Several days ago I ran across a passage in 2 Peter that shook me to the core. It was so rich, I have been dining on it ever since! I've broken it into four sections, and every day will post the entire Scripture, but will place the text I'd like to discuss in bold. I pray you will be as enriched, challenged, and encouraged by them as I have been!
Everything Required
2 Peter :3-4
For His divine power has given us everything required
for life and godliness,
through the knowledge of Him who called us
by His own glory and goodness.
By these He has given us very great and precious promises,
so that through them you may share in the divine nature,
escaping the corruption that is in the world because of evil desires.
For this very reason,
make every effort to supplement your
faith with goodness,
goodness with knowledge,
knowledge with self-control,
self-control with endurance,
endurance with godliness,
godliness with brotherly affection,
and brotherly affection with love.
For if these qualities are yours
and are increasing,
they will keep you from being
useless or unfruitful
in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The person who lacks these things
is blind and shortsighted,
and has forgotten the cleansing from his past sins.
Therefore, brothers, make every effort
to confirm your calling and election,
because if you do these things
you will never stumble.
For in this way,
entry into the eternal kingdom of
our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
will be richly supplied to you.
2 Peter 1:3-11
You know, I could just about stop at the first comma in verse 3 and be satisfied. "For His divine power has given us everything required for life and godliness..." I could, that is, if He hadn't made me such a curious creature. I need to know the details, and I'm so glad He provided them!
In all honesty, that should be enough for us. God - the Creator and Sustainer of the universe - with His divine power, has given us all we will ever need for life and godliness. What a beautiful confirmation not only that He is willing to do that for us, but that He, and He alone, is able to. Why do we settle for less than godliness if we truly follow Christ Jesus? After all, there is no excuse. He already gave us the ability to achieve it.
So how was it that we obtained this certainty? "Through the knowledge of Him..." That is the conduit through which we received such a gift. The Gospel. Perhaps that is why Paul says to the believers in 1 Corinthians 2:2, that he was "...determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified." There was nothing else they truly needed.
I love what it goes on to say though. God reminds us - in the same breath - that HE was the one who called us to Him: He opened our eyes and ears (Isaiah 35:5) to the understanding of the Gospel of Christ Jesus "by His own glory and goodness." He did it because He is just that good.
But it gets even better! V. 4, "By these" - His glory and His goodness - "He has given us very great and precious promises..." Not just one promise, but many very great ones:
We are now His children: Romans 9:8, Galatians 3:29
Given the Holy Spirit/Counselor: Ephesians 1:13
Receive a crown of life: James 1:12
Eternal life in His Kingdom: Titus 1:2
Many blessings: Deuteronomy 1:11
Forgiveness: Hebrews 8:12
Rest: Joshua 22:4
His Word written in our hearts: Jeremiah 31:33
And many more...
He gave us all these... "so that through them we may share in the divine nature...", as co-heirs with Christ and children of God (Romans 8:17), "escaping the corruption that is in the world because of evil desires." Ah. Here's the reason why all of these promises are good in the first place. To escape the punishment for the corruption of sin. We are all sinners, and we are all given one way to escape from the consequences of those sins (Romans 5:19): Jesus Christ.
With the knowledge of Him in our hearts, and the glory and goodness of God's divine power, we have a way to refrain from sins evil desires.
How amazing, and loving, is that?
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