Daily Walk Through the New Testament
February 24
Read 2 Peter 1:1-21

When a person comes to faith in Christ, it is only the beginning. Conversion marks the start of spiritual life. Spiritual life, in turn, should mark the beginning of spiritual growth. As Paul said in 1 Corinthians 13:11, “When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.” We are to keep moving forward in our spiritual maturity.
For many, the concept of spiritual growth equates only to the gaining of Christian knowledge. This misconception about growth leads people to believe that one’s growth level is tantamount to how much they know. Growth and maturity are then tied to the number of verses memorized, books read, and Bible studies completed.
Peter’s understanding of true spiritual growth was quite different and very simple; it was just becoming more like Jesus. Peter reminds us God has given us “all things that pertain to life and godliness” (1:3). To be precise, God has spared nothing as it relates to us progressively becoming more like Christ. What does that mean for us? It means we have no excuse for the absence of spiritual growth in our lives. According to Peter, adding to your faith virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love is an outline for growth (1:5-7). These qualities are characteristics that make us more like Jesus. That is real spiritual growth!