The Second Book of Peter, Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION

I have said in many of these Bible studies that I will use “commentary breaks” for commenting or to highlight certain principles and to make certain verses clear for context and intent. All of this is not meant to be as a deep theological study as found in many excellent bible commentaries or helps such as the Blue Letter Bible, BibleHub.com, GotQuestions.Org, Strong’s Concordance or Enduring Word, to name just a few. I will draw on these aforenamed resources for their expertise.

But my primary intention here is to focus on the values, importance and urgency of the application of these scriptures in our daily lives. Not just as a matter for show, but to engage and to release this remarkable power of the Gospel and the authorities given us by our Lord Jesus Christ into the world through our own lives and bodies. (Please know that I am aware of how this might sound to some, but to have all knowledge and wisdom that is unused and unapplied renders it as just idle information. It is as Matthew reminds us, “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.”

I pray that this Book of the Scriptures, when applied through your life, will accomplish the very things God intended – and nothing will ever be the same.

The Book of Second Peter, Chapter 1

Growth in Christian Virtue, Eyewitness

The Book of First Peter was instrumental in laying out the foundations of the corporate Church. The Book of Second Peter is instrumental in strengthening and preparing the individual Christian to become all that God intended for, in and through His Church.

Please, dear brothers and sisters in Christ, please do not forget that we have learned that although you and I were once not a people, but we are now a people; we are living stones being built up as a spiritual house as a holy priesthood to offer sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

You and I, we, are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

This Book is written to you, and for you. So let’s act as His Chosen, as His Royal Priesthood and offer our lives up as that good and acceptable sacrifice to God through Jesus Christ. (To God, you are somebody – you are His.)

Growth in Christian Virtue

2 Peter 1:1, Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ,

To those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ:

(Commentary Break): Peter, the impulsive, the brave, the fearful, the chosen. If you had known Peter before his transformation through Christ by way of the transforming power of the Holy Spirit you might have a hard time recognizing him now. Peter whose faith has been forged by the fires of the sufferings of Christ is relating to his brothers in the bonds of this faith. But, if all we do is learn about Peter, we have missed the main point: This is the same faith God is both offering and to which God is calling you. It is this kind of faith that will completely transform you and your life from that of a bystander into a fully devoted disciple of Christ and a fully engaged warrior of the Cross. Once the process of your transformation is begun, people may well ask of you also, “is this the same person I once knew?” This process as taught by Jesus, by which one arrives at or obtains this “faith of the same as ours” is described and taught by Jesus Himself in Matthew 5:1-14. (Please click here and read before proceeding, to The Sermon on The Mount). (End Commentary Break).

Verse 2. Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, verse 3, for His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.

(Commentary Break): Please read this again: “For His divine power has granted to us…”. We are not alone; we are not helpless and we are not bystanders. We are, if we so choose, an active participant in a partnership with God, through our advocate Jesus Christ. He has empowered us to accomplish all He has decreed through the power and working of the Holy Spirit which pertains to life, godliness and the true knowledge of Him.

The true knowledge of Him is not just an acknowledgment or ‘head knowledge’ of Him, i.e. it is not just a cognitive matter. This knowledge, (epignōsis) of Him denotes an experiential, relational, and transforming knowledge. It is more than data acquisition; it embraces recognition, acknowledgment, and personal appropriation of truth revealed by God. In the New Testament it is always anchored in divine initiative and always bears moral and spiritual consequences. It is a deep penetrating knowing that originates only in the regenerate spirit of a believer, which wells up through the emotions, the will and the mind, instructing, creating, causing and enabling us by way of His own glory and excellence. This is not a metaphor nor is it a simile. It is the living outcome of the truth spoken into and through the fully devoted and engaged disciple of Christ giving us all things pertaining to life and godliness. (End Commentary Break).

 Verse 4. Through these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world on account of lust.

(Commentary Break): It is estimated, by several sources that the Bible contains somewhere between 7,000 and 8,000 promises in the Bible (depending on how promises are counted and defined) with about 5,000 attributed specifically to God. Many religious people, including Christians, will mistakenly “claim” the promises of God for themselves, as if to say they can “name it and claim it” for their own exclusive use or benefit. But claiming a promise of God really should mean that one is trusting the God is faithful to His Word; that we can pray bases on what God’s Word says; and that we can properly apply scriptures in context. It is less about what will happen and more about relying on God’s character. In this case, however, Peter is telling us that God’s magnificent promises make it possible for us to partake in His divine nature.

(Taken from GotQuestions.Org) There are several notable points in 2 Peter 1:3–4. First, God’s power has granted us the “very great promises” concerning our salvation. Second, it is through those promises that we are made “partakers of the divine nature.” Third, being partakers of the divine nature involves escaping the world’s decay and rising above sinful desires. Simply put, when we are saved, we receive a new nature, by which we do not perish with the world.

Human “nature” in the Bible is what makes us “us.” A man’s nature is the sum total of qualities that make him who he is. It is a person’s inherent character and that which constitutes his or her individuality. According to the Bible, every human being is born with Adam’s nature, which is sinful; we have a natural bent toward pleasing self (Romans 5:12; 7:14). Our natural selves cannot please God (Romans 8:8). Our sin nature keeps us from fellowship with God, keeps us in bondage to sin, and leads eventually to spiritual death (Romans 6:16, 23; 7:14; 2 Peter 2:19). We cannot free ourselves from sin because we cannot change our natures, just as a tiger cannot change its stripes.

When we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, we are saved (Acts 16:31), and we undergo a radical spiritual transformation. This is what Peter means when he says we are made partakers of the divine nature. We are made new creations in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). We are born again (John 3:3). We died, and now our lives are “hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3). We are “in Christ” (Romans 8:1).

As partakers of the divine nature, believers do not have to follow the sin nature any more. At salvation, our old nature is defeated, and we receive a new, divine nature that desires the things of God (2 Corinthians 5:17). We love what He loves and hate what He hates (Galatians 5:22; 1 John 4:4).

As partakers of the divine nature, believers are no longer enslaved to the passions and sins of the flesh (Romans 6:6, 14). We have power from on high to conquer every temptation that comes against us (1 Corinthians 10:13).

As partakers of the divine nature, believers are made part of the family of God (John 1:12), and this results in a changed life. First John 3:9 says, “No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God.” By giving us His nature, God makes us His sons and daughters and conforms us to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29; 2 Corinthians 6:18).

As partakers of the divine nature, believers have the Holy Spirit indwelling them. God declares that we are “more than conquerors” because of the power of the Holy Spirit within our hearts (Romans 8:37). Our Comforter/Advocate/counselor is with us wherever we go (John 14:16). We will never be forsaken (Hebrews 13:5).

God is faithful to keep His “great and precious promises,” and we praise Him for our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ; for the gift of the Holy Spirit; and for the everlasting life we enjoy as partakers of His divine nature. (End excerpt).

(End Commentary Break).

Verse 5. Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, verse 6, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, verse 7, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. Verse 8. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they do not make you useless nor unproductive in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

(Commentary Break): Herein lies the intersection of the human and the divine. Here is where we cease to be idle bystanders, recipients alone waiting for God to change us without our participation, and become partakers, accomplices in His transformative works. This is important for all believers to understand. God begins His transforming work within the believer – in his or her regenerated spirit. This transforming power is infused in our core being, or spirit (pneuma), and wells up and spreads first through our soul (the psyche which is our mind, will and emotions), then having influenced how we feel, and how we think and our will to act, this transformation moves to the cognitive mind and body (soma) and we live out and live in and by His divine nature. This is truly a miracle of unparalleled proportions. As it is said in 2 Corinthians 5:17, you will have been made into a new creation, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, this person is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come”, and again in 1 Thessalonians 5:23, “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ”.   (End Commentary Break).

Verse 9. For the one who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins.

(Commentary Break): Spiritual nearsightedness can lead to a separation from God, making it difficult to recognize His presence and respond to His call. This condition may also result in poor judgment, self-deception, and a lack of personal growth in faith.

Bible Hub

Consequences of Spiritual Nearsightedness

Spiritual nearsightedness, often referred to as spiritual blindness, can have significant negative effects on an individual’s relationship with God and their overall spiritual well-being. Below are the key consequences:

Separation from God

• • • Difficulty Recognizing God’s Presence: Individuals may struggle to feel or see God’s influence in their lives.
    • Inability to Respond to God’s Call: This separation can lead to a lack of awareness of spiritual guidance and purpose.

Poor Judgment

• • • Misleading Beliefs: Without clear spiritual vision, individuals may fall for false teachings or ideologies that seem appealing but are ultimately harmful.
    • Inability to Discern Truth: This can result in making unwise choices that lead to regrets.

Lack of Personal Growth

• • • Stagnation in Faith: Spiritual blindness can prevent individuals from experiencing growth or maturity in their faith.
    • Missed Opportunities for Fulfillment: Without spiritual insight, individuals may miss out on the deeper blessings and wisdom that come from a relationship with God.

Self-Deception

• • • False Sense of Security: People may believe they are on the right path spiritually, even when their actions contradict their beliefs.
    • Hypocrisy: This can lead to judgmental attitudes and a lack of empathy towards others.

Impact on Relationships

• • • Strained Interpersonal Connections: Spiritual blindness can manifest as judgmental behavior or a lack of understanding, harming relationships with others.
    • Community Effects: The consequences of one person’s spiritual blindness can extend to families and communities, leading to broader issues.

Addressing spiritual nearsightedness is crucial for restoring clarity and connection with God, allowing for a more fulfilling spiritual life. (End Commentary Break).

Verse 10. Therefore, brothers and sisters, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choice of you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble;

(Commentary Break): “Be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choice of you”, implies active effort and diligence. The “calling” refers to God’s invitation to salvation. This reflects the biblical tension between divine sovereignty and human responsibility. The assurance of one’s calling and election is not passive but requires active participation in faith and obedience. And, “these things” refer to the qualities listed earlier in the chapter, such as faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love. Practicing these virtues is a sign of spiritual growth and maturity. The emphasis on practice suggests that faith is demonstrated through action, aligning with James 2:17, which states that “faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” This concept is echoed in Philippians 2:12, where believers are urged to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” (End Commentary Break).

verse 11, for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.

(Commentary Break): There is much that can be said about verse 11. First, the phrase, “the kingdom (of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ): Such a succinct and simple sounding statement by Peter is in reality a profound oracle of God. It is the portal to the ‘Other Side’ – from the natural world into the realm where all things originate. It is the ‘Basileia Ouranos’, the Kingdom of Heaven.

 Also see Matthew 5:1, When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. Verse 2. He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying, verse 3, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven”.

 The kingdom of heaven, from Strong’s #939, conveys the notion of a foundation of power;

1) royal power, kingship, dominion, rule

1a) not to be confused with an actual kingdom but rather the right or authority to rule over a kingdom

1b) of the royal power of Jesus as the triumphant Messiah

1c) of the royal power and dignity conferred on Christians in the Messiah’s kingdom.

(Note:  This comes from a root word baino, “to walk”, AV-foot (sole of);

1) a stepping, walking

2) that with which one steps, the foot

This reminds us of the tremendous proclamation in Joshua 1:3 “Every place on which the sole of your foot treads, I have given it to you, just as I spoke to Moses.” And this is the outcome of the promise and the living reality of “His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature”.

We are becoming and, in a real sense we have already become, heirs of the Kingdom of God, the place of the foundation of all power kingship, dominion and rule, not to be confused with an actual kingdom but rather the right or authority to rule over a kingdom, God’s Kingdom.  It is of the royal power of Jesus as the triumphant Messiah.  It is the Place of the royal power and dignity conferred on Christians in the Messiah’s kingdom.  (From Strong’s concordance, definitions and translations of the Greek and Hebrew languages) Also see Ephesians 1:4, But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, (End Commentary Break).

Verse 12. Therefore, I will always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them and have been established in the truth which is present with you. Verse 13. I consider it right, as long as I am in this earthly dwelling, to stir you up by way of reminder, verse 14, knowing that the laying aside of my earthly dwelling is imminent, as also our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. Verse 15. And I will also be diligent that at any time after my departure you will be able to call these things to mind.

Eyewitnesses

Verse 16. For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty.

Verse 17. For when He received honor and glory from God the Father, such a declaration as this was made to Him by the Majestic Glory: “This is My beloved Son with whom I am well pleased”— verse 18, and we ourselves heard this declaration made from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.

(Commentary Break): We are not hearing a second-hand news report here, which could be subject to interpretation and error. This is Peter’s first-hand account. It is trustworthy. (End Commentary Break).

Verse 19. And so we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. Verse 20. But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture becomes a matter of someone’s own interpretation, verse 21. for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

(Commentary Break): The Bible, The Word of God, as testified to by the Apostle Peter is prophetic, creative, causative and instructional by its very nature and is never a matter of someone’s own interpretation which is all too often the case in these Last Days. The Word of God moved certain men by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God. So, if you hear someone say, in relation to events or situations, “Thus sayeth the Lord”, turn away from the and turn to the Word. The events that surround us may give us a glimpse of what has already been decreed by God, and there is not and will never be any new revelation. Beware. (see Matthew 24:4-5). (End Commentary Break).

(End of the Book of Second Peter chapter 1).

We are not to build nests or dig holes and call them the Church; we are not to ‘settle in and spend our days looking skyward, just waiting for His return, planning and enjoying our ‘christian lifestyles’. No. We are the Church – organic, militant and on the move – finishing the commission and commands of God through Christ; reclaiming His Ground and His Children from the enemy. We know that the gates of hell cannot prevail against us, (see Matthew 16:18, which means that the power of evil and death and the realm of the dead will not overcome the church of Jesus Christ. It assures us as believers that despite challenges, we will ultimately have victory over Satan, death through faith in Christ.

So we, by faith, mount the attack and hold our ground.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

(Next: The Book of Second Peter, chapter 2, The Appearance of False Prophets.

(Please bookmark this page or subscribe for future episodes).