Peter tells us to make every effort to add goodness to our faith.

How do we do this? How do we who are sinful and self-seeking by nature add goodness to our faith? How do we add righteousness, holiness, and obedience to our faith?

The answer is given by Peter:

His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. (II Peter 1:3,4—NIV)

It is God's own goodness that is to be added to us, His own glory and goodness, His own righteous behavior, His own holiness, His own spirit of obedience. All these virtues are perfect and exist in abundance in God.

God has given us "His very great and precious promises" so through them we may participate in the Divine Nature.

We have the promise of the blood atonement.

We have the promise of nourishment by the body and blood of the Lord.

We have the promise of the Holy Spirit.

We have the promise that we can go past the veil and stand before the Mercy Seat in Heaven.

We have the promise that whatever we ask God in Jesus' name we shall receive.

We have the promise that Christ will keep that which has been committed to Him.

We have the promise that Christ is coming again to receive us to Himself.

We have the promise that no one is able to take us out of the Father's hand.

We have the promise that we will not experience wrath in the Day of the Lord.

We have the promise that if we put to death the deeds of our flesh we will receive a house from Heaven at the return of Christ.

We have the promise of appearing together with Him when He appears.

We have "very great and precious promises" so through them we may:

Participate in the Divine Nature.

Escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

If we would make every effort to add goodness to our Christian faith we must lay hold on the power and willingness of Christ to forgive us as we strive against sin. We must partake daily in the spirit realm of the body and blood of the Lord. This is possible only as through the Holy Spirit we overcome the challenges to our faith that come against us.

We must learn to think, speak, and act in the Spirit of God. Goodness is a fruit of the Spirit.

But the fruit of the Spirit is . . . goodness, . . . . (Galatians 5:22,23—NIV)

We press past the veil and come before almighty God with our request for assistance as we endeavor to overcome the spirit of the world, our own fleshly lusts, and our self-will. We ask, ask, ask in Jesus' name for more of God's Spirit that we may be able to help ourselves and others.

We learn to trust in the keeping power of Christ. We live each day with our eyes on Jesus, hastening His coming by our godly behavior.

To be continued.