2 Pt. 1:5-11; Heb. 12:12-17 Godliness Realized

We are called to partake of the divine nature, the very life of Christ.  On the one hand it means putting off the worlds corruptions that are the result of our sinful lusts.  We have been transferred from the kingdom of sin and death into the kingdom of grace and righteousness (Rom. 5:20-21).  That is justification.  In sanctification we are supplying faith, virtue, etc. each day that our lives might look like this more and more.  As Peter puts it: If these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren new nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Our knowledge of Christ is intended to bear the fruit of righteousness (Jn. 15:16; Phil. 1:9-11; Heb. 12:11).


Failure in this area is an indication we have forgotten what Christ did in our lives and why we were so open to it in the beginning.  We need to meditate regularly on God’s first work in our lives to bring us to Christ.  What did God do in that situation?  He created in us a deep longing for Christ, for freedom from our slavery to sin, from the effect of the corrupt world in which we lived.  I often think of the Pilgrim Songs in Psalm 120-134.  They describe this pilgrimage whereby we are drawing nearer to God.  It begins (Ps. 120) with the pilgrim’s holy discontent with Meshech, the world where he lives, where everyone is competing and fighting and lusting selfishly.  The frustration of this empty life drives the pilgrim to look to God.  So for us: we can never lose the deep realization that the former life was and always will be empty and miserable and dishonoring to our Creator.  This is why we are to regularly spend time at the table of the Lord lest we forget how He cleansed us from sin.


Our motivation is a “grace” motivation.  For the grace of god that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age … (Titus 2:11-12).


Keep this grace motivation in mind as we conclude with 1:10-11.  Peter uses an interesting, powerful and accurate (of course) phrase: make your call and election sure.  He is not saying: “make sure you are elect.”  That makes no sense since that is God’s work.  However he is saying, “confirm your election.”  This is the point here: 1:2-4 speak to what God has done in giving us all things for what He has called us to in Christ; 1:5-11 speak of the fulfillment of that calling in our lives.


Thus we are called to diligence (v5) and now to be even more diligent (v10) in terms of the eight qualities (these things in v10).  If we “add” (supply, v5) these things and abound in them then God also will “supply” (same Greek term, v11) our entrance into our Lord’s everlasting kingdom.  On the narrow path we will not stumble but will have a straight path for our feet (Heb. 12:12-13).

Peter clearly states that godliness matters.  Let us get started by faith in Christ who gave Himself for us.  Then diligently let us use what God has given, always remembering the cleansing that is ours through the cross of Christ.