Verse 5.— Besides this. Now, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world by being translated into the kingdom of God's dear Son, accomplished by your faith carried out by obedience, the Holy Spirit points out your way step by step. Giving all diligence. The progress proposed to you in the divine life requires diligence. Your efforts must not be slothful, but industrious. Call up to your aid this disposition. No effort must be spared. God has done his part in your behalf, and this devolves upon you. Add to your faith virtue. The process is addition. Your faith made you a child of God. To this faith many additions are to be made. First, virtue; that is, courage. This is essentially necessary as an aid to your faith in your struggles in well-doing, as you will be most painfully apprised. This excellence of virtue— cour­age— ought to be, and is, a natural outgrowth of your faith. To this courage also add knowledge, knowledge of God; what he desires you to do; how you shall conduct yourself toward him, toward your brethren in the faith and toward the world. Your courage is heroism— moral heroism— and if this is controlled and governed by a knowledge from on high, it redounds to your good, and is pleasing and acceptable to your Father in heaven.