Faith, moral excellence, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and love. Just words on a page to most people. But to a disciple of Christ these words are the secret to spiritual growth. They are a stairway, each step leading us closer to God. Believers want to make sure they don’t fall away from the faith. We want to ensure our love for God grows stronger so our worship of God is not in vain. We are partakers of the divine nature of God. Through Christ we have escaped the corruption of this sinful world and want to remain on the path that leads to being Christ-like in every way, 2 Peter 1:4. That is why the Holy Spirit inspired Peter to write, “Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love.” 2 Peter 1:5-7. Peter lists eight areas for developing spiritual growth each drawing us closer to God. It starts with faith. Then we need to keep our faith growing. While doing so we need to develop moral excellence/virtue/goodness. While that is growing stronger we need knowledge of God’s will, which is also ever-increasing. And so on. Getting baptized into Christ is not the end of our journey with God. It is the beginning. God has a plan for you found in these few verses. Why should a Christian develop these qualities? “For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 1:8. If you want to be useful and fruitful in the Master’s hands develop these eight qualities. At whichever one you are weak, ask God to make you strong.