In his message, Stephen emphasizes the importance of diligence in the Christian life, particularly in the context of becoming a man of God as outlined in 2 Peter 1:5-9. He begins by affirming that God has called believers to a great purpose, providing them with everything necessary for life and godliness. However, he stresses that this divine calling requires human cooperation through diligence. Stephen explains that while God's grace is essential, believers must actively engage in their spiritual growth to avoid being idle and unfruitful. He highlights the process of spiritual development, which begins with faith and leads to virtue, knowledge, temperance, endurance, godliness, brotherly love, and ultimately love. Each of these qualities is interconnected and emerges naturally from the life of Christ within believers. Stephen warns against complacency, noting that neglecting spiritual growth leads to blindness and forgetfulness of God's redemptive work. He concludes with a prayer for believers to yield themselves to God, allowing His life to manifest in their actions and fulfill His purpose.
5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.