CHARACTER BUILDING ELEMENTS

5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith VIRTUE, to virtue KNOWLEDGE,
6 to knowledge SELF-CONTROL, to self-control PERSEVERANCE, to perseverance GODLINESS,
7 to godliness BROTHERLY KINDNESS, and to brotherly kindness LOVE.
8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.
2 Peter 1:5-9 (NKJV)

These seven character building elements listed in the above Bible passage are very essential for a believer to exhibit or show a Christlike character. The passage says If these character building elements are found in a believer, such would not be barren in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. In other words, whoever is lacking in the understanding of the elements would be lacking in the knowledge of Christ Jesus.

Some people who claim to know Christ Jesus are far from Him. Through their characters it would be clear to whoever comes closer to them that they are far from Him. Someone might be calling the name of the Lord Jesus, the person might even be a preacher, but in character the person denies Him: "THEY PROFESS TO KNOW GOD, BUT IN WORKS THEY DENY HIM, BEING ABOMINABLE, DISOBEDIENT, AND DISQUALIFIED FOR EVERY GOOD WORK" (Titus 1:16 NKJV). It is not what you say with your mouth that matters most but what you exhibited or show or how you live that would prove to people that you know Christ (Matthew 7:16-18; Luke 6:44).

The ultimate goal of every believer is becoming like Christ Jesus. It is the essence of every effort or activity of learning. If your goal is not becoming like Christ both in character and demonstration of power, you have missed the whole essence or purpose of being born-again—Christianity.
The character building elements that you are being admonished to add to your faith in our text will make you fruitful, and not be barren. If they were missed, stumbling is inevitable: "THEREFORE, BRETHREN, BE EVEN MORE DILIGENT TO MAKE YOUR CALL AND ELECTION SURE, FOR IF YOU DO THESE THINGS YOU WILL NEVER STUMBLE" (2 Peter 1:10 NKJV).
Peace.