere profession of faith, compared to a firm wall built brick by brick, but a rotten foundation makes what is built upon it unstable. Faithfulness in carrying out this Scripture in life-practice is proved by a daily sum of adding graces to the character being perfected, and can result in the conversion of hundreds and thousands as upon the day of Pentecost.
The faith that adds these graces is the faith that works by love and purifies the soul. There is no graduation from this growth in the school of Christ; through constant diligence and the grace of Christ believers keep adding these graces while the Lord works by multiplication. Doing these things makes calling and election sure, keeps from ever falling, and gives abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom of Jesus Christ. Growth comes through cooperation between divine power and human effort under the Holy Spirit, with God supplying wisdom, strength and blessings and Christ's merits and righteousness aiding obedience and making obedience acceptable, while believers cultivate right habits by persevering effort and overcome faults day by day. Human effort alone cannot produce holiness or perfect obedience. Those who keep the eyes fixed on Jesus and work in accordance with faith will add brotherly kindness and love to godliness rather than remain where they are, keeping advancing rather than standing still until made complete in Him.
Adding grace to grace gives strength to follow Christ and reflects a life shaped by studying His character, as grace added to grace multiplies the influence of the Holy Spirit. Christ laid off His royal robe and kingly crown and came to this world as a little child and took upon Himself the liabilities of human nature to teach how to accomplish this work of adding grace to grace, an experience that cannot be neglected without missing a great opportunity. Seen as child and youth at work at His father's carpenter's bench, He would not be defective even in the handling of tools, was perfect as a workman as He was perfect in character, carried cheerfulness and tact into His labor, never let worldly care leave Him no time or thought for heaven, often expressed the gladness of His heart by singing psalms and heavenly songs, and was faithful in all He did. As He learned His lessons and understood and did His duty, so all must be just as faithful in adding grace to grace. He lived self-denyingly among the poorest so that none could say He did not know poverty and its temptations, and power to live Christlike is available when God's conditions are met.
Christ places before the learner every virtue and every feature of Christian excellence and adds one endowment after another to the one who possesses His graces until at last He looks on him with delight. Through Christ believers receive wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption, heavenly virtues bought by His blood that must be present in life and character. Even weak, sinful mortals may attain the round of adding grace to grace and climbing round by round the ladder heavenward to glory and virtue by learning daily lessons in the school of Christ, by becoming conformed to the divine image, by manifesting His excellency of character, and by becoming complete in the Beloved.
Fruitfulness Assurance and Loss
When brotherly kindness is added to godliness and charity — love — is added to brotherly kindness, and these with faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience and godliness are present and abounding, believers are kept from being barren or unfruitful in the knowledge of Jesus Christ. That fruitfulness is experimental knowledge of Him, maintained in good works, letting light shine, overcoming evil propensities and difficulties, and becoming fruitful in seeking to save perishing souls. It comes by diligent, progressive growth in sanctification, adding continually until assurance of never falling and entrance into Christ's everlasting kingdom are reached.
Whoever lacks these graces is blind and shortsighted, unable to see afar off or to see the outcome of choices, and has forgotten being purged and cleansed from old sins. That blindness is also failing to purify the soul by prayer, making a new record of sin, drifting with worldliness, being blinded by the arch deceiver while thinking oneself wise, and not understanding personal weakness. The two states stand together in contrast: presence and abundance prevents barrenness in knowing Christ, while lack leaves a person blind, unable to see afar off, and forgetful of cleansing from old sins. In speech this same lack appears as inability to see the harmful influence of one's own harsh, angry words and unchristlike course, opposite pleasant speech, self-control and cheerful uplifting influence.
Giving all diligence to do these things makes calling and election sure, keeps believers from ever falling and treading securely, and ministers an abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom of Jesus Christ. That entrance brings a crown of life, realized when the books are opened through belief in God's gift of His Son with decided reform and earnest cooperation, while neglecting them results in loss of the soul. Doing them gives assurance of walking securely and understandingly in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, which matters in preparation for the last great judgment. The passage containing this adding is a life-insurance policy insuring life in the heavenly courts and securing title to the immortal inheritance and eternal life in the kingdom of God, needed because the end is near. Doing these things is eternal life insurance measuring with the life of God through endless eternity, granted to those who obey the Holy Spirit, in contrast to a Freemason policy and far worth more than any policy bought with money.
True godliness takes God into the thoughts, and this adding is the blessing of sanctification described as an everlasting life-insurance policy. Adding what is commanded determines future destiny for life or for death, and prepares character for the society of angels, entrance through the gates and membership in the royal family as children of the heavenly King. It makes believers complete in Christ and looked upon as heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, and God elects those who work by this plan. The verse is part of God's essential requirements and provisions for salvation whose principles are to be received and worked out by taking God's Word as guide and living Christ's teaching. Eternal life is conditional on receiving and cultivating these graces, disobedience leaves people unfit for the kingdom, and this character-building fits for translation, loyal citizenship and an imperishable crown by steady self-control.
These truths are present truth to be always remembered and stirred up, with growth in the knowledge of Jesus letting God's power fill the heart and shape a living testimony toward eternal interests. Being kept in present truth and made doubly sure of entrance through the gates comes by following on to know the Lord, searching and living the Scriptures daily, and confirming experience through prayer, watchfulness and service. Steady growth adding grace to grace is security against shipwreck and ruin, and as God multiplies His graces to persevering diligence believers have assurance they will not fall. The resulting holy character endures the fires of the last day, and the chapter's plan of addition is to be taken as food, wisdom, righteousness and truth in Jesus and applied in bringing children to salvation and preparing the family for eternal life.
Character in Daily Life
The qualities named are practical fruits of genuine conversion and the gospel plan of growth, to be lived in daily life and character as believers grow in grace, reflect Christ, overcome selfishness and work helpfully together, not as surface profession but as the Spirit's cleansing of mind, heart and body received by submitting the heart to be softened, subdued and shaped in the divine likeness, to be within and to abide as grace shapes the heart, with their presence bringing fruitfulness in knowing Jesus Christ and their lack leaving spiritual blindness, shortsightedness, inability to see outcomes, and forgetfulness of cleansing from past sins.
Practical genuine godliness must increase in genuine simplicity and not by vain show, worked out in and through Christ's merits bringing peace, and sanctification is expressed in well-doing and willing obedience rather than increasingly intense feelings, with love and spiritual joy resulting from obedient faith, while plain neat clothing avoids fostering love of dress.
Living this means practical kindness in daily conduct, helping one another and being kind, tender, compassionate, courteous, humble and pleasant in speech, avoiding criticism, irritation, harshness and angry words, valuing others as precious because of Christ's price for them, shaping character after the divine model, showing kindness toward differing minds and temperaments, yielding wrong habits and dispositions, watching words, avoiding irritation, dissension, strife and needless conflict, keeping individuality under the Spirit's control, with gentleness and courtesy rather than roughness belonging especially in ministers, and unkindness showing failure to know Christ.
The same kindness governs speech, for tongue and voice must be converted to appeal without anger or malice, producing pleasant speech, self-control and cheerful uplifting influence instead of harsh angry words, using the tongue to glorify God and bless others with an alert conscience that God sees every word and action to be answered for, using speech thoughtfully and with restraint under the Spirit's presence in heart and mind, since indulgence in food can undermine this through digestive discomfort producing harsh irritable speech.
Its teaching is to be studied, taken home, considered and carried into daily life by walking humbly with God without questioning, changing speech and its spirit under the Spirit's converting influence, adding daily to the store of knowledge of God and Christ with ever-increasing capacity, making the Bible the textbook and learning and practicing Christ's lessons, taking no backward steps but following on to know the Lord with advance steps in rejoicing, filling heart and lips with daily praise that moves others to praise God and brings souls to truth.
Cultivating brotherly kindness and charity means cultivating the Spirit's precious graces by crucifying and surrendering self to God, cultivating faith and love at all times and under all circumstances, using speech only to bless and strengthen, keeping self under control, and growing into strong, steady, genuine love for Christ and for one another with growing interest, bringing 1 Corinthians 13 and the new commandment into daily experience.
Godliness is expressed in kindness at home without irritation, for parental irritation stirs irritation in children while kind gentle words showing tenderness and unselfish care influence them toward right, so the graces are to be received and cultivated in the heart and carried out every day in home and family with no scolding or fretting, overcoming impatience and showing love after Christ's pattern, a growth beginning even in childhood through service and preparing for the higher school and immortal life.
Cultivating these graces shapes the household, calling for faithfulness at home, patience and self-denial including avoiding liquor, tobacco and other narcotics, guiding children by prayer and conversation rather than harsh punishment and disciplining with tenderness and sorrow when correction is needed, taking the chapter's plan as food, wisdom, righteousness and truth in Jesus applied to bringing children to salvation and preparing the family for eternal life.
For parents this calls for hearts softened by the Spirit to deal with children in Christ's spirit with kind, tender, patient forbearance forming character after the divine model, and parents who are overcomers must lead children step by step up the ladder by teaching the Word as it is, praying kneeling with them with Christ beside and angels around, taking them to the Lord for forgiveness when cross and impatient instead of scolding, and bringing them up in nurture and admonition so the city of God is opened and parents present themselves with their children in praise to God and the Lamb.
For children, youth and students this adding is part of true higher education to be learned from the Bible as textbook and practiced daily through service from childhood, developing what is good, virtuous, righteous and holy including temperance, godliness, mutual kindness, compassion, politeness, tenderness, loving care and love for God, with physical, mental, moral and religious training shaping character for righteousness, skillful thorough labor under Christ's yoke, church fellowship, baptism and the immortal inheritance, studied and practiced in dependence on God for strength against contaminating influences.
The call is to rise in mental, moral and physical attainments by seeking with all might, adding virtue to virtue and strength to strength, cultivating intellect and fitting time, thoughts and capabilities to do God's will, a work Christ died to make possible that makes believers strong, intelligent and able to think and plan and puts institutions higher, while neglecting it leaves one low and behind, requiring believers not to remain novices but to reach the highest round and step into the kingdom with wisdom, knowledge, skill and correctness in speech and habits.
Love must be shown in action in obedience to God's commandments, with loving deeds revealing living faith, patient kindness, forgiveness, benevolence in watching for opportunities to do good and bless others, and spiritual-mindedness in deeds and words rather than mere profession or peaceful death, for love for God and neighbor is the whole duty taking hold of the whole person with new motive, essential to heaven and to be continually cultivated lest it wither, building grace into harmonious consistent character.
The Spirit works in the heart to establish brotherly kindness and Christlike love as practical godliness, expelling corruption and bringing every faculty under Christ's control, a growth calling for refinement, purification and testing and keeping from falling.
These graces develop in heart and life but can be lost when a person grows weary and lets the enemy rob what was gained or trusts human power and loses sight of Jesus, for climbing requires a changed life and sanctification through God's truth rather than mere profession of truth or keeping the Sabbath, and overcoming deeply formed corrupt habits takes sustained effort.
Having assurance requires working from inward to outward with full consecration, no longer mingling common with sacred, cherishing common fire or giving divided service, for no earthly glory makes one great before God and self-righteous patching avails nothing, but the helpless sinner must come to Calvary by faith to lay hold on Christ's righteousness and receive His wedding garment in place of the old dress, discerning unworthiness and Jesus' loveliness with alert conscience that God sees every word and action to be answered for.
Practical godliness means claiming to be saved is not enough while the heart is at enmity with God's law, but life must return to allegiance through repentance toward God and faith toward Christ with law and gospel hand in hand as a perfect whole, instructing Christians to obey to honor that name with cultivated mind and pure aspirations, acting at once on light with whole heart and every capability including taking decided position to keep the Sabbath, which brings blessing, advance and victory.
Christian growth is part of working out salvation calling for self-denial and sacrifice in service, laying aside distrust of fellow believers because distrust brings bondage and laboring united as fellow workers with God as sowers and reapers together in the harvest field.
Seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness is the condition, foundation stone and first work enlisting heart, mind, soul and strength and shaping entire character by adding brotherly kindness and charity, molding character after Christ until it grows into a holy temple through which light shines.
This belongs to the life of an overcomer who lives day by day as an overcomer on a foundation of virtuous character, holds fast to what God has given and keeps striving rather than giving up, reaching the standard by resisting strong temptations to go downward, shunning temptation, persevering with untiring energy like soldiers trained for battle, and making daily upward progress.
It calls for overcoming evil tendencies, resisting worldly temptations, straining every nerve to leave the world behind, lessening distance from God, forsaking sin and cutting out every thread of selfishness, since satanic agencies work to weaken and destroy so the standard must stand higher and every agency must wake up, with doing one's part meaning acting in fear of God, keeping the soul in His love and making no provision for Satan who knows human weakness.
Putting on Christ's character of kindness and love in being kind, courteous, tender, truthful and helpful is the wedding garment preparing for Christ's return and the marriage supper, meaning wanting heaven and wanting all around drawn by the Spirit to a merciful Saviour who rejects none who come, using capabilities to look after souls, helping everyone possible lest they fall to temptation, making the most of opportunities and going forth believing strength will be given to see God's glory in every community.
Character growth is steady ascent toward excellence not by chance, for repeated choices form habits for good or evil, requiring persistent effort, diligent self-watch, self-control, patience, true courtesy and using every ability to honor God, while indulging selfishness or neglecting duty makes further failure likely, and adding lacking virtues requires a high standard in habits, patiently bearing imperfections as God does while watching for fruit, putting away frivolous conversation with parents encouraging children higher.
Living on this plan means leaning heavily on the Mighty One, doing much praying rather than talking, planning and laboring with willing hearts and sacrifice, working, watching, praying, studying cause to effect, heeding wise counsel and trusting rich grace without overloading to weakness.
Pure love for one another belongs to the greatest work of this life, preparation for the future life measuring with the life of God, for probation is granted so virtues may be cultivated despite difficulties to carry into the higher life, exercised by those sharing the divine nature during probation as God's directions and conditions for promises leading to happiness, peace and sharing that nature.
When bodily infirmity keeps God's people from committed work the light of these graces is shut from the world with great loss to the church, so living them requires health of body and enlightenment in caring for the body.
Baptism and church membership do not complete the work, but practical religion, continued progress and thorough conversion through seeking truth in Scripture are necessary to retain knowledge of Christ, be fruitful, enter immortal life and fellowship with saints in light, bringing hope, peace, joy and assurance.
Sinful leniency toward people God condemns can blunt moral judgment and lead to harshness toward faithful Christians whose integrity then appears blameworthy.
The climb requires self-denial and strength from the merits of the crucified and risen Savior, with kindness appearing as transformation into Christ's image, for sanctification advances step by step and each rung must be climbed to reach the highest.
Taking hold of this ladder requires seeking the Lord while He may be found with no time to lose, wholehearted conversion and laying hold on the Holy Spirit instead of half-hearted indifference, and putting away ungodliness and selfish dealing to come out without spot, which brings assurance of sonship and heirship, answered prayer carrying every trial to Jesus, grace given, and praise instead of complaining with firm hold on eternal life.
Mission Service and Responsibility
Faithfully living out daily addition of brotherly kindness to godliness and love to brotherly kindness perfects character and can lead to the conversion of many, even hundreds and thousands as on the day of Pentecost. These final crowning additions are to be cultivated with diligence as a daily sum by those given hope of escaping corruption in the world through lust and separating evil from the carnal heart, proving character by living faith shown in actions and practice. Constant working in this way lets light received from Jesus Christ be reflected to all around, keeps believers from being barren or unfruitful in knowledge of Christ, fills heart and lips with daily praise that astonishes observers and moves them to praise God also, and brings many souls to knowledge of the truth, while lacking these things leaves blindness, forgetfulness of cleansing from old sins, and lack of true godliness in heart and tongue.
Practicing these successive rounds of the heavenward ladder with the other graces, with no standstill but continual advancement, makes youth a living influence for righteousness wherever they are, true one to another, workers together with God in reshaping moral character and retracing God's image in man, keeping the law as liberty and not bondage. Those who work out this addition of grace to grace with all diligence in genuine simplicity and not vain show, worked out in and through the merits of Christ, become lights shining amid moral darkness and a power to bless. As people add these qualities God multiplies grace and peace, brings closer fellowship with saints in light, prepares character and disposition for immortal life and fellowship with heavenly angels, gives power to resist the satanic antagonist with victory, and makes them victors at last who shall never fall.
This growth in godliness, kindness and love increases usefulness in God's service and fits men and women to become efficient workers for God and soldiers of Christ, serving with intelligence, grace and ability learned through prayer, searching Scripture, and practicing self-denial and self-sacrifice. Those offering themselves for service are to study the first chapter of Second Peter to gain this fitness and be directed to work they can do. Living out these qualities brings power from above so believers represent Christ in words and actions, with His principles shaping treatment of others and reflecting heaven's light to be helpful, cultivating kindness and tenderness of heart through faith that brings lasting good to those served. Diligence in the spiritual life in this way leads believers to work for others beyond their own church, sharing God's instruction and grace to extend the vineyard to those who do not know truth throughout the world, for God looks for evidence of faith, love and patience and faithful use of spiritual advantages.
Brotherly kindness is a mark of Christians living under the converting power of the Holy Spirit, expressed in words and actions following Jesus' humble example by serving others, doing good, showing sympathy and love, helping the needy and oppressed, and valuing people regardless of circumstances or rank. Reconverted believers show brotherly kindness leading on to brotherly love in words and actions placing high value on souls, using influence to bring sinners to God and tell the story of the Lamb. Faithfully seeking to save people from error through interested labor of love belongs to living and working by this plan of addition, by which believers receive grace, become partakers of the divine nature escaping worldly corruption, and form harmonious character like a well-built temple belonging to God preparing for the heavenly city. These graces adorn a transformed life shown in helping fellow workers progress rather than disparaging them, and in living in fellowship and mutual dependence joined by love rather than criticism, forming unity that prepares to meet Christ.
Those truly serving the Lord Jesus will be a holy sanctified people communicating light of truth to all around, not only in households but outside them and not only to fellow believers but to those not in the faith, presenting truth most earnestly by offering books giving the right idea of faith and where books are refused by conversing in kind tender manner out of the Scriptures, doing great earnest work because the world is fast ripening for closing up its history. Ministers and those who teach the way of life must diligently cultivate godliness, brotherly kindness and charity through this deliberate sequence to be fit to guide people, with gentleness, courtesy, tenderness and love rather than roughness or impatience belonging in every minister's life. Wisdom from God makes a man's course harmonious with God's will so those connected with him have confidence in his wisdom to devise and plan for progress of God's work in saving souls ready to die, by giving all diligence to add these qualities as part of receiving multiplied grace and peace, all things pertaining to life and godliness, and partaking of the divine nature through exceeding great and precious promises.
Working on heaven's principles means adding brotherly kindness to godliness and charity to brotherly kindness, and men given responsibilities in God's work and God-directed institutions are tested by these Christlike principles, unless they show a true idea of them they will be removed and others put in place. Everyone, especially those in the office, must stand in own lot and place by obeying this growth, keeping these words in the chambers of the mind, watching actions, avoiding criticism and needless conflict, and serving as patient guardians and shepherds who work together to please God and build character. These crowning steps are to be climbed round after round, written and hung in the mind and done in life, for doing them keeps from falling and ministers abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom, while failure to develop this tenderness, compassion and love leaves men destitute of Christ's character and in danger of losing heaven's blessing.
Sanitarium workers are required by God to stand on higher ground by cultivating kindness and tenderness of heart with strong determination and faith in Christ, taking hold of Christ's faith and daily bringing sanctification imparted by the Spirit into words and actions in humbleness of mind. When these qualities are in them and abound they will be neither barren nor unfruitful in knowledge of Christ, the Spirit will be present and manifest in speech, angels can connect with them, and Christ working with them will make lasting good impressions on unbelievers that the unaided human agent cannot make, with heaven's light shining into hearts and minds as eternal safety and life insurance so they shall never fall. The chapter with the verse is to be studied carefully verse by verse to show right relation to sanitarium work and toward those connected with it, calling for seeking the Lord and walking in all humility before Him as a caution to be heeded, for those connected with the institution are to possess these virtues and graces.
Workers for God must live as in His sight and be constantly developing in true virtue and godliness, with minds and hearts thoroughly imbued with Christ's spirit and solemnized by the sacred message so every thought, action and motive is above the earthly and sensual. This growth elevates the standard, finds happiness in Jesus and His love rather than selfish or forbidden pleasures, forms character Christ is not ashamed to call brethren, and prepares for the heavenly benediction when each receives according to deeds done in the body. It requires daily development with hearts cleansed of superiority and living principles of truth planted in the soul at every age as preparation for service, reaching higher steps through patient painstaking effort not boastful claims so institutional workers grow in character and work harmoniously.
The chapter teaches Christ as only hope and sole dependence, to whom believers come with little trials and large perplexities telling all to Jesus as helper, strength and sympathizing Friend touched with infirmities, confessed by erecting the family altar in every home and bringing the whole family before God morning and evening in petition, dependence, service, and acknowledgment of Christ as Leader, Captain and divine Teacher keeping eternal reality before each member. Brotherly kindness and charity belong to living in conformity with God's will, supporting love and unity, representing God in daily character, and preparing for eternal life. This diligent growth from faith through virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience and godliness to these crowning steps is possible because God gives exceeding great and precious promises for partaking of the divine nature having escaped corruption through lust, and Christ never commands without furnishing power to obey, thus fulfilling the command to be perfect as the Father in heaven is perfect by imitating God in words, spirit and works with the Word as standard.
Growth in this passage is the highest education, learned from Scripture rather than influences rejecting God's authority, developing faith through the named virtues including godliness, brotherly kindness and love to prepare for eternal life and entrance into God's kingdom. Solomon's fall shows danger of failing to continue, where uncontrolled passion displaced devotion while continued growth in virtue would have led to a noble life. The passage presents this plan of addition as overcoming and correcting defects of character while preparing for the higher school and for what God will bring to pass. The verse gives comfort and encouragement to all of like precious faith, filling heart and mind with strength to resist looking on the dark side and talking discouragement, to be read in the churches as uplifting testimony, for studying the chapter brings help, strength and blessing to resist the foe.
The instruction in the chapter is for every man to use to bring himself into order in walking carefully before God to honor, fear and glorify His holy name and to purify himself for His glory and cause, framing life to love Christ and truth and become one with Christ and the Father and to grow in grace and knowledge of truth for the glory of His name and advancement of His cause. This diligent addition brings peace, joy and assurance, with the path growing brighter as believers continue to know the Lord in His strength toward eternal life and meeting Christ and entering His kingdom. This adding is the work of following on to know the Lord and to be prepared, washed and kept without mistake in character through close relation with God, for Jesus understands infirmities and telling Him weaknesses brings His help not to fall, giving courage, hope and faith while constantly looking to Jesus with promise of never falling and abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom.
Failing to live upon that plan leaves believers spiritually blind, unable to see afar off, forgetful of purging from old sins, and revealing Satan's attributes in jealousy, evil surmising and dead Pharisaical formalism, and such ones cannot be helped until humble and contrite before God and yoked with Christ as laborers together with God. Growth in these graces means far more than minds comprehend and requires sound solid experience in the pillars of faith and well-grounded certain understanding of Scripture that storm cannot move, gained by studying the Bible more and understanding it more perfectly, giving a healthful sound mind to discern the true Shepherd's voice from a stranger's amid strange elements. Brotherly kindness and love are virtues to cultivate during this life in preparation for the future life, whose upper heavenward steps parents who are overcomers must teach children step by step from the Word as it is, with prayer kneeling before God, forgiveness sought when cross and impatient instead of scolding, and nurture in the Lord, so that by taking hold of the divine nature, escaping corruption through lust, and receiving life measuring with God's life and an immortal inheritance by Christ's sacrifice, the city of God is opened and parents present themselves with their children in praise to God and the Lamb.