2 Peter 1:3-4

2 Peter 1:3-4

Because to us is all of His divine power – the things for life and devout piety – through the knowledge of the one who called us to His own glory and outstanding virtue, through which the precious and great promise has been bestowed upon us, in order that through these things you all should become partners of the divine nature after escaping corruption in the coveting nature in the world.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

This is a truly difficult set of verses to translate, because Peter honestly doesn’t give us a genuine verb until the middle of 2 Peter 2:4.  However, to get at what he’s saying here we are going to start at the end.  All of what he says in verse three and the first part of verse four hinge on the reality that we become partners of the divine nature after we escape the corruption of the world.  This should make good sense.  God could only bring us into relationship with Him after He had truly dealt with sin for good.  In other words, we only truly become a partner in His divine nature after Christ comes to us.  Of course, Christ is the way out.  He provides the escape for us.  We do not earn it, but we can benefit from it.

How has Christ come for you?  Where can you testify to having escaped the corruption in the world?  Are there places where you are still subject to the influence of the world?

Second Thought:

Once we have escaped the corruption of the coveting nature of the world, though, we can see through the divine eyes.  Once we stop seeing through eyes that are focused inwardly on what is best for the individual, we can see through the eyes of God and see a world that is in need.  We begin to experience His glory and outstanding virtue.  We understand that part of what makes God great is His willingness to help us in our need.  Our life begins to take on much greater meaning because instead of simply pursuing what we want we begin pursuing what is good for the world around us.  We stop being idolaters of the self and begin to be the caretakers of the world that God created us to become.

Where has this transition happened in you?  Where have you been able to put yourself aside and see the world through the compassionate and sacrificial eyes of God?

Third Thought:

Where does this lead us?  Finally we get to where Peter begins in verse 3.  His divine power is given to us.  The things necessary for godliness and piety are transmitted to us when we give up our worldly corruption and begin to see life through His wisdom and virtue.  We don’t’ just get to live a better life, we get to live a life filled with divine power.  We get to live a life filled with things we could never bring upon ourselves.  In fact, Peter reminds us that this is the life to which we have been called by Him to live.  It was the life originally given to Adam and Eve in the garden.  It is the life we were created to live.  Through His power and His sacrifice we can return to that life.

Where do you feel the power of the divine in you?  Where can you feel the ability to live a life of godliness and devout piety?

Passage for Tomorrow: 2 Peter 1:5-8