Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless. (2 Peter 3:14)

It Takes Diligence

In Peter’s final message to the saints, he reminds them of Jesus Christ’s return and the need to give all diligence to be ready when that day comes. In his second letter, Peter began by exhorting the people of God to give all diligence to add to their faith the essential ingredients of character to be fruitful in the knowledge of Jesus Christ. The early church faced persecution from false teachers who brought destructive doctrines into the Lord’s church. Many had forsaken the right way and gone after the desires of the world, loving the wages of unrighteousness above holiness. Peter warns the saints that Jesus would return, and they would be wanting before God.

Remaining faithful takes effort. The Lord never suggested that once someone is saved, nothing more is required. Peter is writing to children of God who had tasted the good word of God and been enlightened to the truth of Jesus Christ, but were now turning away from that truth. The warning is that if they did not repent and change their ways, Jesus would return, and there would be no hope. A need for a diligent heart to resist the temptations of the flesh, the false doctrines of men, and the desire to cast off their allegiance to Christ was ever present in the first century.

To live the Christian walk requires walking, not sitting. The character of the child of God is an active spirit of diligence to remain faithful. A persistent mind to follow the word of God needs an active faith that seeks truth from God’s word. Divine knowledge does not come by osmosis. Paul reminded the Roman Christians that faith came from hearing the word of God, suggesting the need for diligence. The industry of seeking God is putting Him first in all things of life. There can never be a casual approach to divine knowledge. Peter ended his second letter admonishing the saints to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ, and this requires diligence.

Faith is proportionate to the diligence put forth to grow in Christ. Many Christians remain in a spiritual kindergarten because they have made little effort to study the Word diligently. Bearing fruit requires work, effort, energy, and exertion. A lazy man will hope the crops grow and bear fruit, but he will die because of his slothfulness. So it is with the word of God when a man is too lazy to spend time in the Word to know God. Everyone should give diligence to be found by Jesus Christ in peace, without spot and blameless.

Jesus did not return in Peter’s lifetime, and He has yet to return after two thousand years. This time of longsuffering leads men to ignore the warnings and refuse to be diligent about their faith. They become lazy and slothful in faith – and then Jesus comes. The ones who will be saved are the diligent ones. Those who are lost were not diligent. Serving the Lord God takes diligence. Workers in the vineyard of God are expected to be working. Be diligent. Jesus is coming.