looking more like Jesus

For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins.

2 Peter 1:9

Christians should never forget that growth in Christlikeness is why they are left on earth. We are meant to keep becoming more like Jesus. “These qualities” here in this verse point to those things mentioned in 2 Peter 1:5-7. These qualities grow out of faith in Jesus: virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly concern, and love. And each of these seven qualities are perfectly demonstrated in Jesus. We have a roadmap for Christlikeness right here. We are called to look, act, and think like Jesus as Christians.

The list starts with faith and ends in love, showing that maturing in the grace of our Lord leads us to be loving reflections of Jesus. Real faith (something internal and unobservable) is shown by Christlike love (which comes by sacrifice and commitment). Jesus told His disciples the world would know they followed Him by seeing this real love. This has always been the case.

Lacking these things is a serious sign of immaturity and perhaps of unbelief. Peter calls anyone who does not seek to show Jesus in this way a blind and forgetful sinner. The word “nearsighted” shows that they are self-focused. It leads to a need to repent and a call to seriously look to Jesus again. We must keep our eyes on Jesus so that we might be diligent to “add to our faith”.