2 Peter 1:1-4 | Given all we Need

INTRODUCTION

Beginning of the New Year, beginning of a new book of the Bible, we are in 2 Peter!

For those of us who have been in Doxa Students for the last year, the context is closely connected because we began LAST year with 1 Peter.

For ALL of us, regardless of our time in Doxa Students, this book is an excellent launchpad into the beginning of our new year.

Have you ever heard of the phrase “Begin with the End in Mind”?

It means that you should have a vision for what you’re trying to complete before you even start, so that it helps you complete what you’re doing.

This is why you look at the box of a puzzle before you begin to put the puzzle together. You want to know what picture you’re trying to create, so it can guide how you work.

It’s why when you go to school, your program has specific requirements that your advisors help you fit in. Because the end goal is graduation, and there are specific steps that lead to graduating.

“Beginning with the End in Mind,” leads you to perform specific steps because you know what needs to be done, AND you’re encouraged by the future reality of what the finish line will look like.

2 Peter is a book about “Beginning with the End in Mind.”

The Apostle Peter knows that he is going to die soon.

Peter knows that the churches he is serving are being encouraged to compromise the Gospel by acting without Christian virtue.

Peter knows that the Lord is returning soon. And when the Lord returns, evil will be judged and everything set right.

So Peter wastes no time with this letter. This extremely short, 3 chapter letter, wastes no time to say:

CHRISTIAN

This is the richness you’ve been granted in the Gospel of Jesus Christ… ch1

So therefore live from that richness in virtue… ch2

And look eagerly forward to the day when Christ returns and completely makes all things right. ch3

This letter is about US, as Christians, living with the end in mind, to follow in the footsteps of Peter.

Look eagerly toward the Day of the Lord, when Christ will return. And freak’n get after it, as we live out the Gospel ‘till that day comes.

This is our launchpad as we head into this new year. This is our compass by which know the direction we ought to be looking and living, and it’s fixed firmly on Jesus Christ.

**PAUSE**

Ready to get pumped on the Gospel?

†TITLE: Given all we Need

Tonight we cover the first four verses of 2 Peter 1.

Peter essentially starts his letter with a three point sermon:

Christians...

Have been given all they need to look like Jesus (v3-4)

Must actively pursue looking like Jesus (v5-9)

Must persevere to the end to inherit the Kingdom of Jesus (v10-11)

Tonight we focus on this first point Peter is making.

We have been GIVEN ALL WE NEED to look like Jesus. There are two sections Peter leads us through to see this. These sections will help guide those of you who are taking notes. Here is the first...

†Faith Equal to the Apostles 2 Peter 1:1-2

v1 - Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours...

Let’s remember who is talking here! This is the Apostle Peter!

Peter, who walked with Jesus.

Peter, who was made a powerful foundation for the Church by God’s Spirit.

Peter, who is an APOSTLE, an elite position that no one else aside from who Jesus directly appointed could be.

...And the way he addresses his audience is ‘those with equal faith.’

I don’t think the level of my faith is on equal standing with Peter… Do you think you have the same level of faith as Peter?

Why don’t we think we have faith on equal standing as Peter?

Certainly his role in the Church, Apostle, is something I cannot have.

Certainly he does cooler stuff than me… I mean, in Acts 5 Peter’s shadow heals people as it passes over them… my shadow doesn’t do that.

… although these things are true, here’s the problem: I’m valuing FAITH based off the person. ME vs. PETER.

But the individual person is not the measurement of faith!

v1b - BY the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ

†Faith is based on the object of our faith. Not EACH individual but a SINGLE individual, Jesus!

**PAUSE**

†Hebrews 12:2 - looking to Jesus, the FOUNDER and PERFECTER of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

†Philippians 4:6 - And I am sure of this, that he who BEGAN a good work in you will bring it to COMPLETION at the day of Jesus Christ.

Jesus is the standard, and because Jesus is CONSISTENT, the faith that he gives is consistent. And although there might be various levels of maturity, ways that faith is displayed the faith itself is the same. Because it’s ABOUT JESUS and NOT me.

Practically, this has huge impact: Sometimes I let myself slide on the basis that I’m just not that good.

Of course I still struggle with that sin, I’m no Peter.

Of course my understanding of the Gospel isn’t that fleshed out, I’m not Jesus.

But the beauty of the Gospel is that I’m actually given a faith of equal standing with Peter, so that I would look like Jesus... And so are you!

Because it’s not about your capacity… it’s about Jesus’ capacity. And last time I checked, Jesus is omnipotent God, Himself.

Ultimate capacity. Ultimate faith. Applied to us.

†Given all we Need 2 Peter 1:3-4

After the standard greeting in verse 2, Peter continues:

v3 - His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness...

Okay we just covered the point of the Christian faith not being about us but about Jesus… But Peter is not done slamming this point...

Peter wants us to be SO assured that Jesus is the focus that he’s going to prove in 3 ways how we have been given all we need to live a life of godliness

†1. God Centered Action in Verses

It’s not ME centered action displayed in these verses. It’s not YOU centered action displayed in these verses.

I’m going to put on the screen v3-4, and I’m going to highlight how much God is the foundation of these verses and not you and me.

v3

†HIS divine power

†HAS GRANTED (Perfect & Passive) - Happened in the past, carrying forward into the future, and was done TO YOU.

to us all things that pertain to life and godliness

through the knowledge of †HIM WHO CALLED us

to †HIS OWN GLORY and excellence

v4

by which †HE HAS GRANTED (Perfect & Passive)

to us

†HIS precious and very great

†PROMISES

so that through †THEM you may become

†PARTAKERS of the †DIVINE NATURE

having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

See how these verses focus on God!? You don’t show up very much...

You’re present in them, but only in a passive-receiving way. You’re not the primary actor.

In 10 distinct instances, in just 2 verses, Peter has highlighted how Jesus has done the work to grant you all you need for a life of godliness.

†But there’s more:

1. God Centered Action in Verses

†2. “Promises”

In all the NT (except once) PROMISES is a verb ONLY God does. God is the only one who can GENUINELY promise something.

We can’t ULTIMATELY control even the simplest of promises.

Like I could promise that I’m going to see you next week and give you a fist bump. But think of all the things that could derail that promise:

I could forget, even with all the best intention and technology at my aid. Promise broken.

I could catch the ‘Rona and I wouldn’t see you next week. Promise broken.

You could get sick and I wouldn’t see you next week. Promise broken.

We have such little control, we can’t actually ever make a promise in the truest sense. The sense that NO MATTER WHAT, this promise will be complete.

BUT GOD CAN!

And this is connected with God’s promises of Redemption. That any promise God makes is connected to the initial promise given to Adam & Eve. The promise that a victor that would defeat death and give life.

†We can be assured that Jesus has given us all that we need for godliness because: †He has promised it, and He alone is omnipotent enough to deliver on those promises and consistent enough to keep His promises.

**PAUSE**

Peter has used

1. God Centered Action in Verses

2. “Promises”

†3. “Partakers of the Divine Nature”

It would be easy to look at this without context and determine that there is some pantheistic-mystical sense to this, that we would become gods ourselves… but that’s not what Peter means.

Although it may seem subtle Peter has given us clues to what this means. They might not pop off the page to you because you’re not a Greco-Roman citizen who is familiar with the Hebrew Bible.

“Divine Power” v3 - Often Connected to the Holy Spirit

“Glory” v3 - Often Connected to the Presence of God “Glory Cloud” that filled the Temple (Holy Spirit)

“Promises” v4 - OT Promises were highly connected to the Spirit’s work in regenerating dead creation

Peter is talking about how the Holy Spirit indwells us when we believe in the Gospel. God chooses to live inside of us (His New Temple), just like he did in the Old Testament temple.

And certainly other passages of Scripture help us see this!

†Romans 8:11 - If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

†Ephesians 2:13-22 - But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. 17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

†We can be assured that Jesus has given us all that we need for godliness because: †His Spirit lives inside of us, and transforms us to live in life-emitting relationship with the Triune God.

†3 Proofs that Peter makes, that in Jesus we have been given ALL we need to live a life of godliness:

APPLICATION

Within the introduction to this book there is adequate application for the Christian and the Non-Christian.

CHRISTIAN

I don’t know what state of mind you had as we cracked open Scripture tonight. But if I was a betting man, I would bet a lot of money that you did not think:

That your faith was equal to the Apostles

That your value has not been earned it has been bestowed upon you

Because of God’s exclusive action on your behalf.

Because He has promised thousands of years ago to redeem, and set His will to do so in eternity past.

Because He has chosen to live inside of you.

BECAUSE of this truth. We can live from the assurance that we’ve been given ALL THAT WE NEED for a life of godliness.

We don’t earn freedom from sin, and right-standing with God. We’ve been given it!

This does call you out! If you have ever claimed that you’ve acted in sin because you couldn’t help it. Because temptation was too strong. Because you were too weak. It’s a lie, and 2 Peter 1:3 reveals it.

And it commissions you! To depend on God’s grace, lean heavily on your worth being determined by the Gospel, and getting after holiness as you discipline yourself… MORE ON THAT NEXT WEEK.

NON CHRISTIAN

You cannot live a life ultimately of virtue and goodness, because those things are defined by godliness, and you don’t have godliness because you don’t have God.

**PAUSE**

But you can have God. See look to v3 “knowledge of him,” we’re not talking about a merited, earned, intellectual understanding of who Jesus is. We’re talking about a relational, experiential understanding of who Jesus is.

Like any relationship it starts with TRUST. Trusting that Jesus is the God who has delivered the promise of eternal life. He did so by entering creation, living perfectly, dying and resurrecting to conquer death and satisfy God’s justice.

Trust that Jesus is the God who delivers life, and turn away from sin.

END

2021 is upon us friends. Despite how great or how difficult it may turn out… because of Jesus...

We’ve been Given All we Need