'GIVE DILIGENCE'By Charles H. Spurgeon
'Giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge, etc.'
- 2 Peter 1:5, 6If thou wouldest enjoy the eminent grace of the full assurance of faith, under
the blessed Spirit's influence, and assistance, do what the Scripture tells thee,
'Give diligence.' Take care that thy ‘faith’ is of the right kindthat it is not a mere
belief of doctrine, but a simple faith, depending on Christ, and on Christ alone.Give diligent heed to thy ‘courage’ Plead with God that He would give thee the
face of a lion, that thou mayest, with a consciousness of right, go on boldly. Study
well the Scriptures, and get ‘knowledge’; for a knowledge of doctrine will tend
very much to confirm faith. Try to understand God's Word; let it dwell in thy
heart richly.When thou hast done this, Add to thy knowledge ‘temperance.' Take heed to
thy body: be temperate without. Take heed to thy soul: be temperate within. Get
temperance of lip, life, heart, and thought.Add to this, by God's Holy Spirit, ‘patience’; ask Him to give thee that patience
which endureth affliction, which, when it is tried, shall come forth as gold.
Array yourself with patience, that you may not murmur nor be depressed in your
afflictions.When that grace is won look to ‘godliness’. Godliness is something more than
religion. Make God's glory your object in life; live in His sight; dwell close to Him;
seek for fellowship with Him; and thou hast 'godliness'; and to that add ‘brotherly love’.Have a love to all the saints: and add to that a ‘charity’, which openeth its arms to all
men, and loves their souls. When you are adorned with these jewels, and just in
proportion as you practise these heavenly virtues, will you come to know by clearest
evidence 'your calling and election.''Give diligence,' if you would get assurance, for lukewarmness and doubting very
naturally go hand in hand.
Yours in Christ,
Paul N. F.