After reminding believers that God has already provided everything needed for a life of godliness, Peter challenges them to take intentional steps to build on their faith. He outlines a series of spiritual traits to pursue—each one building on the next—and makes it clear these aren’t optional. They’re the visible evidence of a life that’s truly growing in Christ. When these qualities are increasing in your life, you’ll be both effective and fruitful in your relationship with Jesus. But without them, Peter warns, you risk becoming spiritually nearsighted—forgetting the very grace that saved you. That’s why he urges every believer to make every effort to confirm their calling and election—not to earn salvation, but to live in a way that reflects it, with the confident hope of a rich and eternal welcome into the kingdom of Christ.
The greatest gift we can receive is the gift of salvation. At the moment of conversion, we are justified—saved from the penalty of sin,...