Reflecting on 2nd Peter 1:1-4

Welcome. Let’s pray.

How about we continue on with our tradition (established last week) of playing and singing Christmas songs about Jesus. Because it is the week before, we will sing or sit and enjoy four songs to start:

“Angels we have Heard on High”
“O Holy Night”
“Do you Hear what I Hear?”
“We Three Kings”

And then after our VERSE BY VERSETGNN’s Bible teaching series—book-by-book, through the lens of fulfillment and spiritual liberty. we’ll end with four others:

“Oh Little Town of Bethlehem”
“What Child is This?”
“Away in a Manger,”
“Silent Night”

Introduction to 2nd Peter

Okay, last week we talked about the II Epistle of Peter, and I have to tell you I have found most of the criticisms against it “unapplicable” in the first chapter. Instead, I find the first chapter really congruent with the rest of scripture and of tremendous value. Let’s read the first four verses and try and get through them today.

2nd Peter 1.4
Meat
December 20th, 2015

2nd Peter 1:1 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:
2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus 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.

The Personal Touch of Simon Peter

Alright, back to verse one. 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 Saviour Jesus Christ:

As we mentioned last week, the first epistle merely begins with Peter, but here we read Simon Peter. I can’t help but believe that since this epistle was written toward the end of Peter’s life that he allowed some personal flourishes from his life—some emotive touches—and using his given and then assigned name may be one of these. He adds, “A servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ.” Again, in the first epistle, Peter does not even use the word apostle, but here uses both servant and apostle. Could it be due to the same nostalgic view that may have possessed him when he chose to pen this letter?

Leaving a Legacy

Men are funny creatures. Many of us have a desire to help teach future generations, to leave a legacy—that is a big word today—and sometimes this effort is approached through writing autobiographies and or memoirs. My Dad, seeing the end of his life looming in the horizon, decided to put his most important life memories and lessons in a four hundred page book. He called it, “Find a Way or Make a Way,” and in it he waxed nostalgic about the joys and tragedies of his life. I’m sure while writing he had visions of grandeur—that possibly the book would really find an audience and help him leave a legacy about his own existence. We might suppose that Peter, also being a human being, allowed himself to reveal more things of a personal nature in this Epistle, including his two given names, his call as an apostle and servant of Christ, and some other intimate details about his own life. Additionally, Paul frequently refers to himself as an Apostle in his letter, and maybe Peter here decides to do the same.

To whom was Peter writing to? He says:

“To them that have obtained like precious faith with us.”

The term precious here means of an equal value of honor, so Peter is saying: “I have written this to them who have obtained an equal value of this honorable faith with us.” Since he has identified himself as an apostle, I believe “the us” he is referring to is the body of apostles.

Who he is writing to, amidst a number of opinions could be:
“to the Jews” (because that is who Peter was called to reach)
“to the gentiles” (because when he says “to them (Gentiles) who have obtained the faith us (or Jews) OR
“to all Christian believers of that (and our) day.” (because he seems to believe that this epistle will be read after his deathSeparation from God—now overcome. Physical death remains, but it no longer separates us from life with God. (according to verse 15) where he says:

“Moreover I will endeavor that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance.”

The Audience of Faith in 2 Peter

What was written would be remembered long after the writer was dead.

I personally think we are splitting hairs on who his audience was specifically because he says:

“I have written this to them who have obtained an equal value of this honorable faith with us.”

To me this means anyone who “obtained” the faith.

Understanding 'Obtained' Faith

What’s interesting about the phrase, “who have obtained the faith” is the term, “obtained” is derived from a Greek word “lang-khan-o” which is used only four times in the New Testament, and is best tied to the casting of lots. I find this intriguing because the implication is that they obtained the faith like one would obtain an object through casting lots – trusting that the outcome was all in the hands of God. I appreciate this for some reason.

“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.”

Now, when reading this in English it sounds like we are reading about two people – “God AND our Savior Jesus Christ.” Not so in the Greek. Robertson’s Word Pictures, an examination of the Greek says the line: “Of our God and Savior Jesus Christ” is (ready) one article and means “one person, not two.” The grammar is uniform and inevitable. Citing another Greek scholar, Schmiedel (in his “Grammatik,” p. 158) who admits: "Grammar demands that one person be meant." There is no division, no two, no Father and Son – there is God. Jesus? God. And the Word was God.

However, as with almost everything in scripture, this interpretation is debated because it is NOT the best example of it in scripture through the Greek. So others will not use this as an example of the deity of Christ or the oneness of God.

Peter’s salutation continues (verse 2):

2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,

There is an implication that both grace and peace will grow in us through “the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord.” Epi-gnosis – the full discernment, even the acknowledgment, of God and Jesus the Lord.

We remember the oft quoted line by Jesus in John 17:3:

“And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.”

So John has Jesus say that it is actually eternal life to know the only True God and Jesus Christ whom God had sent. And here in his salutation Peter says:

2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,

Multiplication of Grace and Peace

What is it about knowing God and Jesus Christ that would multiply our grace and peace?

Jeremiah said in 9:24:

“But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.”

Putting these scriptural factors together it appears that when we really come to know Him – God – and the incarnation of God, even His Son whom he sent to us, we understand better and better that God exercised lovingkindness, judgement, and righteousness in the earth.

Think about this connection! Knowing these specific things about God – truly knowing that He embodies these characteristics – a person would be naturally filled with grace and peace, right? We trust that God is lovingly kind (as Jesus was kind), that He is just and will and does work all things out, and that He is good, fair, light – all good things – we are then better able to rest more in peace and experience more of His grace.

Embrace incorrect ideas about Him and His nature and the peace and grace diminishes. How I wish I could impart to people trapped in fear and unbiblical images of God His lovingkindness, His justice, and His goodness because when He is understood, freedom, peace and grace abound.

Peter continues and touches again on “knowledge of Him,” saying (verse 3):

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:

Other ways to read this passage include:

(RSV) “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence”

(WNT) “seeing that His divine power has given us all things that are needful

God's Divine Power and Our Path to Godliness

For life and godliness, through our knowledge of Him who has appealed to us by His own glorious perfections.

(TCNT) “For his divine power has given us everything that is needful for a life of piety, as we advance in the knowledge of him who called us by a glorious manifestation of his goodness.”

The passage means that God has given us His divine power which we need to live a life of Godliness (or piety) here in the flesh. This divine power is obtained, we might say in the face of the next line, “as we advance or grow or obtain more knowledge of Him who “called us” by a “glorious manifestation of His Goodness.”

The Glorious Manifestation Described

Now, I’m going to cut through all the various ideas on what this means and give you my opinion of what it means. I suggest that when Peter says:

“For his divine power has given us everything that is needful for a life of piety, as we advance in the knowledge of him who called us by a glorious manifestation of his goodness.”

That this last line refers to none other than Jesus Christ, who is the best definition of “a glorious manifestation of His Goodness.” Isn’t that easy? Putting it all together from verse 3:

“God’s divine power has given us everything that is needful to live an earthly life of piety, as we advance and grow in our knowledge of Him through the glorious manifestation of His goodness, even Christ Jesus.”

This is in harmony with Paul’s teaching in Colossians 2:10 which says that “we are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power.” Or as John wrote in 1:16 “And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.”

In other words we have, as Peter says, been given through God’s divine power everything that is needful to live a life of piety here on earth. It comes as we grow in our knowledge (there’s that word again) of Him (a reiteration of verse 2) which comes “through the glorious manifestation of His Goodness to us, even Christ Jesus.”

Virtue and the Divine Nature

Back to the King James, which awkwardly translates this passage to read:

“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:

That line, “that has called us to glory and virtue,” speaks of God but the word translated to virtue does not mean virtue as we think of it. It’s “areth” in the Greek and in ancient Greek texts means acts of “manliness, vigor, courage, valor, and fortitude” that are tied to power and energy.

In other words God has, through Christ, called us to lives of “manliness, vigor, courage, valor, and fortitude through acts or actions of power and energy.” I’m not making this up – it’s how it reads!

Based on the next verse and its content the description seems to be one of energetic efficacy by which we enact the will of God on earth as Peter now says:

“Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these (great and precious promises) we might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”

Rediscovering Our Original Image

It appears that the object of all God's promises and dispensations – from the Fall to the restitution of all things – was to bring fallen man back to the image of God, which had been lost. In other words the purpose of Christ, who launched “the dispensation of the fullness of times” through His birth and wrapped that age up through the destruction of material religionA fulfilled system of temples, rituals, and laws—replaced by direct spiritual relationship. in 70 AD, was not simply to save all of us from after-life punishment but to initiate a restitution of all things – which I take as all things lost in the Fall – including:

A direct internal relationship with God. Our being made in His image Man’s dominion over the earth BUT Man’s humility to His maker rather than the imposition of His sinful will and ways.

In other words through these great and exceeding promises of God all regenerated souls may become “partakers of God’s divine Nature” or “a partner in God’s disposition.” And Peter adds:

“having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”

So we have two positions presented here both which relate to the Fall:

Being partakers in His divine nature Having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

This is a meaty discussion because here we see and discover that the meaning of God redeeming us through His Son.

The Concept of Lust in Scripture

Was to restore to all who are His “the divine nature,” which was lost in the Fall which through lust introduced “corruption” to the world and heart of Man.

Jesus on the Nature of Lust

In John 8:44 Jesus said something really interesting that has always puzzled me. He said to the rulers of His day:

“Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.”
John 8:44

Being partakers in His divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

What does this mean that Satan was a murderer from the beginning, and how does this relate to the topic that God wants us to partake of His divine nature,” “having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”

Understanding Lust Through Scripture

Much of our understanding of all of this will come by way of understanding the term lust used in scripture. Looking at Jesus' words to the Religious Rulers of His day, we note some key phrases He used:

“Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.”

The word lusts and lust (used in II Peter 1:4) are the Greek words ep-ee-thoo-meh'-o and epi-thu-mea (lust and lusts) “to set the heart upon, “long for (rightfully or otherwise) to covet, to desire.”

We can lust, of course, after each other, or what each other possess, or something that has been experienced. We can set our heart upon the material, the intellectual, the social, or really any other thing that exists in the world. Men most readily understand lust through the flesh toward the flesh and generally speaking women understand the lust of reputation and power most readily. The temporal and the material tends to get us all in one way or another. And we see from the description of what Moses says in Genesis what moved Eve to sinMissing the mark of faith and love—no punishment, just lost growth or peace.:

Comparing Temptations

Genesis 3:6 And when the woman saw that the tree was

“good for food,” and that it was “pleasant to the eyes,” and a tree to “be desired to make one wise,” she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

Of course going to 1st John 2:16 we read another way to describe this when he said:

“For all that is in the world (because of Eve and her desires) “the lust of the flesh,” “the lust of the eyes,” “and the pride of life,” is not of the Father, but is of the world.

And we have a pretty good understanding of what Peter is talking about when he writes about our “partaking of the divine nature” and “escaping from the corruption of the world that comes through lust.”

EVE
JOHN
Good for food
Lust of the flesh
Pleasant to the eyes
Lust of the eyes
Desires to make one wise
The pride of life
“but of this world”
“Not of the Father”

We also see that when Jesus, the second Adam, was tempted that Satan tempted Him with three distinct things.

EVE
JOHN
JESUS
Lust of the flesh
Lust of the flesh
“Make these stones bread”
Lust of the eyes
Lust of the eyes
“All this I will give to you . . .”
The pride of life
The pride of life
“High Place . . . cast yourself down”
“Not of the Father”
“Not of the Father”

The author of the temptations to Eve and Jesus – Satan – who was a murderer from the beginning. The refuter from the beginning was God – possessor of the Divine Nature.

So we see from the beginning that God and His divine nature has NOTHING to do with the lusts of the world (or the corruptions that come through lust) BUT we can see that Satan is the perpetrator and proprietor of it.

The really intriguing thing about the word epithumia is when we break it down and examine word origins we see it is a compound word – (epi) – Over or Upon – Superimposition AND (thumos) – passion (as if breathing hard):–fierceness, indignation, wrath. And then if we break down thumos we arrive at the root word THUO – which is a primary verb. In some senses it means to rush (breathe hard, blow, smoke), i.e. (by implication) to sacrifice (properly,

Lust and the Concept of Murder

By fire, but only in the genitive case; but by extension the word ultimately means to slaughter for any purpose –to kill, to slay! From this we can see how Jesus was able to say that “Satan was a murderer from the beginning.” And if the world fell into corruption through “epithumea” – through “superimposed slaughter” then operation in, by and through the things of this world is to operate by the author of the world's ways – Satan – and to work in opposition to the ways of God. Therefore John was able to say plainly:

ALL that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life is NOT of the Father but is of this world! Here’s the deal – when we get right down to it – all types of lust (listen) are in some way or another a form or expression of murder. Of slaying, of killing. The murderer from the beginning ensures that this is the basic foundation of the world's operations.

Expressions of Murder in Worldly Desires

Gossip? Kill the person's reputation. Lies? Murder the light which is God. Theft? Kill the life it took to retain the property in the first place. Pride? Kill the light above. Adultery? Destroy the bond of a marriage. Even at the heart of envy? Coveting? Blasphemy? There are elements of murder, of snuffing out something – whether it be the Lord who embodies its opposite or things that are connected to the thing imposed upon. And all of these desires, these lusts, begin in the heart of the person. That is why the heart, and not the hands, needs to be fixed first. If not, we are all committing murder in some sense or another.

Biblical Perspective on Lust

James puts it this way:

James 1:14-15 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

Going back to the words of Peter he said, (again) to believers – even us:

“Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these (great and precious promises) “we might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption (that is in the world) through lust.”

Having made a study of this topic I am personally convinced, even in the face of my eschatological views and my belief that everything has been finished by God through Christ, that all people on earth are continually given the chance to either “partake in His divine nature by escaping (the corruption that is in this world) which entered and continues to thrive by epithumia or lust . . . or to abide in the corruption.

In the parable of the sower Jesus taught that one of the principal reasons the Word planted in the heart of receptive believers fails to produce fruits of love is because “these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, and the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts (epithumia) of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.”

Worldly Rewards versus Spiritual Rewards

I am simultaneously convinced that whatever appeals to the epithumia of the world is rewarded most in this world – no matter the arena. The GREATER the epithumia in the arts, music, theater, philosophy, business, religion, education, sports, the greater the rewards this earth will deliver to the perpetrator. The LESS the epithumia offered the less the earthly rewards here but the greater there. Just a theory, but in most realms, I think I can make a pretty good case. And it’s the principle upon with suffering in the flesh as believers tends to increase the closer the believer draws into the things of the Spirit.

Even within the body, if we allow ourselves to fulfill the flesh we are dabbling in the currencies of this world. It’s what caused James to write:

James 4:1 From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts (epithumea) that war in your members?
2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.
3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

I think the principle caused John to add in his first epistle

(1st John 2:17) “And the world passeth away, and the lust (epithumea) thereof: but he that doeth the will of God

Reflecting God in Our Walk

"Abideth for ever." And since God has nothing to do with the lusts of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, or the pride of life, I think believers can readily see how to most reflect Him in their walk. Preparing this teaching has pushed me through a glass ceiling, so to speak. The warfare is constant because we are in the flesh, and it's why Paul wrote:

Galatians 5:17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

But I am more and more convinced that the less a person has to do with the epithumea of the flesh, which is synonymous with the corruption of this world, the closer they are to the Kingdom of Heaven and all that it is based upon and the further they are from the ways and means of this world. That by faith in the precious promises delivered "we might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption (that is in the world) through lust."

Spectrum of Corrupting Lust

ON BOARD

Victory Reward Money Materialism Manipulation Control Success Praise Esteem Vanity/Ego Opulent Pride Revenge Winning Recognition Entitlements Lasciviousness Debauchery Bloodlust Being First Honor Preference Self-Centered Indifference Hatred Dominating Glory Power Avarice Infliction Murder

Spectrum of Spiritual Maturation

SPECTRUM OF SPIRITUAL MATURATION