(2 Pet 1:5 KJV)  And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;  (2 Pet 1:6 KJV)  And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;  (2 Pet 1:7 KJV)  And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. (2 Pet 1:8 KJV)  For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

  Faith is the foundation, the beginning point, of true religion.  It is the foundation on which all these other graces and virtues are to be built. Faith is a believing loving trust, a confident trust in God. We need to add some things to our faith to progress, to become mature as Christians. We are to grow in knowledge, in self-control, patience, godliness, kindness and brotherly love.  We need to give attention and effort to these things. We are to give diligence, to make every effort, to be eager in our pursuit of these graces.  If we do these things, we are promised that we will be fruitful, that we will be effective examples of the power of this great salvation to change people.