Intensity

2 Peter 1:5
“And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;”

Intensity is one of the things for which the Apostle Peter is recognized to have. Nobody could ever accuse Peter of not being intense in his desire to serve the LORD. It was his intensity that caused him to cut off the ear of the centurion. It was his intensity that caused him to tell the Saviour that he was willing to die for Him. Interesting enough, it was his intensity for the things of the LORD that was questioned when Jesus asked him if he loved him. Jesus knew that Peter was more intense than any of the other disciples, but He wanted Peter to transfer his intensity for the things of the world to the things of Christ.

In the verse above, it is very evident that Peter transferred his intensity to the things of Christ. Peter says, “And beside this, giving all diligence…” The word “diligence” is the same word we use for intensity. When Peter said to give “all diligence,” he was saying that God’s people need to be intense about some things. In 2 Peter, there are four areas where Peter challenges the believer to be intense.

First, be intense about adding to your faith. Verses 5-7 are some things that the believer should add to their faith. In other words, you should be intense about growing and maturing as a believer. You should never be satisfied with being the status quo believer. The status quo believer has a faith that will never influence others to grow. If you continually add to your faith the things mentioned in verses 5-7, you will find the excitement of the Christian walk will never wane.

Second, be intense about not falling. Verse 10 says, “…give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:” One of your greatest desires should be to never fall in the Christian walk. Too many believers become passive about sin when they should be intense about making sure they are walking a holy life. When you lose your intensity for doing right is when you lose the edge to see the depravity of your sin. Your heart will grow cold and indifferent towards sin if you are not intense about never falling.

Third, be intense about being established in the truth. Verse 12 says, “Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.” Peter was not “negligent” about trying to establish the believers in truth. If he wasn’t negligent, then he was diligent or intense about establishing people in truth. My friend, you should have an intense desire to continue learning from the Scriptures. You should have an intense desire to be sure your focus is kept on truth. The believer who is intensely focused on truth will never be sidetracked from personalities or movements that will sway them from what they are supposed to do. Don’t ever lose your intense desire to keep focused on truth.

Fourth, be intense about keeping a good testimony. In 2 Peter 3:14, the believer is commanded to be “diligent” to be found “without spot, and blameless.” You should live your life in such a manner that the only thing the enemy can accuse you of is your desire to serve the LORD. Satan will throw many things at you to spot your testimony, but you must be intense about staying away from anything that people could use to accuse you of wrong. Always stay intense about doing the right thing so that you can stay blameless for Christ’s sake.

Author: Allen Domelle