Growing deeper in our knowledge of Christ 2 Peter 1:1-11

Last fall we looked at 1 Peter and I would like to preach through 2 Peter in the weeks ahead. Peter had told Jesus that even if everyone else deserted Him, he never would (Mark 14:29-31). But later that evening Peer denied Jesus three times. But after Jesus’ resurrection he was restored to ministry (John 21:15-24). Weeks later, Peter was filled with the Spirit on the day of Pentecost and boldly preached the Good News about Jesus in Jerusalem (Acts 2). Now some 35 years later, Peter knows that his days on earth are numbered and that he will soon die. According to tradition (probably right), Peter was martyred in Rome about the same time that Paul was executed, both under Emperor Nero, around AD 67. Facing death, Peter writes one last letter to remind believers about what is important. In 1:1 Peter calls himself a slave (showing humility) and an apostle of Jesus Christ (showing his authority comes from the Master whom he serves). As an apostle of Christ, Peter can tell us what we should believe and how we should live. He writes to all who share the same precious faith he has. There is no distinction between believers, there are no second class citizens in God’s kingdom. Jew and Gentile, Japanese and American, pastor and believer are fully equal before God. As we trust God we become part of His family. Peter refers to Jesus as both God and Savior (one of a few places in the New Testament when Jesus is called “God”). The early Christians were convinced that in Jesus all the fullness of God lives in a human body (see Colossians 2:9). Jesus is God who saves us. In 1:2 Peter prays that grace and peace will be ours as we grow in our knowledge of God and of Jesus. Only here in a NT letter opening do we find a pray like this. Knowledge is a key them in this letter and Peter closes the letter with a command for us to grow in our knowledge of Christ (3:18; also 1:3). Peter wants us to make this knowledge of Christ productive and fruitful (1:8). Peter gets right to the heart of what he wants to communicate. 1:3-11 is a mini-sermon and Peter’s theme is the need for Christians to grow in their knowledge of Christ.

God’s provision (1:3-4) God has given us all we need to become spiritually mature. Christ’s divine power gives us everything we need for living a godly life. Jesus has power to save lost sinners. He has called us to receive His own glory and goodness. Perhaps Peter thinks back to the time when he saw Jesus’ glory and said, “Lord, please leave me—I am a sinful man” (Luke 5:8). Jesus has given us all of His rich and wonderful promises. Peter is probably thinking of the many promises God made to save and bless through the Savior He would send. We experience the fulfillment of those promises and have the privilege of knowing God. We share in God’s divine nature and this enables us to escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. We have a new ability to resist sin through our union with Christ and the Spirit living within us. We are not totally free from sin and evil until we go to heaven, but God has provided with the power to live a life that pleases Him.

Our responsibility (1:5-9) We must actively pursue spiritual maturity. We need to live godly lives. Because of God’s wonderful provision, we must make every effort to apply these promises to our lives. Spiritual growth is not optional for the Christian. It is a goal that we must pursue every day of our lives. Peter mentions 8 virtues that we must add as we seek to grow in our knowledge of Christ. Peter beings with faith and ends with love. Faith is foundational as we respond to God. But true faith leads to action. We must add goodness—a word Peter has used in 1:3 to describe God. It refers to moral excellence—a common word in the ancient world but used in the NT only in Philippians 4:8; 1 Peter 2:9 and here. Our life must reflect the attractive character of Christ. We are to add knowledge—the wisdom which distinguishes the good from the bad, and teaches us to flee from the bad. We learn God’s will and follow Him. Self-control is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:23) that keeps us from falling into temptation— especially sexual. Endurance helps us to persevere in the midst of difficulty and trials. We do not give up. True faith endures (see Romans 5:3-4; 1 Peter 1:6). We believe God’s promises and know that God is wise and loving and controls everything that happens. We see our problems in the light of eternity. Godliness is another rare word in the NT but was the word for religion in the ancient world. True godliness fears God and respects others. We are aware of God in every aspect of life. Godliness will result in brotherly kindness. If someone says they love God but hates other Christians, that person is a liar (1 John 4:20). Love for other Christians is a distinguishing mark of true believers. Those who share in the divine nature will love other believers, no matter the differences in culture and thinking. We will bear one another’s burdens, and guard against prejudice. The importance and difficulty of brotherly love is the reason it is stressed in the Bible. Peter ends with love—the greatest of these is love (1 Corinthians 13:13). This is the crown of Christian virtues. Paul says much the same in Colossians 3:14. “And over all these virtues, put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” Love is the “glue” that holds all the rest together. Love acts for the highest good of others. It shows itself in sacrificial action for that person. This is what God did for us (John 3:16). The Spirit of God who is love is given to us to produce love in us (Romans 5:5). People will not believe God is love unless they see it in the lives of those who follow Him. These are the fruit of faith. We are to grow in the degree in which we show these virtues. We will not be content with where we are now. The more we grow, the more we will become productive and useful in our knowledge of Christ. Those who fail to develop these virtues are blind or very shortsighted. They have forgotten that God has cleansed them from their old life of sin. This kind of person does not realize there is war on, the war with evil. He is blind to heavenly things and cannot see what is eternal, only what is near. These people close their eyes to the light, they are willfully blind. There is no standing still in the Christian life—we are either moving ahead or falling behind.

The importance of godliness (1:10-11) We must pursue spiritual maturity if we want to be welcomed into God’s eternal kingdom. We must work hard to show that we are really among those God has called and chosen. Doing this, we will never stumble or fall away. Striving for spiritual growth is not an option in the Christian life. When Peter says we will never stumble, he does not mean that we will never sin. He is talking about stumbling, a fall that would keep us from getting to heaven. Stumbling is the opposite of receiving a rich welcome into God’s kingdom. Even now we experience the reign of God in our lives. But we also await the future kingdom when our sins and trials will be over. It is this welcome into God’s kingdom that should motivate us to move forward in the Christian life. Peter has been emphasizing the need for us to grow in the Christian life. But final salvation is not our own achievement but the gift of God’s wonderful generosity. God will open wide the gates of heaven for us to enter into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We enter the kingdom by our relationship to Jesus. We must pursue godliness if we want to receive God’s welcome. We cannot presume on His grace. God is generous to those who trust and obey Him. True Christians will remember God’s wonderful promises and all that He has done for us and seek to live lives that please Him. We look forward to the final day and strive to live in the light of it. God’s grace in Christ is the source of godly living. God’s grace should result in our living for Christ.