Imagine for a moment if you will, that God appeared to you in a dream and asked you what He was to give you. What it is that you would ask for? Perhaps more money? Healing? Maybe to find true love? Would you ask to see more of Jesus? Now I am not asking the question in order to bring a sense of guilt on you, so please don’t feel that way. However what we will be reading in scripture today will actually shift your mentality, to see that actually all of the other blessings will come as you see and receive more of Jesus into your life, because He is actually the source of every blessing.
As we study this today, it is my sincere hope for you that this will change your outlook, and even your thinking as you study the Bible in your personal time. That Bible reading will not be a chore, or a tool for behavior modification. But that it will become a joy and a treasure, as you grow closer to the LORD, and live a life of divine blessing through Him.
So as we begin our study today, our first scripture text is going to be 2nd Peter 1:1-4:
“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 to you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
According as his divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that has called us to glory and virtue:
Whereby are given to us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”
Peter begins his second letter by addressing himself as a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ. The word “servant” used here is the Greek word doulos which means specifically a “bondservant” – a willing and voluntary servant for life. This is not forced slavery or subjugation. This is the kind of servant-hood mentioned in Exodus 21:1-6, where freedom is offered, but if the servant loves his master and his family, he can freely choose to remain with his master and family and become a bondservant forever. In such circumstances, the master would take the bondservant to the doorpost and pierce his ear with an awl, and this would be the marker that the servant is a willing bondservant forever. This is also the reference that Jesus made in the Messianic Psalm of chapter 40:6. The bondservant is a lifelong servant borne purely out of love, and by Peter addressing himself as a bondservant, he is declaring his love for Jesus.
Notice also that Peter mentions his apostleship, not only was he a witness to the resurrected Christ, but he was also explicitly chosen by the Holy Spirit and Sent as an ambassador. And who was Peter a servant and apostle of? Jesus Christ. The Savior, the Messiah, the Spotless Lamb.
Who is Peter’s message addressed to? To them that have obtained like precious faith with us. In other words, to them that have the same faith as we do, in Jesus Christ, and though Him, the righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ. This fact is the key and this is the foundation for everything that follows. This is not the righteousness of man, this is not self-righteousness, but this is the righteousness of God. Divine righteousness, perfect righteousness. Righteousness that can never be taken away and never expires. It does not wear out, grow old or become ineffective. This is the quality of righteousness that is upon you ass a believer in Jesus Christ today.
Now look at verse 2: Grace and peace be multiplied to you, through the knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Do you know what causes grace and peace to be multiplied in your life? This verse here tells us that both grace and peace are multiplied through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus Christ our Lord. Every time you receive revelation about Jesus Christ, every time you see more of Him and what He has done for you, every time His truth touches an area of your life, it causes both grace and peace to be multiplied to you.
Now then, what exactly is grace and peace? You might be surprised that many believers do not have a clear definition or understanding of what these two things are.Grace is the unmerited, unearned and undeserved favor of God shown to us. We did nothing to earn it, we did nothing to deserve it, and we have no merit in ourselves by which to claim it. Yet the more we learn of the beauty and love of our Lord Jesus, the more we see His perfect work on the cross, then the more we position ourselves to receive the multiplication of God’s grace in our lives.
The verse says that peace too, is multiplied to us through the knowledge of Jesus our Lord. What peace is this? This is not worldly peace that is temporary and fleeting. No. The Greek word here for peace is eirene, which not only includes peace but also prosperity – both divinely supplied by God here in this text, as it comes through the knowledge of Him. As Jesus says in John 14:27, He has given us His peace, not as the world gives. Then He says let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. The only way to do that is through the receiving of His Divine peace. He, who gives it not as the world gives. You see, when the world gives something, it can be taken away. It can be lost. It can wear out, but not so when Jesus gives it. The divine peace of God sets our hearts free from fear, stress, worry, anxiety and cares. Wouldn’t you want to have the peace of God presiding over your heart always?
If your answer is yes, then I have some great news… look at verses 3 and 4 of our text now:
“According as his divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that has called us to glory and virtue:
Whereby are given to us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”
Verse 3 tells us that it is God’s divine power which has given to us all things that pertain both to life and godliness. First see where it comes from; who is the one providing these things? It is from God and by His divine power. So we have a solid foundation upon which to stand and trust for these things. I do not think that God’s divine power can ever fail to deliver on anything. Next, again what is the channel by which these things come? They come through the knowledge of Him that has called us to glory and virtue. We know from the previous verse that this is Jesus, but here Peter mentions that fact that Christ has called us to glory and virtue, and now we also know how this is accomplished… also His divine power. This is not through our own power. This is not through our own strength. Some people have a natural tendency to take these verses and use them as directive that we need to strive for these things. But no my friend, Peter is not telling us what we need to strive for here; he is telling us what we already have in Christ Jesus!
So what is it that we have? All things that pertain to life and godliness. These are two separate categories. First, the word “Life” used here is zoe. Which defined as the absolute fullness of God’s divine life. A totally blessed life both now and in the future of eternity.
This life is absolute blessing, both now in this life, and in the future life to come. So let me ask you a question: Would you say that health pertains to life? Would you say that provision pertains to life? Would you say that protection pertains to life? His divine power has given you all things that pertain to life!
Now what about godliness? Godliness, actually means the qualities and characteristics that are from God or of God. For example: Righteousness, Holiness, Divine Peace and all of the fruits of His Holy Spirit. Have you been striving for these things by your own self-effort? Well I’ve got some more great news: His divine power has given you all things that pertain to godliness.
And again, please remember, these verses are not telling you what you need to strive for, they are telling you what you already have in Christ Jesus. This fact is made even more clear in verse 4 of our text:
“Whereby are given to us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”
We are given (again by God) exceeding great and precious promises, these are again through Jesus Christ, and they are given for a purpose… that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature. Stop and meditate on that truth for a moment. By receiving these exceedingly great and precious promises of God into your life, you will become a partaker of the divine nature of Gd Himself! Can you even fully wrap your mind around that? Are you starting to see the reality of blessing in your life through Christ? If you are a partaker of the divine nature of God, and He has given you everything that pertains to both life and godliness, is healing and provision really such an impossibility? Actually it seems kind of easy when you put it into the light of what we have just read. In-fact, you will find as you focus in on the truth of these verses, all of the things that seemed like mountains before, are really just small pebbles when compared with the reality of Christ Jesus.
Now look at the second-half of verse 4: having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. Notice that the word “escaped” is in the past-tense. You are not trying to escape the corruption of the world. The word corruption there is destruction and death. You are not striving and fighting to escape the destruction and death of the world… you already have escaped it through Christ Jesus!
These promises and blessings are all yours in Christ Jesus today! Why do so many people then not see them or experience them in their lives? As we read in the scripture today, grace and peace are both multiplied through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. The simple truth my friend, is that many people including believers do not have knowledge of God or of Jesus and what He has done. They don’t know the truth of His healing or of His provision, and because of wrong teaching that is out there, many do not search for it. However look at what Proverbs 2:1-5:
“My son, if you will receive my words, and hide my commandments with you;
So that you incline your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding;
Yes, if you cry after knowledge, and lift up your voice for understanding;
If you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hid treasures;
Then shall you understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.”
Here, we see that we are to receive His words, and hide His commandments with you. (which today is love). We are to incline our ear to wisdom, and apply our heart to understanding. Today cry after knowledge, and lift up our voice for understanding. Now who is it that we should be crying to and lifting up our voice to? It’s not to a man, it’s to God, It is ultimately His Holy Spirit which opens our mind and heart to the truth of God. (John 14:26). And it is ultimately the Holy Spirit which testifies to the truth as well (1st Corinthians 2:9-10). So the enemy who does not want us to have these blessings, really only has one tactic left. If he can get people to reject the truth, and do so in the name of holiness (or rather, pseudo-holiness) then they will never seek after the truth. If the enemy can get people to believe that health and provision is wrong or somehow unholy or evil, then we certainly will never seek to receive those things from God – even though He is perfectly willing to give them. If the enemy can get people to believe that God Himself is making them sick or poor, then they will never reach out to Him for deliverance, and will never be able to pray the prayer of faith in those areas.
If the enemy can make people think that they must strive to earn these blessings instead of freely receive them on the foundation of Jesus Christ, then they will never seek out these exceedingly great and precious promises as we have read about today. And I made a comment at the opening of this study, that these scriptures today will create a mental shift in the way in which you read your Bible. That you would no longer read it as a tool for behavior modification, but as a joy and treasure; this can only happen when you start to realize that the Bible is the biggest and best treasure-map that you will ever encounter. The Bible is not a book telling you how to behave. It is a book showing you Jesus – and oh by the way, He gives you freely every blessing. This is the point behind verse 4. You will search for knowledge and understanding as for silver and hidden treasures. Then verse 5 continues, when you start to see the Bible in this light of the finished work of Jesus Christ, you will then understand the reverence of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God… and remember, the knowledge of God multiplies Grace and Peace in your life!
It all comes back to Jesus, my friend. I pray that this study today has encouraged you in your true relationship with God and helped you to receive all of His blessings. All of the blessings will come as you see Jesus.