2 Peter 1:1-11

Had I realized there were only a few verses left in 1Peter 5, I would have covered them in the last blog. I encourage you to take the few seconds and read Peter's closing words. 1 Peter 5:12-14

Now for today's study.
2 Peter 1:1-11

1 Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ,

Peter presents his credentials, explaining his authority to write these words.

To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours:

² Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

Though we are not the original recipients, if you have accepted Christ as you savior, this letter is for you as well.

³ 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.

We have everything we need, but it only through our knowledge of God.  Therefore we need to study and pray and get to know God.

  ⁴ 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.

As we get to know God and all that he has given us we discover the promises that God has given us.  As we unlock these promises we learn how we participate in the divine nature or God.  We learn how we escaped from this worlds corruption.

⁵ For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; ⁶ and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; ⁷ and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.

Each one builds upon the other all as a result of the change in us when we accepted Christ as our savior.

  ⁸ 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. ⁹ But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.

When Peter walked on the water toward Christ he was fine till he took his eyes off the Savior.  In the same way if we take our focus off of the things of God, we will very quickly fall back into the ways we used to walk. 

¹⁰ Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, ¹¹ and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

Look at your life.  Does it measure up? 

God Bless.