God's Work Within You

2 Peter 1:1-15

Do you smell what The Cephas is cookin'?

"1 Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ: 2 May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord."

It's always important to note who the intended recipient of the letter was. Based on what Peter writes in 3:1, it's understood that this second letter is intended for the same people who received his first. In 1 Peter, the Apostle greets more specifically then his second letter. He opens his first letter with "to the elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia" (modern day Turkey area). The fact that he identifies his recipients as those who have "obtained a faith" and as "elect exiles" is of great importance.

"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, 4 by which he has granted 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. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love."

The list of qualities in verses 5-7 is not a list of things to check off as you go through life (that would be legalism), rather it is a list of the desires of a regenerated heart. Remember to whom this letter is addressed, those who have already received faith "by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ." This is a list of qualities that reflect a faithful, obedient heart.

Consider what this list is not. This is certainly not a list of things the believer should avoid. There are lists in the New Testament telling us the things to avoid. Actions and desires that are not of the Spirit, but of the flesh (Col 3:5; Gal 5:19-21). Paul makes it quite clear that it is not possible for a human to put those desires to death without the Holy Spirit acting within us (Romans 8:13; Philippians 2:12, 13; Colossians 1:28, 29). This is why it's so important to understand who is receiving this letter: those who have already been chosen by God for salvation (1 Peter 1:1, 2, 2 Peter 1:1). By faith in Christ, they already have the Spirit at work within them. If the list of qualities Peter lists in verses 5-7 are made plain in the believer's life, he will have assurance of his own salvation for the Spirit is at work within him. Salvation belongs to the chosen children of God, and it is confirmed by obedience.

The means for this assurance of eternal security to occur is shown in verses 3 and 4. There is no doubt that it is only by God's divine power that salvation is made possible, and that salvation occurs only through the knowledge of Christ (v3). "The knowledge of Christ emphasized here is not a superficial knowledge, or a mere surface awareness of the facts about Christ, but a genuine, personal sharing of life with Christ, based on repentance from sin and personal faith in Him" (MacArthur, 1929). Peter tells us what God's divine power provides in verse 3, "all things that pertain to life and godliness." Therefore, through Christ, we are given everything we need to confirm the fact that we are "called to his own glory and excellence" and away from "the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire." Through Christ, we are called to life and away from death. Otherwise stated, the only way to escape sinful desire (i.e. desires that take you away from the qualities in verses 5-7) is to be called to God's own glory and excellence.

"8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. 10 Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. 11 For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

The Greek word that "ineffective" is translated from is argos, meaning, "idle, lazy, thoughtless, unprofitable, injurious." While the word for "unfruitful" is translated from akarpos, which means, "barren, profitless." If we are called to God's own glory and excellence (v3), we will start looking more and more like Christ. Words like lazy, barren, and profitless have no business in a Christian's life because they do not describe our Savior, Whom we are being made to look like. "Salvation is by grace. But once you have been saved by the grace of God, you will begin to look like someone who is saved" (Dever, 463). When these qualities (vv5-7) leave your life you have, as Peter puts it, not only do you become unfruitful but "blind" to the forgiveness of your sins! Even though the elect are never without salvation, a fruitless faith will blend in nicely with the corrupted world from which they were saved. "He (the believer) may be saved and possess all the blessings of verses 3 and 4, but without the excellencies of verses 5-7, he will live in doubt and fear" (MacArthur, 1930).

"12 Therefore I intend always to remind you of these qualities, though you know them and are established in the truth that you have. 13 I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to stir you up by way of reminder, 14 since I know that the putting off of my body will be soon, as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me. 15 And I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things."

Living a life glorifying to the Lord is not only how we confirm our election, it's also a great way to remind our brothers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ! By word and action, let's display the work of the Spirit within us!

Sources:

ESV Study Bible, Crossway, 2008.
The MacArthur Bible Commentary, John MacArthur, Thomas Nelson, 2005.
The Message of the New Testament, Mark Dever, Crossway, 2005.