"But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love." (2 Pet. 1:5-7; NKJV).
Right after self-control, Peter adds perseverance. It makes sense too because sometimes in order to exercise self-control, a person needs to have perseverance. The King James Version uses the word, "patience." The idea of this Christian Grace, is endurance, steadfastness, and the long-suffering needed in relation to living the Christian life.
Hebrews 12:1 says, "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us." The word for "endurance" in this verse comes from the very word that was used in 2 Peter 1:6 for perseverance in the NKJV or patience in the KJV.
The application of this Christian Grace can be seen in what the church in Smyrna was told in Revelation 2:10. They were told that tough times were going to come. They were told that they would suffer tribulation, but they were told to remain faithful till death and they would receive the crown of life. The application applies to us today as well. Let us strive to persevere, endure, and remain faithful, so that it can be said that we added perseverance to our self-control.
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