As he continues in his discussion about giving diligence and exercising godly characteristics, he concludes by saying to exercise godliness to develop brotherly kindness and exercise brotherly kindness to develop love.

He started with faith, virtue and knowledge, he continued on with self-control, patience and godliness and now he concludes with brotherly kindness and love.  Your Christian walk is to progress from a point of faith, commitment and knowledge in the Lord and bring you through the  difficulties and temptations that would try to get you to behave outside of the divine nature.  Your walk is to continue to develop past yourself, past your difficulties and bring you through to godliness, kindness and love.

Love is really a sign of spiritual maturity.  When you can respond and behave from an inner characteristic of the love of God then your growth in the Lord is evident.  You have shown you are partakers of His divine nature as he says in verse 8.  And If these things are in you and abound you will not be barren or unfruitful in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Knowing Jesus and having that intimate, "full personal" knowledge of Him is a reward in itself that can’t be matched.

Confession:

I will exercise godliness to develop brotherly kindness and I’ll exercise brotherly kindness to develop love and I will be fruitful in an intimate knowledge of Jesus Christ.