Great and Precious Promises – Part 1
2 Peter 1:4
For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. NAS
The focus of our study this week will be in 2 Peter 1:2-4 and is of vital importance. Here we look to a most profound truth, the sufficiency of Scripture. We seek to understand that the scripture is an all sufficient resource for everything that we face in life and that it has great and precious ramifications upon our lives. Indeed for the Christian it is our very life, the bread from heaven, even the very food that sustains our soul for,
Matthew 4:4 – 4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.'” NASB
Read with me;
2 Peter 1:2-4 – 2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; 3 seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. 4 For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. NAS
Here we have a statement of the all sufficient resources that we have available to us who have a true knowledge of God. Look with me at verse 2;
2 Peter 1:2- 2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord;
Grace and peace be multiplied to you – Isn’t this just like God? When God speaks to us, His words are full of grace and peace, for He is the God of all grace and the God of all peace. And more than that, they are “ours in abundance” or being “multiplied” to us! The Greek word here for multiplied is “plethuno” which means to abound, to increase or to multiply, to heap upon, to overflow. The Lord heaps upon us in abundance His grace and His peace.
Grace – is the undeserved or unmerited favor which comes to us
through Jesus Christ and His sinless life, and also His sacrifice of
atonement on the cross. In Christ we are found to have God’s favor, in
spite of the fact that we deserve death. He reconciled us unto God
having paid the penalty for our sins, the required ransom to God for
sins to set us free and offers His perfect and sinless life in exchange
for our sinful and shameful life. In Christ we have a favor with God
equal to that of Christ Himself.
Peace – The quality or state of being which has no enmity or hostility. We now have peace with God through Jesus seeing that He has satisfied the wrath of God toward our sins. We are no longer the enemies of God, but have been reconciled to God by the blood of Christ. We have peace which comes from God and is described as an inner tranquility which calms and causes the soul to rest.
Now these God heaps upon us or causes to overflow in our lives. We have them in abundance as God multiplies them unto us!
Friend, are you weighed down with sins? Have you a heavy load?…. Turn to Jesus! In Him you will find grace and peace in abundance! Where sin does abound grace does much more abound! Romans 5:20
Then notice, how they come to us….
2 Peter 1:2b – in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord – God’s grace and His peace are multiplied to us “in the knowledge of God.” That is to say as we come to know Him. In knowing Jesus our Lord is great peace! In coming to a knowledge of God there is grace and peace in abundance. Where else do we come to know God except by the special revelation of the Scripture? And in the scripture we have a complete and all sufficient revelation of God and of Jesus our Lord. It is in this knowledge of God through the Scripture that we have grace and peace multiplied to us in abundance. As the prophet says in…
Psalms 119:165 – 165 Those who love Thy law have great peace, And nothing causes them to stumble. NASB
Observe then the means by which we receive the abounding grace and peace of God….It is by our knowledge of Him through the Word. Are you lacking peace dear friend, love the Word!….. Need you grace from God, seek it in the Word! There you will find God, who fills our lives with His grace and peace.
Look with me then at verse 3;
2 Peter 1:3 – 3 seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.
His divine power has granted to us – Who is God? Is He not the Almighty? Indeed He is and His power is inexhaustible. When God spoke the universe into existence, it was just a small example of His mighty power. The creation then is completely dependent on God, but God is not dependent on anything at all. He is self-existent! Therefore we see that whatsoever we need, it comes from God. He grants it unto us, as the scripture says,
Acts 17:25 – 25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else.
Here is cause to be thankful for everything we have. It all comes from God! It does not come by means of our own strength, but from God!
And what does he grant us?
everything pertaining to life and godliness – Here is a profound statement of the resources for the life of a Christian. He has given us everything we need for life and for godliness. Know therefore that the Scripture declares that whatever we need for life comes from God! And also then for “godliness,” everything we need for godliness. The word godliness means, “like God.” God has granted to us everything we need to be like Him!
Friend, here is the great purpose of life and salvation, to be like God! Is this not our great desire, to be like Jesus? And here the Scripture says we have everything we need to be like Him! We can claim ignorance no longer!
We Christians have all that is needed to manifest, sustain and to perfect godly living. To be like Jesus!
Happy – Gracious – Kind – Just – Loving – Patient – Joyful – Gentle
But notice then how these come…
through the true knowledge of Him – We have what we need for life and godliness “through the knowledge of God!” It is through the knowing of God. It speaks of an intimate knowledge of God. Of course the more intimately you know someone, you have a greater understanding of them. So it is with God. The greater intimacy we have with Him, the greater knowledge of Him. And therefore, the greater grace, the greater peace, the greater resources for life, and the greater resources for godliness! The greater intimacy with God, the greater knowledge and therefore the greater resources we have for a godly life!
It is no wonder we struggle and have so many problems in our homes, in our marriages, and in our families… we are lacking intimacy and knowledge of God! This is the issues friends, and it is the reason for so many needless struggles! Why are they needless? Because we have everything we need to be like Him through our knowledge of Him!
Is our marriage or family struggling because we have strife and anger, and impatience toward one another? It is because we are not applying the resources we need to be like God, with grace and peace and patience toward one another! These things are the fruit of God’s Spirit. But if we live in the flesh, then strife and anger, and hostility is what we will have.
Husband…Father, is your wife or children disrespectful? Well how does this Scripture read to you? How much time do you spend in the Word teaching them to love and respect God and His holiness and purity, and teaching them to become like God? Your family only has what they need for life and godliness as they come to know God!
It is through the knowledge of God and through intimacy with Him that we become like Him! We must therefore make every effort to have this intimacy with God and to be like Him! The TV tube will not teach your family to be like God……. Only God can do that through His Holy Word and your example.
May God help us and come to our aid in this great battle for godliness! We have all the resources that we need family!….. We simply need to apply them to our lives! AMEN?
Part 2 coming next time….
If you would like to know how to know Jesus Christ and be ransomed from your sins and enter into eternal life…..click here to find out how….. http://www.gty.org/Resources/Articles/2425
Or read more about the Christian Gospel here: http://www.ligonier.org/welcome_whatisthegospel.php
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Pastor Shaan Sloan
Heritage Christian Fellowship – ABQ
505-348–5092
The Lord is the Strength of My Life
Great and precious promises indeed brother Shaan!<br /><br />Stopping by to wish you and your dear family a very blessed Christmas!
Well Merry Christmas to you as well my dear! May the Lord bless your holiday with your family and church!
Amen, thanks for sharing. Love the bible verses.
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