INTRODUCTION-- This text expresses an urgency about it that should impress every Christian who reads it.

1. The terms in the ASV are strong: "abhor, cleave, diligent, fervent."
   
2. The word "diligent" comes from a Greek word that is defined, "Speed, haste, as manifested by zeal."
   
   1. Along with the word "fervent," it supports the phrase, "serving the Lord."
      
   2. It is further emphasized by the word of caution, "not slothful."

1. There should be diligence in preparing to teach. 2 Timothy 2:15 "Give diligence to present thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, handling aright the word of truth." (ASV)
   
2. We should be diligent in Christian work.
   
   1. 1 Corinthians 15:58 "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not vain in the Lord."
      
   2. 2 Corinthians 8:7 "But as ye abound in everything, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all earnestness, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also." (The "grace" here was benevolence.)
      
3. We should be diligent in Christian growth. Hebrews 6:7-12 "For the land which hath drunk the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them for whose sake it is also tilled, receiveth blessing from God: but if it beareth thorns and thistles, it is rejected and nigh unto a curse; whose end is to be burned. But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak: for God is not unrighteous to forget your work and the love which ye showed toward his name, in that ye ministered unto the saints, and still do minister. And we desire that each one of you may show the same diligence unto the fulness of hope even to the end: that ye be not sluggish, but imitators of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises."
   
4. We should be diligent to "make our calling and election sure."
   
   1. 2 Peter 1:5-11 "Yea, and for this very cause adding on your part all diligence, in your faith supply virtue; and in your virtue knowledge; and in your knowledge self control; and in your self-control patience; and in your patience godliness; and in your godliness brotherly kindness; and in your brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, they make you to be not idle nor unfruitful unto the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he that lacketh these things is blind, seeing only what is near, having forgotten the cleansing from his old sins. Wherefore, brethren, give the more diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never stumble: for thus shall be richly supplied unto you the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ."
      
   2. 2 Peter 3:14-18 "Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for these things, give diligence that ye may be found in peace, without spot and blameless in his sight. And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also, according to the wisdom given to him, wrote unto you; as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; wherein are some things hard to be understood, which the ignorant and unstedfast wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. Ye therefore, beloved, knowing these things beforehand, beware lest, being carried away with the error of the wicked, ye fall from your own stedfastness. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and for ever. Amen."

APPLICATION-- Should we not apply these passages to ourselves? Do they not carry the same weight of authority as passages that command us to be baptized?

1. Why does the Lord seek diligent servants?
   
   1. He knows that the work which He wishes to accomplish will not be performed by slothful, or careless workers.
      
   2. In view of the times in which we live, the church needs to have more diligent servants of the cause of Christ.
      
2. Faithfulness is one of the great demands of God on His people.

1. It is above mother and brethren. Luke 8:19-21 "And there came to him his mother and brethren, and they could not come at him for the crowd. And it was told him, Thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to see thee. But he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these that hear the word of God, and do it."
   
2. It is more important than a mother's pride. Luke 11:27-28 "And it came to pass, as he said these things, a certain woman out of the multitude lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the breasts which thou didst suck. But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it."
   
3. It is more important than earthly pursuits. Mark 10:29-30 "Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or mother, or father, or children, or lands, for my sake, and for the gospel's sake, but he shall receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life."