and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness,
2 Peter 1:6
These worths are too important to pass over lightly. Each of them could be the starting point for a whole Bible study in itself! Alexander Maclaren, a prince of expositors in a former day, writes, of the first three, 'The world is full of difficulties, therefore we need manly vigour. It is full of illusions, therefore we need to be wise to discern between good and evil. It is full of temptations, therefore we need self-command:' And now, patience, which means rather more in biblical thought than we mean nowadays by the word. The Greek would be better translated endurance, and it is the virtue shown by martyrs as they stand firm and steadfast in face of all manner of opposition. Hebrews 11:32-40 illustrates well this 'patience' of the saints. Someone has said it is that virtue which teaches us to head the ship right into the teeth of the gale, and battle towards port: This needs to be remembered: It is always a temptation to lose heart when we are 'up against it', and unless we have a fighting spirit in face of tribulation we shall certainly lose out spiritually. A great part of our problem is often that we are too easily discouraged, and here is the antidote. We must endure: Furthermore - and this is one of the paradoxes of Christian experience - it is in these very adverse circumstances that endurance is developed: The very conditions into which God thrusts us and expects us to show endurance are the factors which produce it in us, more and more: It is tribulation that worketh patience (Romans 5:3). You put temper into the steel by thrusting it into the fire; the fire takes away its brittleness, and makes it difficult to break. That is what we as Christians need. You see the pattern? God is forging character, and the lineaments of character are not stuck on, but burned into our lives.