2 Peter 1:7 - Additives

1:7

“Mutual affection” is actually “brotherly kindness” (KJV) or “brotherly affection” (ESV). True faith and doctrine always result in deep affection and care for fellow Christians. If they don’t then the faith is not genuine and the doctrine is worth nothing. As Paul says in 1 Cor 13:3 if we do not have love then we have nothing. The “love” mentioned here is agape. Brotherly kindness is a mutual affection, a caring for one another. Agape finds its source purely in the originator. So God is love, He chose to love us even though there is absolutely nothing lovable about us, when we were by nature objects of wrath (Eph 2:3). But God is love, so He loved us and sent His only Son to die for us. So when we partake in the divine nature we become more and more Christlike, and we will love others, not out of what is in them, but because the Spirit of God dwells within us. Just as an aside, this talk of one-sided love does not mean that we never recognise anything good or admirable in others. We were all created in the image of God and are all corrupted by sin. So there is good and bad in all, in varying degrees. And in the gospels we read that Jesus recognised good qualities in various people, it is also clear that He enjoyed being with people.

In all the virtues mentioned here there is a progression. We start with faith in Christ. We seek to do good. We seek to understand God and His word. Note that doing good comes first. As actively seek to do God’s word we will more readily understand God’s word. As we do good and know God better we will experience contrary drivers in our life, but we will exercise self-control. Many things will seek to knock us off course, to stop us following Christ and obeying Him. We learn to overcome these things. As we persevere we become more Christlike. So if today we are experiencing pressures or emotions or thoughts that are fighting against our aim to do things God’s way we should take courage, keep going, knowing that exercising self-control will lead to us becoming more Christlike. Then this leads to us having brotherly kindness and love. Note that love is far more than a feeling or a sentiment. It is hard work, it takes discipline and knowledge.