HOLINESS AND DIVINE BLESSINGS

 Holiness and divine blessings

 

 

 

In this epistle the apostle called himself Simon Peter but the introduces himself as a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ. He is writing to them that obtained like precious faith but then he says with us through righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ. The key verb is they all received Jesus Christ into their hearts and were living for God. This is the group the apostle is writing to so Peter desired grace and peace be multiplied to them. How is grace multiplied to us as Christians? It is through the knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

Jesus Christ is our God of divine power and has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue. Notice this is the second time Peter urges us to obtain knowledge of God through Jesus Christ and we are only at the third verse. God desires much for His children because we have been called to glory and virtue but at the risk of repeating myself this takes knowledge of the word of God.

 

We as believers in Christ are given to us exceeding great and precious promises. There is a reason for this because it is so we can be partakers of His divine nature. We escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. Let me quote this passage so you can read this and perhaps make reference to it if need be in this particular study of the Bible.

 

(1) "SI'MON Pe'ter, a servant and an apostle of Je'sus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God, and of Je'sus our Lord, (3) According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue: (4) Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust." 2nd Peter 1: 1 - 4.

 

Peter introduces himself as Simon, Peter, a servant and an apostle. Peter knew it was a honor to be a servant of His Master who is Jesus Christ. We as Christians are also servants of the Master. It is great that we have an account of the people to who this epistle was written because they are described as having obtained precious faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. True saving faith is the precious grace of God through His Son Jesus Christ. If we have true faith in Jesus Christ we have a very strong advantage in being an overcomer in the Lamb of God who died for our sins because the Bible says the just will live by faith. The effect of faith in Jesus Christ is closure to receive more of the grace of God. Faith is a gift but it is from God. We can only have belief in God because of the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Peter writes grace and peace are multiplied but it is through the knowledge of God and Jesus Christ.

 

If what we received is from God and for God this should in most cases encourage us as Christians to ask for more. If we live in this realm we are on the right path to true salvation through Jesus Christ. If we have true faith in Jesus Christ the life and power of godliness will be in our spirit. The knowledge of God and faith in Jesus Christ is the channel to anything spiritual we will receive from the Triune Godhead. We wonder when we sometimes talk to other people who do not know Jesus Christ why they do not understand the words coming out of our months. Remember the Bible says, "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." 1 Corinthians 2: 14.

 

Peter also writes we must acknowledge God as the author of our calling because in verse three Jesus Christ has called us to glory and virtue. The motive or reason God is calling or converting people to His Son Jesus Christ is to bring them to glory and virtue. It is the glory of God to convert sinners to the righteousness of His Son Jesus Christ.

 

The apostle Peter encourages their/our faith and hope to look for an increase of grace and peace. In verse four he tells us to claim biblical promises in context because they are great for our soul. Peter then goes on to explain that the pardon of our sins is not only one of the blessings but the mere fact that we had numerous transgressions against God is only by the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ. Peter explains this by saying having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. As we can see the promised blessings of the gospel is not only very precious but the great divine gift of the Bible is we received the Holy Spirit in our spirit when we accepted Jesus Christ into our hearts. Peter through the penned word of the Holy Ghost desired our hearts to be set for God and His service.

 

If we allow the Holy Spirit to work His divine nature in our spirit we are freed from the bondage of corruption. 2nd Peter 1:4 makes it very clear that the dominion of sin in this world is through lust. If we allow our lustful desires to overcome us sin will rule over our spirit as opposed to the Holy Spirit who is perfectly pure. The dominion that sin has over our spirit will always be in accordance to the delight we have in our lust. We should pray about our shortcomings but do not try and hid anything from God. Did you ever pray one of those prayers where you skirt around the issue? I have but this is an exercise in futility because there is not one thing that God does not know. We might as well get very specific and honest when we talk to our Savior and Master because we will receive more results from God.

 

If you would like these blessings that Peter writes about and do not know the Lord then now may be a good time to accept Jesus Christ into your heart as personal Savior and Lord by repenting of all your sins and inviting the Lord into your life. By the way this apostle is not even finished with proper living and the blessings that come through the obedience of the word of God. I will be going over these very special blessings that come with obeying God in future articles. I hope and pray that you just made that all important eternal decision because if that choice was to accept Jesus Christ the Bible says your name was written in the Lamb's book of life.

 

God bless you,

Bob D.