Until the Day Dawns

2 Peter 1:16-21

Peter was one of Jesus’ closest disciples. Of the twelve Apostles, Peter, James, and John were Jesus’ inner circle. Matthew, in chapter seventeen of his gospel, tells us that Jesus took Peter, James, and John up on a high mountain by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.

Seeing Jesus conversing with Moses and Elijah, Peter suggested building shrines for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah. While Peter was saying this, a voice came from heaven saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” (Matthew 17:1-5) 

Peter was convinced. He saw Jesus’ glory, and he would never forget it. Peter, being sure of the strength of his faith, boasted that even if all the rest of the disciples deserted Jesus, he would not. (Matthew 26:33-35)

Despite his confidence, Peter’s faith failed. Jesus told Peter that before the rooster crowed, he would deny Jesus.

Around thirty years later, Peter is writing his last letter to the Church. Jesus has informed Peter that he will soon be exiting this world, and Peter is concerned that we understand how to have an “abundant” entry into the kingdom of heaven. As he writes his reminder, Peter remembers the tests of faith he went through.

We also must go through trials. Our faith must be tested to be strengthened just as Peter’s faith was tried, refined, and tested. In 2 Peter 2:16-21, Peter gives us three pillars to strengthen our faith. 

The first pillar is eyewitness testimony.

2 Peter 2:16 says:

2 Peter 1:16 (NKJV) For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty.

Many accuse the Church of inventing the gospel and fabricating its details, some even going as far as questioning whether there was a historical Jesus.

Indeed, some have fabricated tales and gospels. For example, the Mormon church follows cunningly devised fables, as do the Mohammedans. However, there is a vast difference between these religions and Biblical Christianity. Apart from what the Bible says about itself, there is an abundance of historical and archeological evidence to support the claims of the Bible. It is not within the scope of our time here to cover these details. One source that lists much evidence is Evidence that Demands a Verdict, by Josh McDowell. There are many others, but McDowell has done an excellent job of compiling the evidence.

Peter mentions one piece of evidence that is probably the strongest. That is, Peter and the gospel writers were eyewitnesses. Histories written by unbelievers like Josephus and Tacitus confirm what the gospel writers recorded, and the records that were written have all the marks of authentic eyewitness accounts.

All the Apostles, except for John, were killed because they refused to change their story. Now, we know that some people are convinced enough of lies that they are willing to die for what they believe. However, if the Apostles had fabricated their accounts, they would have known they were dying for lies. None of them were willing to die before the resurrection. They deserted Jesus and fled. However, after the resurrection, they all were ready to die for what they knew to be the truth. If they knew it was a lie, at least one of them, most likely all of them, would have confessed that the story was made up.

In other words, one cannot find more reliable eyewitness testimony than what we have in the New Testament.

However, Peter is saying eyewitness testimony alone is not enough. He says that they (Peter, James, and John) saw Jesus’ majesty on the mountain, but even after having witnessed that miracle, Peter’s faith failed in the moment of trial. Therefore, while eyewitness testimony is a necessary pillar of support, God has provided an additional pillar. 

Peter calls the second pillar “the prophetic word.” 2 Peter 1:19 says:

2 Peter 1:19 (NKJV)    And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts;

The phrase “we have the prophetic word confirmed” has an alternate translation. Some Bibles will have one or other of the possible translations in the footnotes. The old King James Version says, “We have also a more sure word of prophecy.” The New King James Version footnotes have, “We also have the more sure prophetic word.” The idea of the eyewitness accounts “confirming” the prophetic word is an interpretation (what the translators think the author means). The statement “a more sure word of prophecy” is a more literal translation (closer to the original statement). Theologically, “the more sure prophetic word” (the more literal translation) makes more sense. “Sure” in this case could also be translated as “stable.” 

This is a big deal because eyewitnesses can be “duped” (tricked). However, prophecies written hundreds of years before giving the exact sequence of events cannot be faked. 

Let me construct an example for you. Let’s imagine there was a story published in all the newspapers in Europe in 1850 stating that on July 20, 1969, a man named Neil Armstrong would walk on the moon. Now that would be truly incredible, and it would be impossible to fake because we said “all the newspapers in Europe.” In other words, it would be impossible for someone living after 1969 to go back in time and put such a detail into “all of the newspapers.” A crooked person might fake a couple of newspapers, but if a person dug into the history, it would not take long to disprove such a wild claim.

There are hundreds of details of Jesus’ life prophesied in the Old Testament and hundreds of copies of those prophecies in ancient texts that predate Jesus. I hope you are following me because one cannot fake this stuff. The historical, physical evidence is there. It cannot be faked. (Of course, those who wish to insist that miracles cannot possibly happen go to great lengths to try and make this kind of evidence of away.)

If you want to know the truth, Peter says:

2 Peter 1:19 (NKJV)    And so we also have the more sure prophetic word, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts

A light shining in a dark place makes visible things that would otherwise be hidden. The prophetic word helps us see what we otherwise would not be able to see. The prophetic word helps us to know the truth. We will need this light until the day dawns and the morning star rises in our hearts. The “day” is Christ’s return and the “morning star” is Jesus. When Jesus returns, and we see Him face to face, our need for faith will not be the same. We will be with Him! He is the light. He is the truth! Until that time, we do well to heed the prophetic word.

Once we have established our faith based on the testimony of eyewitnesses and the written word of God, we must build upon that foundation with an additional pillar.

Peter teaches us about this pillar in verses twenty and twenty-one.

2 Peter 1:20–21 (NKJV) ²⁰knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, ²¹for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

“No prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation.” While some people twist the Bible to make it say what they want, we are not free to do this. God has a specific message for us, and it is not up to us to decide what that message is. It is our job to understand the message. 

However, the message was given by the Holy Spirit, and it is only understood by the help of the Holy Spirit. The Bible is not like any other book. It is not a book of opinions or of thoughts. As Peter says, “holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. As the Apostle Paul says:

2 Timothy 3:16 (NKJV) All Scripture is given by inspiration of God.

We must understand that God used human instruments to record the exact words that He wanted to say. The writers of Scripture were not like typewriters because God used their personalities, and their individual characters show in what was written. And yet, God made sure that the exact words He desired were written down.

Because of this, we do not get to change or manipulate what it says. However, we must understand that although there were many different writers spread out over many centuries, the Bible is one book. In other words, what Moses says informs and helps us to understand what Paul says, even though Paul wrote more than a thousand years after Moses.

If we do not understand something the Bible says, the best way to answer our questions is to search the Bible. Commentaries are good only as far as they direct us to a synthesis of the Bible, answering Bible questions from the Bible. Philosophical answers do not work.

I find it amazing that the more closely we stick to the Bible, the more we find we have in common. The more we are influenced by philosophy, the more divided we are. 

The pillar of our faith is a knowledge of Scripture. The only way to get this is to read (or listen to) the Bible - the whole Bible. The Bible does not contradict itself, but it explains itself.

A very dear and intelligent person recently decided to read through the Bible. This person had lots of questions and would probably have been classified as an agnostic (we can’t really know). So, as they were reading, they wrote down questions. Starting with Genesis, there were pages and pages of questions. After months of reading, they were in the Gospel of John and commented, “You know, if you just keep reading, the Bible answers itself.”

This is true! If a person reads the whole book and pays attention, the Bible answers itself. It is not a matter of personal interpretation or opinion. Our job is to understand what God is saying, and He has given us His Holy Spirit to help us.

Once a person has accepted the truth of the testimony of the eyewitnesses and verified that faith by the even more sure testimony of Scripture, that person must solidify, maintain, and grow that faith by nurturing it with the Scriptures, the Word of God.

Please! Listening to preachers is necessary, but check everything we say against Scripture. Listen to Scripture five days a week and to preachers two days a week. That is a ratio of two and a half to one.

Daily devotions are not the “Daily Bread” devotional booklet. Daily devotions are time in the Bible. Our bodies need food daily and so do our spirits. And, the food we need is the Bible, not somebody's thoughts on the Bible, just the Bible. Pick it up, ask the Holy Spirit to help, and read it - please!

Thrice Blessed

Ephesians 1:3

Ephesians 1:3 (NKJV) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,

We are extremely blessed. (Blessed beyond measure.)

Ephesians 3 speaks of blessing and uses the word “blessed” three times.

The word used in the original language was  “eulogetas” (“good words,” we get our word “eulogy” from this same word). The root of this word is “logos” (a familiar term meaning “word” or “logic”). However, in Ephesians 3:1, each time the “eulogos” is used, it has a different ending. These changes in endings change the meaning (just slightly).

First, the verse says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. In this instance, “eulogos” is used as an adjective pointing to the character of God. In the New Testament, this word is used only of God, and it means that God is worthy of praise. He is worthy of our extolling His virtues and saying good words about Him. 

We see this in the Psalms, where many of the Psalms focus on praising the Lord. For example:

Psalm 145:1–3 (NKJV) ¹I will extol You, my God, O King; And I will bless Your name forever and ever.

²Every day I will bless You,

And I will praise Your name forever and ever.

³Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;

And His greatness is unsearchable.

God is worthy of us extolling His name, and this is what the first phrase of Ephesians 1:3 is saying. 

Ephesians 1:3 continues: “who has blessed us…”

The first phrase speaks of God’s character. He is worthy of praise. This phrase tells us who God is. It identifies God as the One who has blessed us. This time the word “eulogeō” is a verb. It is an action being performed by the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. In this case, the “good words” are benefits or good things given to us. In the New Testament, this word is used primarily of God blessing His people.

In that He is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we see much of the blessing that He has given us. As Romans 8:32 says,

Romans 8:32 (NKJV) He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?

We also need to remember James 1:17.

James 1:17 (NKJV) Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.

When we think of blessings, we often think of material things. God has blessed with cars, houses, clothing, food, and families. However, all these are going to go away (except family). When I die, I am going to leave my house and car behind. (Since there is going to be a “wedding feast,” there might be food in heaven, but there certainly will not be any hunger.) After speaking of God’s character and identity, Ephesians 1:3 tells us what the blessings are. This time “eulogos” is a noun. The objects described by the noun are “blessings.”

Two things stand out about these blessings. First, they are spiritual. They have to do with the spiritual realm where angels and demons move about and have their being. These are things that matter. Material things, including our bodies, are destined to perish, but the blessings that God has blessed us with are eternal in nature. 

The eternal nature of the blessings brings us to the second thing that stands out about these blessings. Ephesians 3:1says, “…every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.” The original text does not have the word “places.” The word used is an adjective. This means it is describing the nature of the blessings not the location. We have a salvation reserved in heaven for us. Jesus is preparing a place for us, and we can store up treasures for ourselves in heaven where moth and rust do not destroy. On top of all this, we have every spiritual blessing in Christ Jesus.

Our home is no longer here. Jesus taught us that where our treasure is there will our hearts be also. We do not even know the treasures we have in the heavenly realms. We need to spend time investigating the treasures we have. For example:

• We have access to the Father.
• We have whatever we ask for (if we abide in Him).
• We have an eternal home in heaven.
• ….Count your many blessings, name them one by one.

A Light in the Darkness

Isaiah 49:6

Isaiah 49:1 (NKJV) “Listen, O coastlands, to Me, and take heed, you peoples from afar! The Lord has called Me from the womb; From the matrix of My mother He has made mention of My name.

The God who created heaven and earth calls for people to listen. He says, “Take heed,” meaning pay attention. We should sit up and take notice. God does not speak without meaning or unnecessary words. 

In the section of Isaiah that we are looking at today, we are introduced to the servant of the Lord. This is not the first mention of the servant, but it is significant partly because this is one of the places in the Old Testament that God makes it clear that he intends to save some from every tongue, tribe, and nation. Although He is known as the God of Israel, He is also known as the God of all peoples. In Isaiah 49:1, the Servant calls for “peoples from afar” to listen. He calls for the Gentiles (nations) to listen even though Isaiah was an Israelite. He was also a prophet to the nations, and his prophecies contain a lot of information relevant to us today.

God chose Abraham, and through Abraham, God raised a people of His own. But, His purpose was always larger than Israel. When God chose Abraham, He said:

Genesis 12:2–3 (NKJV) ²I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. ³I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

God planned to bless all the families of the earth. This includes us.

In Isaiah 49, the Servant explains what God has told Him and in verse 6 says:

Isaiah 49:6 (NKJV) Indeed He says, ‘It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, that You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.’ 

God will raise up the tribes of Jacob, and He is restoring Israel. However, He also gave Jesus as a light to the Gentiles (nations). Notice that He says to the Servant, “…That You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.” He does not say “carry” or “take” My salvation, but He says “be” My salvation. This is because Jesus is the Servant, and Isaiah is recording the words of Christ.

The Father told the Son, “I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles.” This is reflected in John’s gospel as He introduces us to the person of Jesus. He says:

John 1:5 (NKJV) And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

Jesus is the light of the world, and when we accept Jesus as our Savior, we are reborn and, by the power of the Holy Spirit, are made His witnesses (Acts 1:8).

Jesus told us:

Matthew 5:14–16 (NKJV) ¹⁴“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. ¹⁶Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

All believers are the light of the world. We exist as a church to carry the light. We are carrying the light here in Clearwater, and we are also part of carrying the light around the world. Carrying the light to foreign countries and the far corners of the world is part of who we are. 

Is our light shining as bright as it could?

Called and Elect

2 Peter 1:10-15

Several times I have been privileged to be with people who knew that they would soon die. We all know that we will die, but we assume it will be someday, and someday seems far, far away. However, sometimes people know that they are at the end of their lives. At these times, people tend to question eternity. The question I have heard that I want to talk about today is, “Have I been good enough?”

In 2 Peter 1:10, Peter says:

2 Peter 1:10 (NKJV) Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble;

“Make your call and election sure.” (“Sure” in this context means “certain” or “solid.”) If we are sure of our calling and election, when we come to the end of our lives, we will have an answer to the question, “Have I been good enough?” Knowing the answer to the question of our eternal home is the certainty that Peter is talking about.

When Peter says, “your call and election,” what comes into your mind? 

What is our call, and how does it differ from election?

First, we are talking about eternity. What is your destination when you die? Our calling and election are part of our salvation and have to do with eternity. Questions that a person might ask when they come to the end of their life are “Am I called?” Or, “Am I elected?” 

Jesus gave an illustration of a wedding feast. The host sent out invitations, and the invited guests found excuses not to go, so the host sent his servants out in the streets to compel people to come. Some guests showed up not dressed for a wedding, and the host had them thrown out. The wedding feast stands for heaven, and the invitations stand for God’s calling us to be saved. At the end of the illustration, Jesus said:

Matthew 22:14 (NKJV) For many are called, but few are chosen.

Jesus also distinguishes between “calling” and “election.” (“Chosen” in this context is the same word Peter uses that was translated as “election.”) The idea behind being called is the invitation. To state it plainly, to be called is to be invited.

The answer to the question, “Am I called?” is “Yes!” Everyone is invited. God invites everyone and His invitation is genuine. Anyone who wants to can come to the Lord for life. God, for His part, wants everyone to come. In 2 Peter 3, Peter tells us that God is not willing that any should perish.

2 Peter 3:9 (NKJV) The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

God does not want anyone to perish. For this reason, God is waiting to bring this world to an end, giving everyone time to repent. He is waiting for people to respond to His call (invitation). To be clear, God is not a trickster. His invitation is real, so free-will also must be real. The invitation is to all people everywhere. However, now to muddy the water, Jesus said:

John 6:44 (NKJV) No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.

 

Jesus is talking about election. 2 Peter 1:10 says to make our calling and election sure. Election means chosen. Along with the question, “Am I called?” the question “Am I chosen?” must also be answered. We all are part of the “many” that are called, but are we a part of the “few” that are chosen? Jesus told His disciples:

John 15:16 (NKJV) You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.

Jesus says that we did not choose Him, but He chose us. He also says that He appointed us. An example of this from the Old Testament is the prophet, Jeremiah. God told him:

Jeremiah 1:5 (NKJV) Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.

God’s choice of Jeremiah, the Apostles, and each of us works the same way. God chose Jeremiah, God appointed (ordained) Jeremiah, and God has chosen and appointed you if you know the Lord Jesus.

Calling and election are different sides of the same coin. I have heard those who teach free-will condemn those of us who teach election, and I have heard those who teach election condemn those who teach free-will. The debate will continue because the Bible teaches both. We are responsible for our choice. The problem is that not a single, solitary one of us will choose to seek God. Romans 3 quotes Psalm 14 when it says:

Romans 3:10–11 (NKJV) ¹⁰As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one; ¹¹There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God.”

The truth of the Gospel is that salvation is completely (entirely) accomplished by God. Consider Ephesians 2 with me.

Ephesians 2:4–5, 8–9 (NKJV) ⁴But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, ⁵even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), … ⁸For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, ⁹not of works, lest anyone should boast.

If you are proud of your faith, you can give that up because it is not of yourself, it is the gift of God. Salvation is always and completely a gift of God’s grace, related to NOTHING that we do.

Because of His great love, God saves us. Here is the rub (irritating fact) not everyone is or will be saved. We tend to ask “Why?” Romans 9 uses Pharaoh as an example. Why didn’t God save Pharaoh? This question is answered for us in the Bible. First, God anticipates our human response and says:

Romans 9:16–19 (NKJV) ¹⁶So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy. ¹⁷For the Scripture says to the Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth.” ¹⁸Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens. ¹⁹You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?”

In answer to the this “Why” question, God says:

Romans 9:22–24 (NKJV) ²²What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, ²³and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory, ²⁴even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?

For many, this is not a satisfactory answer. The miracle of grace is that any of us are saved, and we focus on the fact that some are not saved. God addresses this issue, and His answer is that we should be a bit more humble. 

Romans 9:20–21 (NKJV) ²⁰But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?” ²¹Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?

God is God, and we are not. Some things are beyond us. The fact that many are called but few are chosen is just that - it’s a fact. Complaining against God and saying He is unjust or it is not fair does not help. This fact was not a happy one for Pharaoh, but it was happy for Israel. 2 Peter 1:10 assumes the fact and urges us to make sure we are among the chosen.  

Here is a hint - if you are still in Egypt, you are not among the chosen.

In 1 Peter 1:4, Peter says that we have escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust (appetites). THEREFORE, if we are still in bondage to our lusts, then we have reason to worry. This is why the Apostle Paul says:

2 Corinthians 13:5 (NKJV) Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified. 

(Compare Romans 8:16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.)

Examining ourselves to see if we are in the faith is also what Peter refers to when he says to make sure of our call and election. In 2 Peter 1, twice Peter says to be diligent. Both times he urges our utmost concentration and effort. He tells us to add virtues to our faith. He says we are to add goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love. We must understand that these things do not save us because salvation is not of works lest any man should boast. However, Peter does say:

2 Peter 1:10–11 (NKJV) …if you do these things you will never stumble; ¹¹for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Many stumble. Many doubt and worry. We know that, in the end, it is not whether or not we have been good enough. The question is whether or not we have trusted Jesus for our salvation. But, how do I know if I have trusted Him? Where I have lacked brotherly kindness, I will have doubts. Where I have lacked love, I will have doubts. If we pursue Jesus with all our heart, soul, and strength, we will be sure. We will be certain. We will not stumble.

In addition, Peter says that in this way, an entrance into God’s kingdom will be abundantly supplied. (Let me say again, we are not saved by any works that we have done but by faith in Jesus.) This abundant entrance is hearing God say, “Well done, My good and faithful servant.” Jesus taught us that we can store up treasures in heaven. Many will be saved, but it will be a “just barely saved.” This is what the Apostle Paul is teaching when he says:

1 Corinthians 3:11–15 (NKJV) ¹¹For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. ¹²Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, ¹³each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. ¹⁴If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. ¹⁵If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

If you spend your life building bigger barns to store up treasures here on earth, you are going to leave it all behind on that Day; you will suffer loss as this Scripture says. You will be in heaven, but according to this passage, it will not be an abundant entry.

In 2 Peter 1:14, Peter tells us why he is reminding us of these things. He says:

2 Peter 1:14 (NKJV) knowing that shortly I must put off my tent, just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me.

Peter was at the end of his life. He was not asking, “Have I been good enough?” He was writing to remind us of the fundamental truths of the gospel. In fact, he says:

2 Peter 1:15 (NKJV) Moreover I will be careful to ensure that you always have a reminder of these things after my decease.

The translation “decease” here is unfortunate. The word is “exodus,” like the book in the Old Testament. The book of Exodus got its name from the Children of Israel leaving (exiting) Egypt. It was a great deliverance. Most modern translations get this one right when they say “departure.” Peter is looking forward with anticipation to his “departure.” He is going to be with his Lord and Savior, the one he loves. His concern is not for himself. His concern is to leave a permanent reminder of how to get where he is going. He is sure of his call and election.

Are you?

Does the question plague you, “Have I been good enough?”

Are you ready for the Day of your departure?

Where are your treasures? 

Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also!

Let’s apply all diligence so an entrance will be supplied to us abundantly.

Great and Precious Promises

2 Peter 1:3-9

2 Peter 1:2–4 (NKJV) ²Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, ³as 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, ⁴by 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.

Grace and peace are multiplied to us in the knowledge of God. 

God created us in His image and in His likeness. But, the evil one deceived us and we thought that we could become like God. However, while we bear His image, God is infinite and we are finite; God is all-powerful and we are weak; God is present everywhere, and we are in one place at a time, and God knows everything, and we know very little. God tells us that as the heavens are higher than the earth, so His ways are higher than ours. (Isaiah 55:9)

Our determination to be like God led to sin and sin to death. Because of sin, we were blind, poor, and naked. Ephesians 2 tells us that we were dead in our trespasses and sins. But, as Peter tells us, God’s divine power has given us everything pertaining to life and godliness. Ephesians 2 makes the same point when it says:

Ephesians 2:4–6 (NKJV) ⁴But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, ⁵even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), ⁶and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

Because of His great love, God used His power and wisdom to provide a way for us to be restored to a right relationship with Him. Ephesians 2:5 tells us that God made us alive together with Christ. On this subject, Jesus told Nicodemus that we must experience a new birth to enter the kingdom of God. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is the power that makes us alive in Him, and this is the rebirth Jesus spoke of. Believing in the Lord Jesus is simple enough for a child to understand, and at the same time, it is a great mystery. We cannot understand how Jesus can be both God and man and a member of the Trinity, one with the Father and the Holy Spirit. When Peter says that His divine power has given us everything that pertains to life and godliness, He is speaking of the mysteries of our salvation. He is teaching concerning how God works for our benefit.

Peter’s next subject is what God has done for us in what we term “salvation.” After Peter reminds us that we are given everything we need through the knowledge of God, He says:

2 Peter 1:4 (NKJV) 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.

The exceedingly great and precious promises are those things that come with “salvation.” Of course, among these promises are the forgiveness of our sins and a home in heaven, but we are also given much more. Peter focuses on two of these great promises. First, we are made partakers of the divine nature. 

This happens through the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. The Holy Spirit makes us alive together with Christ and is the power of God in our lives. The Spirit gives us the mind of Christ, whereby we understand the word of God. In addition, the fruit of the Spirit in our lives reflects God’s “virtue” (nature). The Apostle John explains this concept in relation to the love of God in our lives.

1 John 4:7–8 (NKJV) ⁷Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. ⁸He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

God, who called us by His own glory and virtue, has made us partakers of His nature so that we will reflect His glory by showing His virtue. (Virtue means goodness.) This brings us to the second great promise that comes with Salvation. Let’s look at 2 Peter 1:4 again.

2 Peter 1:4 (NKJV) 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.

We have escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

Corruption and death are in the world because of lust. “Lust” in this context means “desires of the flesh.” Romans 8 gives an excellent explanation of the problem with our fleshly desires.

Romans 8:4–8 (NKJV)  ⁵For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. ⁶For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. ⁷Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. ⁸So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

In these verses, we learn that the carnal (flesh) mind is God’s enemy. This is the part of us that wants to be like God (large and in charge). Remember, this desire is what brought sin into the world in the first place. According to Peter, God has delivered us from the corruption that is in the world through lust.

God reminded the nation of Israel of their escape from slavery in Egypt by establishing the Passover as an annual festival. He also uses the celebration of communion to remind us of our escape from slavery to sin. 

Israel’s slavery in Egypt and our slavery to sin are parallels. Sin is a horrible taskmaster that seeks to destroy us. Romans assures us that sin leads to death. (Sin always leads to death.)

Romans 6:23 (NKJV) For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Sin leads to death but look again at how that corruption comes into our world.

2 Peter 1:4 (NKJV) 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.

Here is a question for all of us: “If God has delivered us, why do we choose to live according to our lusts?”

We forget that living for our flesh (appetites) brings death and corruption. Peter writes to encourage us to live in a way consistent with the great grace God has given to us. He shows us a path to godliness. This is not about legalistically keeping rules. No, we are talking about living free in Christ, free from the corruption that is in the world through lust.

We are not saved or delivered from sin by any works that we do, but since we have been made partakers in the divine nature, we are called on to add things to our faith. The things that we are called upon to add to our faith are all virtues. In other words, they are all good things.

Peter does not say, “Please do these things.” Look at what he says.

2 Peter 1:5, NKJV But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue,

The reason Peter is talking about here is the fact that we have been made partakers in the divine nature. And, what we are to do is apply all diligence. Many translations say, “Make every effort,” instead of “Giving all diligence.”

This is the paradox of our faith. The Holy Spirit is given so that we can live godly in Christ Jesus, and it is impossible for us to live godly lives without the Holy Spirit. And yet, we are to make every effort, apply all diligence to live in a godly manner. In our flesh, we can do nothing good, but we can do all things through Christ, who gives us strength.

Look at the virtues (good) we are to add to our faith.

2 Peter 1:5–7 (NKJV) ⁵But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, ⁶to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, ⁷to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.

The qualities listed here are for everyone. (Virtue can be translated as goodness.) So, here is the list: 1) goodness, 2) knowledge, 3) self-control, 4) perseverance, 5) godliness, 6) brotherly kindness, and 7) love.

As we’ve begun this series, we’ve seen that we are made partakers of the divine nature through our knowledge of God. The knowledge that is listed among these virtues is not the same kind of knowledge. The knowledge that leads to salvation is a personal experience or contact knowledge. The knowledge that we are to grow in as a virtue is understanding. The word Peter uses is different from the word he has been using this far. He uses the common word for knowledge. In other words, remaining ignorant is not a virtue. 

 

We must grow in our knowledge of Scripture and doctrine. We must grow in our knowledge and understanding of life in general. This knowledge would include science, history, literature, culture, and whatever is of benefit. 

The list is easy to understand but harder to put into practice. Therefore, Peter explains to us the importance of building these things in our lives. He says:

2 Peter 1:8–9 (NKJV) ⁸For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.

Here we are given a positive and a negative reason for building these virtues in our lives. 

First, they will make us fruitful. Even if we suffer for being good, in the end, it will benefit us. There is no downside to being good.

Second, if we lack these virtues, it reveals that we are shortsighted.

Going back to the question I asked: “If God has delivered us, why do we choose to live according to our lusts?”

Have we forgotten?

Romans 8:13 (NKJV) For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

Choose life. We have been delivered from the corruption that is in the world through lust. So, why do we choose to live controlled by the desires of our flesh?