Joy and peace! Any sensible person would readily admit his desire for a life filled with joy. Yet, few people understand the prerequisites for regularly living that way. Previous studies mentioned several of joy’s accompanying virtues, but today’s passage provides one of joy's unifying properties. According to our passage, peace accompanies joy. Proverbs 12:20 also expresses this same relationship: “Deceit is in the heart of them that imagine evil: but to the counsellors of peace is joy.” Those who seek peace will often find joy in this life because peace and joy are entwined. Isaiah 55:12 restates this truth: “For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace.” It is important to note that men will not “go out with joy” unless they are first “led forth with peace.” Peace and joy are always inseparable. Those who have the peace of God after they are at peace with God through salvation will experience "joy unspeakable" (1 Peter 1:8).
Christians should first and foremost focus on their walk with the Lord. As such, believers are instructed to add virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and charity to their faith. However, notice that every believer is to be “giving all diligence” (with great effort, but without haste). Of all these graces mentioned, faith seems to be the most foundational of them all. Unfortunately, far too many believers never grow beyond faith, making them unable to put forth much diligence in adding the other graces. Believers should be growing in grace daily (like those listed above) and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour (2 Peter 3:18). The word of God remains the only viable source from whence this diligent growth springs forth (1 Peter 2:2).
