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2 Peter 1:3-5

³His 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. ⁴Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. ⁵For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;

Jesus came to rescue us from a fate worse than death. He came to make it possible for us who receive Him to have the power of the Holy Spirit so that we may truly know life and godliness. Life and godliness come through our increasing knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.

Through the goodness and glory of God, we have received very great and precious promises. We know He will never leave us or forsake us. We know that He will finish the work He started in us. We know that He will one day wipe away every tear from our eyes. We know that He will strengthen us with power through the Spirit in our inner being.

It is through these precious promises that we participate in His nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. We hold our evil desires alongside these great promises and see that the desires are not only deceitful but destructive. We would much rather cling to the great and precious promises.

Because of the great promises of God that help us participate in His nature, we are to make every effort to increase in the likeness of His nature. Peter made a list of attributes that we, through cooperation with the Holy Spirit, should make every effort to see increased in us.

Consider: Peter encourages us to make every effort. Are you? Look at the list in 2 Peter 1:5-7 and see where you may need to increase your efforts in cooperation with God's Spirit in you.