Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble, for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1:10-11
The kingdom of God is a kingdom that is in abundance. Righteousness prevails in it, so there will be no sin, and the consequences of sin as reminders. What will be in abundance will be peace, righteousness, and love. God’s love for us that draws us to Himself, that we may walk in sweet communion with Him. Peter here in our text, is reminding his readers of a future time ahead that will come to those who await by faith the promises of God, the Father. In times of crisis many people today tend to collapse in defeat against what they perceive are insurmountable problems. But to everyone who believes in Him, Jesus Christ offers a life of abundance. So we read from the beginning of this chapter in 2 Peter, who this epistle or letter is written to: To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ (v.1). The word “obtained,” can be translated “received,” and can mean “attaining by divine will.” So right off we can see that without the intervention of God on our behalf, there is no way of attaining any help.
God and Savior—Jesus Christ is God in the flesh, and part of the Triune Godhead, which is made up of: God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, all of which has a role in the believers life for salvation. Do you notice what Peter calls precious? Like precious—The Greek word translated “Like precious,” was used to designate equal in rank, position, honor, standing, price, or value. It was used in the ancient world with strangers and foreigners who were given equal citizenship in a city. Here, Peter was emphasizing that Christians have all received the same precious, priceless saving faith. They are not separated by the world’s class standards of racial or gender distinctions. But rather, we are all one (church) body in Christ. And since Peter’s audience may have been made up of Gentiles too, he may have been emphasizing that they have received the same like precious faith as the Jewish people of his day.
Faith—Peter is speaking of subjective faith, i.e., the Christian’s power to believe God for their salvation. Faith is the capacity to believe in the precious promises(v.v.3-4), this can also describe what our role and response to God’s invitation to come to Him by faith. Yet, God still must grant this faith to us. God initiates faith to us when the Holy Spirit awakens our dead soul, that was once in darkness, but now has been made alive again. To no longer walk in darkness, but rather in the light (Ephesians 2:1-8). This is in response to hearing the good news of the gospel message. That Christ, has come to save sinners. And that His death on the cross, was our substitute for the atonement of our sins. We can not ever earn our way into heaven, but must come to believe through faith, the righteousness offering of Jesus Christ for our salvation. We receive our faith and knowledge of Him through the hearing of the Word, but it is by the power of the Holy Spirit that we allow this “Divine power,” which is Christ’s power the source of the believer’s sufficiency and perseverance. The genuine Christian is eternally secure in their salvation and does persevere and grow because he has received everything offered to him that is necessary for maturity and growth by the abundance of Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord(v.2). You don’t have do anything but simply believe in the Lord to receive this gift of eternal life. Rely upon Christ’s resurrected power, to sustain you to live a godly life, to live godly, is to live reverently and obediently to God. To be at one with Him, is to be completely surrendered, that is, yielded to God in every area of your life. That He would be Lord over your life, marriage, family, home, work, recreation, etc. Jesus wants to bless you exceedingly and abundantly with His love, joy, and peace. To know Jesus in an intimate way, is to humble yourself before Him. That your desires would be all for the glory of God, through His relationship through you. That will witness to others where your allegiance is. Make not the mistake of thinking there is still time to one day share my faith with others, my family, my friends, co-workers, neighbors. Satan’s influence cannot be denied in this ever rapidly declining world, and their intolerance of people of faith in Jesus Christ. Persecution, trials, and suffering are still going on in parts of this world all because they have chosen to believe in Jesus Christ, for their salvation. If we don’t influence our children for Christ, this world and public school system will make them deny His authority, by even threatening failure in school work, in higher education. All because your beliefs contradict their worldly way of thinking, as they despise persons of faith, because of the hardness of their hearts.
Beloved friend, The Lord offers you His Holy Spirit if you surrender yourself to Him. It is His Spirit who gives you the ability to handle life’s problems successfully. Whatever your circumstances may be, remember that Jesus is constantly by your side, guiding you and helping you. Place your trust in Him today, as He leads you to God’s eternal kingdom, and home of righteousness where there will be only harmony and peace with all who are there, as we all become one with God, the Father, through Jesus Christ!
May the Lord bless your walk with Him today!
