Click Here to Read 2 Peter 1:1-4

In Peter’s first letter, he identifies himself as an apostle of Jesus Christ (apostle meaning “sent one”, or “one divinely appointed by God to evangelize and equip for the gospel”).  In his second letter, Peter identifies himself as a bondservant and an apostle of Jesus Christ.  He even makes it a point to list himself as a bondservant first, and an apostle second.  So, what is a “bondservant”?  Generally speaking, bondservant is just another word for slave or servant.  But from a Hebrew perspective, bondservant indicates one who remains a servant by choice even after freedom is offered.  One who willingly and obediently follows his Master’s instructions no matter what the cost.  Peter was first and foremost an obedient servant of Jesus Christ, no matter what the cost.  In fact, he was awaiting his own day of crucifixion when he penned this letter.

“To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 1:1 NKJV).  Peter is putting his faith as one who walked with Jesus and was personally commissioned by Jesus, and our faith on a level playing field.  All faith is equal in value to God whether you’re an apostle or a newborn baby Christian.  Since we can only receive this faith by the righteousness of Jesus, when we receive Jesus, we receive faith, and we are now united together as a family of believers, no matter what our commission by God may be.  So, if you are reading this letter, then it is addressed to you.  You wouldn’t be reading it unless you had some level of faith that it would produce something anyway.  Peter is also acknowledging here the equality of Jesus Christ with God.  This sets the direction for his entire letter.  The truth of Jesus: what was foretold, what he was eyewitness to, and what has been testified after Jesus’ resurrection.

Peter’s greeting is a blessing of multiplied grace and peace through the knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord.  Think about that for a moment.  It is actually through the knowledge of God and Jesus that grace and peace are multiplied to us.  Much like Paul prays for us in Ephesians, “that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that you may know the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe…” (Ephesians 1:17-19 NKJV). 

It is also through the knowledge of Him and by His divine power that we have been given all things pertaining to life and godliness.  “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” (2 Peter 1:2-4 NKJV).  That’s quite a package that comes to us through knowing God and Jesus our Lord.

God invites us to come to Him by expressions of His goodness (by glory and virtue).  We get everything we need to reflect God’s true nature through our knowledge of Him as we come near to Him, and He comes near to us.  As we see Him, we reflect His image.  Much like an earthly father imparts his DNA and nature to his children, so our Heavenly Father imparts to us His divine nature through our rebirth.  When Christ lives in us, He transforms us into His very own image so that we bear the image of the man from heaven rather than the man from the dust.  “As was the man from dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly.  And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly man.” (1 Corinthians 15:48-49 NKJV).

By the knowledge of Him, we are given great and precious promises that enable us to be partakers of His divine nature.  By our knowledge of Him we have escaped the corruption of this world that exists through lust.  Because of His divine nature and our partnership with Him we are free.  We have been acquitted.  When we claim these promises, our faith releases the power of God’s word.  God has given us an alternate reality to live in that is very different from that of this world.  Our faith and our proclamations of His reality empower that reality in our lives.  

In short, Peter is telling us that God has already deposited in us everything we need to live the way the Jesus lived.  To walk in both love and in power.  To share in His divine nature.  To be salt and light.  And the more we know Jesus personally, and experientially, the more we will cultivate and grow these things in us and they will flow out of us the way they did Jesus.

“Everything we could ever need for life and godliness has already been deposited in us by his divine power.  For all this was lavished upon us through the rich experience of knowing him who has called us by name and invited us to come to him through a glorious manifestation of his goodness.  As a result of this, he has given you magnificent promises that are beyond all price, so that through the power of these tremendous promises we can experience partnership with the divine nature, by which you have escaped the corrupt desires that are of the world.” (2 Peter 1:3-4 TPT).

Let’s pray.

Father we thank you for all that you have deposited with in us.  You have fully equipped us to live in this world as citizens of heaven and to impart the love and power of Jesus Christ every day, everywhere we go.  We ask that You put a hunger in our hearts to know You more, to understand Your ways, to know the transforming love of Christ.  May we become more aware of Your presence within us, Your voice speaking to us, and Your heart’s desires for us and those around us.  You have given us life to make a difference in this world.  Help us to realize and empower those gifts within us to make known your manifested goodness to all the earth.  Amen.