2 Peter 1:3
“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.”
What was happening in the church during the time of Peter’s writing is much like what is happening in the church today. People were turning away from the truth of the Gospel. The enemy had planted false teachers in the church to sway believers away from what the apostles were teaching. Today, we have more motivational speakers than we have revelation teaching and preaching. This is seen not only in Peter’s letters but in Paul’s and John’s letters as well. It seemed to be an underline theme of the New Testament after the gospels. There were those that refused to let go of the law for grace. They were trying to convince believers that they still had to keep the law even while being under grace. We still have this today. They were teaching that there was no redemption and that Jesus was not coming back. Sound familiar? It’s still happening today. Paul said in 2 Timothy 4:1-5
“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lust shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”
Peter in seeing this warns the church and teaches them what they needed to do to guard themselves against the murderous lies, and tricks of the devil. He starts by saying,
“Simon Peter a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ. Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord.” 2 Peter 1:1-2
We are equipped with the Faith of God
Precious faith is faith that comes from God’s Holy Word. Not men, but God’s Holy Word. Paul said in 1 Cor. 2:4-5
“And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.”
Faith that comes from the Word of God can conqueror anything. 1 John 5: 4
“For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world; and this is the victory that overcometh the world even our faith.”
Faith that is born of God is faith that comes from the Word of God. Romans 10:17, “So then faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.” We have been given the faith of God.
We are equipped with the glory of God
Let’s look at what Peter says again in verse 1.
“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.”
We have been called to His glory. His glory that shines brighter than the sun. Hebrews 1:3,
“Who being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.”
And Jesus said in St. John 17:22
“And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one.”
We have been given the glory of God. Hallelujah!
We are equipped with the power of God
We have been called to His power. That’s Dunamis power. Power that is explosive. It’s the power to breakdown, breakthrough and breakout. Eph. 2:19-21
“And what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of His mighty power, Which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come. And hath put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is His body, the fullness of Him that filleth all in all.”
Christ is the head we are the body, if all things have been put under his feet, then all things have been put under our feet because we are the body. The feet is a part of the body. His power is our power! We have been given the power of God.
We are equipped with the promises of God
Peter goes on to say in verse 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.” 2 Peter 1:4
Now, it’s by His glory and virtue (His divine life and power) that we have received these great and precious promises. Why? Because Christ is the fulfillment of all the promises of God.
I Corinthians 1:30 (Amplified version)
“But it is from Him that you have your life in Christ Jesus Whom God made our Wisdom from God, (revealed to us a knowledge of the divine plan of salvation previously hidden, manifesting itself as) our Righteousness (thus making us upright and putting us in right standing with God), and our Consecration (making us pure and holy), and our Redemption (providing our ransom from eternal penalty for sin).
Right here is where you must use that precious faith to believe that Christ is in you. You are not just flesh and blood. You are a divine spiritual being because Christ is in you. Jesus prays in St. John 17:20-21,
“Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou; Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us; that they world many believe that thou hast sent me.”
Christ in us is salvation, righteousness, sanctification and redemption. Christ in us is the fulfillment of all the promises of God. “For all the promises of God in Him are yea, and in Him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.” 2 Corinthians 1:20.
We are equipped with the Word of God
Peter goes on to tell the church how to avoid being deceived by satan’s murderous lies through being diligent in exercising their faith.
“And beside this giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.”
We exercise our faith to develop what has already been given and is living in us. What you believe you will act upon. You will live out what you believe. If you believe that Christ is that virtue in you, and you’re not trying to become virtuous in your own strength but believe that He is virtue in you, then you will live virtuously.
It all starts and ends with faith. We should be moving from faith to faith; from glory to glory. Paul teaches us how to move from faith to faith in Romans 1:16-17
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ; for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, The just shall live by faith.”
From glory to glory in 2 Corinthians 3:18,
“But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”
We move from faith to faith and glory to glory by giving all diligence to the Word of God. We have been given the written Word to reveal to us the living Word all we need to do is open it up and see His grace and glory.
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