(Please read and meditate on 2 Peter 1:3-10)
THE: means the original, not just anything
DIVINE: proceeding from God
VIRTUE: moral goodness, excellence and integrity. A state of being good, kind, benevolent, generous and God-like.
God wants us to excel in our Christian walk and life because He has not left us in a disadvantaged position. As a matter of fact 2 Peter 1:3 tells us that He has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness and has called us to glory and virtue not shame and reproach. God wants us to exercise our faith in Christ to develop the divine virtue.
The divine Virtue is simply the life of Christ in us, manifesting through us. When this divine virtue is fully manifested in us, we become the possessor of the life and nature of Christ. The divine virtue flows out of us when we become Christ-like in our character. When we demonstrate the life of Christ in our everyday life. When our life becomes a transmitting agent of the Holy Spirit. In other words in our earthly walk we demonstrate Christ e.g. the disciples in Antioch – Acts 11:26b. We transmit the life of Christ through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit e.g. the disciples in Acts 4 (Note particularly verse 13). Our character must become completely aligned to the character of Christ for the divine virtue to flow through us. The divine virtue is simply the Christian life or lifestyle culminating in maturity.
1 John 2:6 “He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked.”
1 John 3:2-3 “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is. And every man that hath this hope in Him purifieth himself, even as He is pure.”
The divine virtue does not manifest and cannot manifest in our lives overnight; but we must actively cultivate it by desiring it, seeking it, walking in it and working towards it. Ephesians 4:1 “I therefore a prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called.”
Philippians 2:12b “Work out your own salvation with fear and with trembling.”
Our salvation is the beginning of a walk and a work. We come to Jesus just as we are with all our dross and He starts the work of refining us and building us up into His full stature, into maturity, into a culmination of the divine virtue – Philippians 2:13 “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.” Ephesians 4:11-14 (See particularly verse 13). Perfection and maturity is God’s ultimate desire for all His children. The Almighty God does not get any glory from us remaining babes in Christ. There is instant salvation (i.e. being born again, accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior see John 3:3, Romans 10:9-10) and ultimate salvation (i.e. enduring to the end, Matthew 10:22b “but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.”). You endure, through a systemic, consistent cultivation of the divine virtue. In between this instant salvation and ultimate salvation, there is a work and a walk. We come to God at salvation with all our vices i.e. sexual immorality, impurity, lust, hatred, discord, jealousy, anger, selfish ambition, self-righteousness, covetousness, hypocrisy, murder, envy, pride, arrogance, idolatry, witchcraft, drunkenness, cheating, adultery, greed, lying, stealing etc. (i.e. the works of the flesh) and God starts with us at instant salvation, to build in us His virtues (Christ-like virtues) i.e. love, joy, peace, long-suffering, meekness, patience, kindness, holiness, goodness, self-control etc. (i.e. the fruit of the Spirit).
Please note that as Almighty as God is, He cannot force His virtues upon us, we must cooperate with Him and allow Him to do His work in us and through us. Once we become born again the Holy Spirit indwells us and makes it possible for us to produce the attributes and character of Christ. The book of Titus 2:11-14 reveals to us that God has a three-fold call on the life of every man, woman and child i.e. a call to salvation, a call to sanctification and a call to service. For the purpose of this message we will be dealing with the first two.
Following our call to salvation is our call to sanctification i.e. living separate and apart for God. Living a holy life in a very unholy world. Sanctification is the separation of man from sin and purifying of man from his adamic nature. A sanctified life is one that is dead to self, the world and the devil i.e. a life totally sold out to God (Galatians 2:20). This process of sanctification although primarily by grace (1Corinthians 1:30, 1Thessalonians 4:3, Jude 1, 1Corinthians 6:11), requires discipline on our part.
Your responsibilities in the sanctification process:
- Cleanse yourself – 2 Corinthians 7:1
- Put your body under subjection – 1 Corinthians 9:27
- Renew your mind in the word of God – Romans 12:2
- Build yourself in your most holy faith by praying in the Holy Ghost – Jude 20
John 17:17 tells us that we are sanctified through God’s word; so we need to build the word of God into our spirit man and walk in obedience. (See also 2Corinthians 3:18 and 1Corinthians 15:45-50).
A believer is also sanctified through the word of God, the Holy Spirit, the blood of Jesus and faith. John 17:17, Romans 15:16, Hebrews 13:12, Acts 26:18b
Living a life of virtue
According to Ephesians 4:22-23 and Colossians 3:8-14 God expects believers to put off the old self or old man i.e. the old nature, old ways of behavior e.g. lies, laziness, slothfulness, passivity, prayerlessness, anger, falsehood, corrupt talk, malice etc. a lifestyle that grieves the Holy Spirit in us, and put on the new man created to be like God.
- Ephesians 4:1 – we are to walk worthy of the vocation where we are called.
- Colossians 1:10 – we are to walk worthy of the Lord.
- Ephesians 5:8, 4:7 – we are to walk as children of the light. Matthew 5:13-16 says we are salt and we are light
- Philippians 2:12 – we are to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling
- Matthew 3:8, 7:20 – we are to bear fruits that prove we are truly saved and on our way to heaven.
Let us compare this spiritual process to the fruit of the Spirit Brother Paul itemized in Galatians 5:22-23. We have nine fruit: – Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. (See also Ephesians 4:1-3)
When we walk in the Spirit, we will not fulfil the lust of the flesh, and the divine virtue will be able to flow through us unhindered. Fruits results from planted seeds. When seeds grow, they bear fruits. It is as you plant the seed of God’s words in your heart that the visible behavior begins to manifest. According to 2 Peter 1:8-10 if we can patiently endure this process of character formation resulting in the manifestation of divine virtue:
- We shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of Christ
- We will not stumble
- Entrance will be supplied to us abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (We will live the heavenly lifestyle right here on planet earth).
If however you lack this divine virtue according to the word of God, you are short sighted and blind and have forgotten that you have been cleansed from your old sins.
You cannot give what you don’t have. We are the ones who will teach our children how to live this life of virtue. Through instruction and example: instruction becomes impotent when not backed up by example e.g. if husbands and wives live a life of divine virtue their homes will be a haven of peace, a real paradise on earth. Their children will be happy, peaceful and well behaved. Even if just one of the spouses lives this life of divine virtue ultimately, the other spouse will be positively affected (1 Peter 3:1)
If we live a life of virtue in our neighborhood, community, offices, churches etc. souls will be effortlessly won to Christ because the sweet aroma of Christ will flow from our lives drawing men and women to the feet of the cross.
Practically in our everyday living we must live a life of virtue as genuinely born-again children of God. The word of God tells us how to live in every area and facet of our lives e.g.:
- Our thoughts – Philippians 4:8
- Our speech – Colossians 4:6
- Our love walk – 1 John 4:7
- Our obedience – 1 Peter 1:14
- We are to constantly examine ourselves and our life style in the light of the word of God – 2 Corinthians 13:5
- We are to live honorably among unbelieving neighbors – 1 Peter 2:12
- We are to live peaceably with all men as far as it depends on us. The word of God says we should render to no man evil for evil, but we are to conquer evil by doing good – Romans 12:9-21
- We are to love others and show compassion – Galatians 6:10, 1 Peter 3:8-9, Hebrews 13:1
The attitudes that should be evident in the life of a genuinely born-again Christian are love, sincerity, kindness, compassion, zealousness, joy, faithfulness, generosity, hospitality, humility and peace.
A Christian should use his/her tongue to bless not to curse or for evil speaking – Ephesians 4:25, 29, 5:4, 19-20, Colossians 3:9-10, James 1:19, Matthew 12:35-37, 1Peter 3:10
A Christian must dress decently and moderately, you are not to expose any part of your body– Philippians 4:5, 1Peter 3:3-4, 2Corinthians 6:14-16, 1Corinthians 14:40
I believe it is time that we as Christians should live up to our responsibility in Christ. I am personally tired of Christians blaming the devil (a defeated foe) for everything. Let us begin to consider the hedges that we are breaking that is allowing the serpent entrance into our lives (Ecclesiastes 10:8). There is no place for a lazy man, not even in Christendom. Arise and let your light shine by cultivating and manifesting the divine virtue in your everyday life (Isaiah 60:1-3).
Shalom!
Busola Olotu
Busola Olotu's Blog 