Continuing with Diligence

Believers must learn to continue with all diligence to strengthen and establish their faith. Though not exhaustive, the scriptures presented provide encouragement and instruction to continue with diligence.

With All Diligence

The Greek root definition for diligence is "speed". By implication the meaning includes: haste (which is speed and urgency), earnestness (which is seriousness and determination), and eagerness (which is a strong desire). To love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, is to continue with diligence.

Deuteronomy 11:13-14 KJV - "13 And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the LORD your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul, 14 That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil."

Deuteronomy 11:18. 22-23 KJV - "18 Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes .... 22 For if ye shall diligently keep all these commandments which I command you, to do them, to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, and to cleave unto him; 23 Then will the LORD drive out all these nations from before you, and ye shall possess greater nations and mightier than yourselves." (See also Jeremiah 17:24-26)

Joshua 22:5 KJV - "5 But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the LORD charged you, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul."

1 Chronicles 22:19 KJV - "Now set your heart and your soul to seek the LORD your God; arise therefore, and build ye the sanctuary of the LORD God, to bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and the holy vessels of God, into the house that is to be built to the name of the LORD."

Mark 12:29-30 KJV - "29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: 30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment."

Believers are instructed to diligently continue in obedience, in following, and in watchfulness.

Psalm 119:4 KJV - "Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently."

Hebrews 6:11-12 KJV - "11 And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: 12 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises."

Hebrews 12:15 KJV - "Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;"

2 Peter 3:14 KJV – “Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless."

Believers are instructed to abound in diligence and diligently abound.

2 Corinthians 8:7 KJV - "Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also."

1 Corinthians 15:58 KJV - "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord."

2 Peter 1:5-12 KJV - "5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 8 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. 9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. 10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: 11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 12 Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth."

Examples of diligence are shown in scripture for searching, teaching, exhorting, following every good work, and in many things.

1 Peter 1:10 KJV - "Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:"

Acts 18:25 KJV - "This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John."

Jude 1:3 KJV - "Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints."

1 Timothy 5:10 KJV - "Well reported of for good works; if she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints' feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work."

2 Corinthians 8:22 KJV - "And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have oftentimes proved diligent in many things, but now much more diligent, upon the great confidence which I have in you."

Believers who are diligent will increase in spiritual growth and prosperity, as well as, be rewarded, promoted and honored.

Proverbs 11:27 KJV - "He that diligently seeketh good procureth favour: but he that seeketh mischief, it shall come unto him."

Proverbs 13:4 KJV - "The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat."

Proverbs 21:5 KJV - "The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of every one that is hasty only to want."

Proverbs 22:29 KJV - "Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men."

Proverbs 3:35 KJV - "The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools."

Hebrews 11:6 KJV – “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."