| 2 Peter 1:5-8 5 For this very reason, make every effort [the maximum possible],2 to add to your faith, virtue [excellence]; and to virtue knowledge; [How do you add to your faith? You sit and wait on God, listening, watching, and then obeying. His spoken words heard impart the life of God into your heart, John 6:63. You grow in faith with each revelation received. By the grace of His revelations Jesus authors your faith and increases your faith in the progression of these verses. From the Word of the Lord within: "I must warn you — you must make every effort to add to your faith and enter the rest."] 6 And to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance [or patience]; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 And to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.3 8 For if these things are in you and abound, you will neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. | Hebrews 4:10-11 10 For he who has entered into his rest, has also ceased from his own works,3 as God did from His. [To cease from your own works, done by your own will, cease your own plans, cease your own decisions, and instead to be directed by God to do His will on earth as in heaven, which works are then to His glory, which works are prompted by and energized by Him.] 11 Therefore let us diligently labor with every effort to enter into that rest, lest any man fall from the same kind of unbelief (resulting in disobedience), [The Jews didn't believe they could conquer the giants in the promise land; and the promise of the Christian rest is so fantastic that people are prone to doubt it is even possible to conquer sin, especially those in tribulation and trials. Paul is pleading for everyone to continue with every effort, and in the next verses he describes the power that works in a man to bring him to the rest; which power is the Word of God, Jesus, the power of God and our high priest and mediator, who sees and knows all, feels our infirmities, and is the source of grace and mercy to us. Steven Crisp has an excellent letter: Destroying the Arguments that Sin Cannot Be Conquered in This Life. From the Word of the Lord within: "I must warn you — you must make every effort to add to your faith and enter the rest."] | ||||||||