In order to be kings in the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we need maturity in life.

[jidong xiao]

在十一节彼得下结论说，“这样，你们就必得着丰富充足的供应，以进入我们主和救主耶稣基督永远的国。”在这永远的国里，我们不是臣民─我们乃是君王。然而，要在我们主和救主耶稣基督永远的国里作王，我们就需要在生命上成熟。我们基督徒命定要在主的国里作王。然而，人若缺少在神圣生命上的成熟，如何能在要来的国里作王？没有这种成熟而作王是不可能的。即使主要叫不成熟的人登宝座作王，那人也会晓得，他无法尽君王职任。这指明甚至我们自己也知道，为着要作王，我们需要长大成熟。

照着彼得在一章五至十一节的话，长大成熟就是发展我们所已经接受的。我们已分得奇妙的同样宝贵之信，这信是包罗万有的种子。一切神圣的丰富都在这种子里，但我们必须殷勤，将这些丰富发展为美德。然后我们需要在我们的美德上发展知识；在知识上发展节制；在节制上发展忍耐；在忍耐上发展敬虔；在敬虔上发展弟兄相爱；并在弟兄相爱上发展爱。藉着发展这些美德，我们就长大，至终我们要达到成熟。结果，我们要充满基督，用保罗的话说，就是达到基督丰满之身材的度量。（弗四13。）这样，我们就会有资格并装备好，在要来的国里作王。

In verse 11 Peter concludes, "For so shall be richly and bountifully supplied to you the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." In this eternal kingdom we shall not be subjects--we shall be kings. But in order to be kings in the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we need maturity in life. We Christians are destined to be kings in the Lord's kingdom. However, how can someone be a king in the coming kingdom if he lacks the maturity in the divine life? It is impossible to be a king without this maturity. Even if the Lord would want to enthrone as a king someone who is not mature, that person would realize that he is not able to exercise the kingship. This indicates that even we ourselves know that we need to grow to maturity in order to be kings. 

According to Peter's word in 1:5-11, to grow to maturity is to develop what we have already received. We have been allotted the wonderful like precious faith, and this faith is an all-inclusive seed. All the divine riches are in this seed, but we must be diligent to develop them into virtue. Then we need to develop in our virtue knowledge; in knowledge, self-control; in self-control, endurance; in endurance, godliness; in godliness, brotherly love; and in brotherly love, love. By developing these virtues we grow, and eventually we shall reach maturity. As a result, we shall be full of Christ, and, in Paul's words, we shall arrive at the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ (Eph. 4:13). Then we shall be qualified and equipped to be kings in the coming kingdom.