Season 2 Podcast 73 Virtues vs Vices

A New Voice of Freedom

VIRTUES AND VICES

In 1st Peter the following virtues are listed:

sanctification, obedience, mercy, hope, faith, trial of our faith, sober, hope to the end, grace, holiness, no respect of persons, purification, love, pure heart, born again, laying aside malice, guile, hypocrisies, envies, evil speakings; desire the sincere milk of the word, chosen generation, royal priesthood, holy nation, peculiar people; abstain from fleshly lusts; honesty, good works, submission, Bishop of our souls, chaste conversation, meek and quiet spirit, of one mind, compassionate, love as Brethren, full of pity, courteous; not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing, But contrariwise blessing; refrain tongue from evil, refrain lips from speaking guile, eschew evil, do good, seek peace, and ensue it; sanctify the Lord God in our hearts, meek, having a good conscience, sober, watchful unto prayer, fervent charity, use hospitality without grudging, rejoice, not a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or busybody, feed the flock of God, sober, vigilant, steadfast, giving all diligence, faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, charity

In 2nd Peter the following vices are listed:

false prophets, false teachers, heresies, denying the Lord, pernicious, truth evil spoken of, covetousness, feigned words, filthy conversation, walk after the flesh, in the lust of uncleanness, despise government, presumptuous, self-willed, speak evil of dignities, natural brute beasts, speak evil of things that they don’t understand, count it pleasure to riot in the day time, spots, blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings, having eyes full of adultery, cannot cease from sin, beguiling, unstable souls, covetous, forsaken the right way, gone astray, follow the way of Balaam who loved the wages of unrighteousness, wells without water, clouds carried with a tempest, speak great swelling words of vanity, allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, servants of corruption,

However, speaking of those who obey the laws of God by following the virtues, the Apostle Peter exclaims:

“4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises.” (2 Peter 1:4)

Peter divides those “exceeding great and precious promise into three classes:

1. Promise 1: “That by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world. (2nd Peter 1:4)

In other words, by acquiring the virtues of Christ, we take upon ourselves the divine nature of Christ. That can only be done by escaping the vices, what Peter calls “the corruption that is in the world.” He also said, “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue.”

2. Promise 2: “For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that he shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2nd Peter 1: 8)

In other words, if we take upon us the virtues of Christ, we will increase in our knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Having the divine nature is the only way we can know Christ.

3. Promise 3: “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall.” (2nd Peter 1:10)

Salvation comes with a price—obedience. Peter tells us to “give diligence to make our calling and election sure.” It is conditional. Peter said, “If ye do these things.” Obviously if we do not do those things our calling and election will not be made sure.