Progress in Christian Life
2 Peter 1.1-9
Simon Peter (Hearing Stone) servant and apostle - like Paul also called himself (Romans 1:1; Titus 1:1) - wrote this letter some years after the one we call "the first", to which he refers (chapter 3.1). He was now of advanced age and did not expect to live much longer (chapter 1.14 - see John 21.14).
It is addressed to all those that have obtained the same faith as Peter or any of the apostles, by the righteousness of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ. The faith obtained is here is called "precious" and in this context it means the body of truth which we call the Gospel. In his first letter Peter said the genuineness of our faith is much more precious than gold which perishes (1 Peter 1:7). We should never undervalue it.
Our faith was obtained through the righteousness of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ: one person only. In his previous letter Peter mentioned our God and Father (1 Peter 1:3), another person of the Trinity. The Greek grammar is uniform and inevitably demands that one person be meant in either case. Peter had heard Thomas call Jesus God (John 20:28) and he himself had previously called him the Son of God (Matthew 16:16). The righteousness of Christ is made over to us when we trust Him as Saviour. He not only takes away our sin, but He also adds to us His own righteousness, and so gives us a standing before God.
After the grace of God comes peace: God saves us by grace when we simply trust Christ, with no merit on our part. Once we experience God's grace, we can experience the peace of God also (Romans 5:1). The grace and peace of God is multiplied through our increasing knowledge of God and of our Lord Jesus (mentioned separately here). It is a knowledge which comes by the Holy Spirit's taking the things of Christ and making them real to us through His Word.
His divine power has made every arrangement for our life in Christ and our godliness of life for Him. He has given to us all of the things which we need to live life to the full, through the knowledge of Him who called us to glory and virtue. It is only through the knowledge of Christ that we can really learn to live and grow to be more godly people. We have been called to be like Christ, "called to glory", and "called to virtue": this means courage to excel in life and to attain perfection, standing on our own two feet, stating our position, and being counted for God.
Not only is the faith we were given precious, but also the promises given to us are exceeding great and precious. For example, the rest of redemption: "the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out" (John 6:37) and "Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28); the rest of commitment to Christ: "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls" (Matthew 11:29); the certainty of fellowship with God for ever "you who believe in the name of the Son of God ... have eternal life" (1 John 5:13). All these wonderful promises come through a knowledge of Jesus Christ and by faith in Him.
When we are born again, we are given the nature of God: the Christian life is not a little series of "dos and don'ts" but we are partakers of the divine nature, the nature of God, and we want the things of God.
We have escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust: the corruption of the world is that which is within us. A little later we shall be reading of the make-believers who have escaped the pollution of the world. The pollution of the world is on the outside. The old nature isn't changed by cleaning up the environment.
Religious people go through an anti pollution program on Sundays. They participate in a little ritual, a little washing, a little of this and a little of that. One can be religious to the fingertips and still be as corrupt as anyone can possibly be. To escape the corruption of the world, we must have a new nature, whereby we are partakers of the divine nature. Then we can understand God when He speaks through His Word and the Spirit of God makes it real to us.
That is the beginning only. The Christian life is a very serious business, it involves a constant growth and requires all our diligence. This epistle closes with the tremendous admonition, "Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ" (chapter 3:18).
In verses 5 to 7 are listed the different attributes which are to characterise our growth. The "faith" is saving faith, that which gave us forgiveness of sins, invested us with the righteousness of Christ and provided us with a divine nature as we have already seen.
To that must be added, first of all, "virtue." When this was written, it characterised the very finest of manhood: strength, valour, courage, and excellence. These are the qualities which should also characterise our life. It requires "virtue" to resist temptation and witness of Christ.
To virtue (or courage) we should add knowledge. The Greek word translated "knowledge" means "to know God in His salvation." It indicates growth whereas in verse 2 it means "super knowledge." Paul, writing to the Colossian believers, also said that he prayed that they might have this super knowledge. Super knowledge is the goal as the Holy Spirit confirms the Word of God to our hearts and lives and makes it very real to us. We grow to know God better, his Word and His will.
Add to knowledge self-control. As believers, we are to be self-controlled in every area of our lives. No fanaticism, outbursts of temper or indulgence in self-satisfaction.
Add to self-control patience. This is being able to endure when trials come. It is built upon knowledge and courage, it is perseverance through difficult circumstances, and in the Lord's work.
Add to patience godliness. This word means exactly what it says: to be like God. Having been born into the family of God, we will want to be like our Father, Godlike. That should be the desire and aim in life of every individual who is a partaker of the divine nature, even though we may never fully attain it. God is who we admire above all, the one we worship and praise. The word godliness has in it that very thought of praise and worship of God. It speaks of a dependence upon God and a life that is devoted to Him. It involves reverence, fear of God and taking Him seriously.
Add to godliness brotherly kindness, or, better still, love of the brethren. We are to love other believers. It is a joy to have a sweet and loving relationship with the brethren, having fellowship with them and helping one another.
Add to brotherly kindness charity. Since "brotherly kindness" is specifically for other believers, it is obvious that "charity" is to be directed to outsiders. It means that we are to love the sinner as God loves him. God loved him enough to redeem him, but He hates his sin and will judge it unless he turns to Christ. Loving a sinner does not mean getting down on his level and participating in his sin. Rather, we are to love him by bringing the gospel to him. The way we reveal our love to those outside the faith is to care enough for them to attempt to win them to Christ.
Our lives are to be characterised by the fruit of the Spirit, which is faith, courage, knowledge, self-control, patience, godliness, love of the brethren, and love for the unsaved. These qualities in the character of the believer honour God and give evidence of the reality of our profession of faith.
On the other hand, those who carelessly do not grow in these things end up not being sure themselves that they were ever really saved.
R David Jones
1 Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ:
2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,
3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,
4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
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 short-sighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.