The book of 2 Peter was written by Peter. Peter was one of the disciples of Jesus Christ. The purpose of the book is to warn Christians everywhere and the church about false teachers; also to exhort Christians to grow in their faith in the knowledge of Christ.
The foundational scriptures for this teaching will be based on 2 Peter 1:1-11 (NIV)
Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ,
To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours:
Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
Confirming One’s Calling and Election
His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.
Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Through the knowledge of HIM – the HIM being referred to in this context is God and Jesus our LORD”. Can you picture a life, better still, your life, governed, directed, influenced totally by the knowledge of God and Jesus our LORD? Beautiful right?
There are many benefits of knowing God and Jesus our LORD. This knowledge is only obtained through studying the WORD of God for yourself and doing the Word. The enemy will do everything in his power to rob you of spending time with the Word and by this relentless effort of his, we are placed in positions to make excuses - giving reasons why we cannot study the word. Guess what? Whether or not we agree, we will never function at our full potential because we have cooperated with the enemy to live at a level in life whereby we are perpetually being shortchanged.
· What will it take for you to re-structure your schedule such that you spend some time of your day studying the WORD?
· What will it take for you to identify that where you are right now is not God’s best for you? There is more to be discovered through the knowledge of HIM.
· What will it take to say “NO” to the tricks of the enemy and “Yes” to God?
· What will it take to say goodbye to living a “good life” and welcome a “godly life”?
Let’s delve deeper into this series and rediscover the benefits of living through the knowledge of God and Jesus our LORD. Amen.
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