2 Peter 1:7 ⁷and godliness with deep affection, and deep affection with love.

Peter continues the sequence that began in verse 5. Faith is the open door to the divine power God provides to Christians to live out all the qualities listed in these verses.  Godliness results from accepting God’s grace and the righteousness he provides (1:1). Godliness does not happen by chance or with passiveness but with active obedience. Peter’s list emphasizes the necessary human response to God’s power at work in us. We build our lives on the foundation of the sacrifice of Jesus (1 Peter 2:4-6).

A lifestyle pleasing to God leads to deep affection (philadelphia) and develops stronger relationships with others. “Brotherly love” is characterized by the strong bond found in families. Believers are adopted into God’s family and become brothers and sisters. This bond may be stronger than blood family relationships. There is an important connection between the life of holiness and the life of love. A holy lifestyle that grows out of our relationship with God will help us develop stronger relationships with those around us. Our human relationships become stronger when we follow God’s plan and live out his holy work in us.

Brotherly love leads to Christlike love (agapēn), and Christlike love is the support for brotherly love. The emotion of affection and care (philadelphia) that we have for other people is a motivation for us to go even deeper in our understanding of love. The type of love to which Peter refers here is the deep, unconditional and self-giving love of God. We should move beyond the emotion to the will. We choose to love even when the feelings may not be there, no matter what. Love is the pinnacle of this list because it is the ultimate outcome of our faith in Christ. It is the most excellent way to live because it mirrors Christ’s response to us (1 Corinthians 13:13). Peter’s list connects faith to love by showing the divine source and necessary human response.