2 Peter 1:5-8 English Standard Version

⁵ For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, ⁶ and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, ⁷ and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. ⁸ For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The reason today’s title is “Why” is to point to the opening words. “For this reason” tells us why we should make the effort. The preceding verses explain why.

2 Peter 1:3-4 English Standard Version

³ His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, ⁴ by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

At the core of this reason is the love shown to us. It might not say that directly but the core of any effort to enhance or improve life there is love. The greater the love the greater the effort. God Himself, in the form of His Son gave up His place with the Father to come and be the Way to life with our creator.

Being partakers in His divine nature is everything that both grants us access to those precious promises and allows us to exercise those promises in the life we live with Christ. It is His glory and His excellence that is exercised in us by His very presence.

The motivation to do all these things Peter speaks to in verses 5 thru 8 has to be the love and gratitude we experience in His presence. We should be mindful of that and not take this relationship for granted.

2 Corinthians 11:5 English Standard Version (ESV) Indeed, I consider that I am not in the least inferior to these super-apostles.

Trying to interpret the Greek to understand the meaning behind this pronoun will not help. The Greek at best leaves us with “an uncertain infinity”. That is vague but does hint at how these so called apostles became seen as super-apostles. Think of a movie star or a singer or a band. What makes them super-stars? A following, a fan base, and the fervor that accompanies a celebration of performance defines a super star.

Popularity marks the label of a super-apostle. Does that mean that anyone that is popular is a false apostle? No, that is not what is implied here. Who is an apostle?

Acts 1:22 English Standard Version (ESV) beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.”

Peter defines the requirements for a replacement for Judas, keeping the number of disciples at twelve. Was that to be the definition of apostle since the use of that word had not yet been used in scripture? This also brings into focus this issue; why do we believe there should be only 12 apostles?

Paul uses the term apostle for the first time in Romans 1:1 and then then expands it in verse 5.

Romans 1:5 English Standard Version (ESV) through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations,

The important issues of apostleship is the reception of grace and obedience of faith which marks the terms and condition of apostleship. Doing the will of Christ who has called us with purpose determines who is an apostle and the extent of their service. It is not a matter of popularity but in becoming who Christ creates us to be in Him with purpose.

Do not label others. Realize within ourselves our own calling through obedience of faith.