Adding Characteristics
When Peter stated, “But also for this very reason” — what was he talking about? For what “very reason” should we be interested in adopting these characteristics?
The answer is found in the previous verses, with verse 3: “…as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”
God then for his part has done everything he planned and could do in making a plan of salvation, and giving to us “all things that pertain to life and godliness.”
Christ has done everything that he could on his part by being the atonement for sin, and dying in our stead, through that act executing the very same plan and by his resurrection opening the gates of heaven to all who will accept the call.
The Holy Spirit also did everything in his charge and finalized the details and formalized the “good news” the very same “all things” and placed the finished product into our hands, within our grasp. As the apostles later state this new covenant, the word of God, but still the same “all things,” were deposited with “earthen vessels” now clearly laid out in teachable book form and able to be set before the eyes and ears of men and women everywhere.
Supposing that we can see the light (so to speak) for this very reason we must give due diligence to heed the things in which we have been instructed. And for this reason we should then seek to add to our own résumé each one of the very characteristics the apostle here listed.
Apparently, there are then patterns that may be imitated: ones when imitated that will result in godly character and purity, and conversely ones when imitated that will result in ungodliness and impurity. One of these, it is sure, will be acceptable to God, and on the other hand, the second is even now quite acceptable to the god of this world. You need bring no further offering.
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