Work, effort, persistence, endurance, discipline are all words that don't necessarily sound like much fun. They are all wrapped up in one word - diligence. This word is found many times in the Bible. In 2 Peter 1: 1-11, Peter addresses Christians, and tells them that they have been given by God all the tools they need to live a successful Christian life. No matter what we strive to do in life, whether it be to have a successful career, a happy marriage, or become known for our art or music or sports ability, one thing they all have in common is that they require diligence. Just as diligence can bring about good, it can also bring about evil desires if we so choose. If we work at evil, plan it, think upon it, and make efforts to advance it, that too will be successful.
The Diligent Christian
Peter says God has given us what we need to live a godly life, but the thing that we must add is diligence. The diligent Christian will grow in godliness. The lazy Christian will not be a successful one. The one who is diligent only for a season will fade away.
Great And Precious Promises
In 2 Peter 1:4, Peter tells us that we have received "great and precious promises". These promises include the faithfulness of our Lord, forgiveness, eternal life, a hope for the future, and the return of our Lord. Because of these promises, 2 Peter 1:4 says we "have become partakers in the Divine Nature". Why? Because, as we have been told, we are the sons and daughters of God (2 Corinthians 6:18). The Holy Spirit makes this possible. It is He that gives the gifts and the promises that help us become a godly man or woman. Without our diligence, though, without us doing our part, no fruit will come from our lives. If we really desire it, we can become holy as God is holy (1 Peter 1:15-16).
The Promises of Diligence
Hebrews 11:6 says that we will be rewarded when we diligently seek God. Deuteronomy 4:9 tells us to diligently guard our soul. Deuteronomy 6:17 informs us of the importance of diligently keeping and learning the instructions of God. In fact, if we don't do this, we can actually forget God (Deuteronomy 8:11). In Matthew 24:12-13, Jesus reminds us to endure to the end so that we will be saved. Endurance is part of diligence. It is the gift of the Holy Spirit who gives us the ability to endure (Romans 5:3-5).
Diligence Makes Us Fruitful
With diligence, we can add to our faith a list of qualities that a growing, maturing Christian should have: virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love (2 Peter 1:5-7). It is these things Peter tells us that will keep us from being unfruitful and barren "in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Petr 1:8). The closer we stay to the Son, the more we grow to become like Him, and, the more we understand who He really is.
The Parable Of The Stewards
In Luke12:32-46, Jesus tells us the parable of the stewards or managers. The wise steward is faithful and diligent. The other steward, believing his master is delayed in returning, proceeds to abuse the servants below him and eats and drinks to drunkenness. This evil steward, as he is called, will be assigned the place with unbelievers when the master returns. The difference between the two was their faithfulness and diligence.
Our Faith Should Change Us
But if we have not been diligent, then we won't have these things. Peter says we will become like a blind person, one that can't remember being cleansed from old sins (2 Peter 1:9). People who choose not to be diligent can't see those precious promises that Peter talks about. They can't see that their beliefs should have influence on the way they live their lives. These people belong to a church, perhaps, but how and in what way their faith should change them is not so clearly seen. Peter says they cannot see far off, which implies that they don't see very far into the true nature of the gospel.
Our Faith Journey
When we first become Christians, we should not think that it is OK to stay as we are. We are on a faith journey, a journey to holiness that some have compared to a ladder of faith. Each rung of our diligent climb brings God more into focus. Each step up brings us closer to the righteousness we are called to live. Stumbling blocks will certainly be put in our path by Satan, but as Peter says, "if you do these things you will never stumble" (2 Peter 1:10). And in Jude 1:24 we read this, "Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling". We rely on God's power not to stumble, not our own.
Diligence Prevents Us From Falling
Our diligence in growing our faith will prevent us from falling into repetitive, unrepentant sin. Will we still sin? Yes, of course, but we won't fall and be left behind. When we see the fruits of our diligence, it will allow us to face death knowing that when we leave this earth, it will be to live with Jesus.
How Do We Know We Are His?
Growing in grace and in the knowledge of God is a guarantee that we belong to Him. When we see gradual progress towards holiness in our lives, we can see proof that the Holy Spirit is at work within us. When we know little of God or how He would have us live our lives, it is easy to slip back into the ways of the world. If we have no desire to know God better, perhaps we never really knew Him at all.
An Analogy Concerning Diligence
Our diligence is like that of a poor, underprivileged student who has been offered free tuition to an elite university by a rich benefactor. The student has been freely offered this gift. He did nothing to deserve it. Because of this, he has the desire to please his benefactor and show his gratitude. This causes him to be very diligent in his studies. He strives for excellence. He has been blessed beyond measure, and, he longs to show the benefactor that he will try very hard to do his best each and every day.
So we, like the poor student, have done nothing to deserve the gift of eternal life offered to us by God, but because we love Him who first loved us, we want to work diligently to live a holy life. We want to work diligently to grow in our knowledge of God because, when we die, we want Him to know that we loved Him so much that we wanted to be like Him in all that we are and all that we do. As Ephesians 4:15 reminds us,
"Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into Him who is the head, into Christ"
Growing in every way into Him is our goal. Once again, as Peter tells us, we are to grow diligently in virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love. And finally, as Paul tells us in I Corinthians chapter 13:13, the greatest of these is love.
Our Everlasting Kingdom
2 Peter 1:11 describes our homecoming into Heaven. He says that "an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom". Meaning that we will have a warm welcome, as a good and faithful servant. If you can, imagine the gates of Heaven being opened wide for you, the diligent servant. This is our promise, our blessed hope, that at the end of our lives, we will live with our Savior in His everlasting Kingdom.
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