The gospel is not opposed to effort but to earning

"The gospel is not opposed to effort but to earning..." 2 Pet. 1:5–10 Peter urges believers to “make every effort” (v. 5) to corroborate their faith with behavior consistent with the “qualities” (vv. 8–9) of those who are being sanctified by the Spirit. The gospel is not opposed to effort but to earning. Paul, too, could put grace and hard work side by side (1 Cor. 15:10). In contrast to the passions akin to animal instinct that Peter will condemn in the next chapter (2 Pet. 2:12), he urges believers to live in accordance with their transformed hearts. What we do should flow from who we are. Jesus himself talked about defilement coming from the inside to the outside, instead of the other way around (Mark 7:14–15), and he narrowed down the source of murder and adultery to heart passions (Matt. 5:21–30). That is, he highlighted the roles of desire and objects of idolatrous worship in causing sin. He knew that unless a person’s heart is changed, his or her behavior cannot really honor God (see his words to the Pharisees in Matt. 23:27). This is the difficult and deceptive reality that Peter will address in 2 Peter 2:20–22. Perhaps Peter is recalling a lesson learned as he walked side by side with Jesus for so long: a good tree produces good fruit (Matt. 7:17). Note how Peter concludes his list of virtues: “whoever lacks these qualities” has “forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins” (2 Pet. 1:9). The cultivation of godly virtue comes, according to Peter, as we remember the gospel cleansing of our sins. The gospel is not something we move past; it is something we remember and enjoy our whole lives long. It is grace that changes us from the inside out. 2 Pet. 1:16–21 Peter highlights the power inherent in the Word of God (cf. Rom. 1:16; Eph. 3:7; 1 Thess. 1:5). The grace of God that justifies sinners through their faith is a “capital-S” Spiritual force embedded in the Word of God (2 Pet. 1:21). Peter speaks of the voice “borne to him by the Majestic Glory” (v. 17), consistent with Paul’s teaching in Romans 10:17 that “faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” The prophetic word is a light shining “in a dark place” (2 Pet. 2:19) that will become like a sunrise over the world at the dawn of the age to come (cf. Mal. 4:2; Rev. 21:23; 22:16). ~Bryan Chapell: From the Gospel Transformation study bible notes.