God's workout plan

I don't know about you, but my New Year's resolution to get back in shape isn't going so well. With all the snow we've had and the crazy schedule I've had lately, it just seems that there isn't time to keep up with my program. Or at least that's my excuse. You know, God has a workout plan for us as well. His plan is designed to take us from the infancy of our new birth to spiritual maturity. As Philippians 2:12-13 says, "Work out your salvation with fear and trembling."
God gives us a seven step workout plan in 2 Peter. Kind of like circuit training, and the order is very important. You start with new birth, ie, your faith, and then diligently add the following in order.
1. Virtue: this word in the Greek has the connotation of heroic deeds. Christ is the ultimate example God gave us for virtue, and his sacrifice for our redemption was the greatest act of kindness the world has ever seen.
2. Knowledge: We learn about God's standard of holiness and righteousness and virtue through the study of God's Word. There is no reliable substitute.
3.Self control: Paul said he buffeted his body and made it his slave. Growth requires discipline to forsake the things of the world that hinder us in our spirtual walk.
4. Endurance: No pain, no gain. The trials of life are used by God to perfect us and strengthen our faith.
5. Godliness: this word means the opposite of idolatry. Getting rid of the idols in our life is true worship.
6. Brotherly kindness: If you love God you will love your neighbor, but if you don't love your neighbor then you really don't love God.
7. Love: an act of the will, not of emotion. Sacrificial love that puts others first as Christ loved the church.
Peter then says that if these qualities are yours and increasing then they will render you neither useless nor unfruitful.