Becoming like ChristTrue, we are given much, and without grace we can do nothing, but our action is also required. "Try your hardest," Peter directs us (2 Peter 1:5). We are to add virtue to our faith, knowledge to our virtue, self-control to our knowledge, patience to our self-control, godlikeness to our patience, brotherly love to our godlikeness, and agape to our brotherly love (2 Peter 1:5–7). Paul urges us "as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved," to renew our inner selves with organs ("bowels," in the King James Version) of mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering, forbearance, forgiveness, and agape (Colossians 3:12–14). We should not only want to be merciful, kind, unassuming, and patient persons but also be making plans to become so. We are to find out, that is, what prevents and what promotes mercifulness and kindness and patience in our souls, and we are to remove hindrances to them as much as possible, carefully substituting that which assists Christ-likeness. From The Great Omission: Reclaiming Jesus's Essential Teachings on Discipleship. Copyright © 2006 by Dallas Willard. All rights reserved. Used with permission of HarperCollins Publishers.
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