Friday, December 18, 2009
All Things & Precious Promises
(II Peter 1:1-4)
Peter penned his second epistle shortly before his expected death (1:14). In a sense, these are his last words, his last will and testament. In a will, the benefactor leaves his valued possessions, the collection of a lifetime, to those he loves. Peter, in his “last will and testament” left a spiritual legacy of inestimable value to the church.
Peter tells his readers that Christ’s divine power has “given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness” (3). In other words, the power of Christ working through us is wholly sufficient to meet every challenge of our lives. There is nothing lacking in the Christian’s resources. If you feel “empty” or don’t have the “answers,” your problem is not one of supply; it’s one of appropriation. How do you appropriate “all things?” Verse 3 tells us that they come “through a knowledge of him”—by knowing Jesus Christ. As one’s relationship with Christ deepens, he experiences the abundant supply of “all things” in Christ Jesus.
In addition to “all things,” Peter assures us of the “great and precious promises” that are ours in Christ. These “promises” guarantee our partaking in the very nature of God and assure us of victory over sin and the world. In other words, the promises affirm spiritual victory when appropriated in the life of the believer.
“All things” and “precious promises”—what a grand inheritance for the child of God! And the best part: they’re available now for Christians who appropriate them through a deepening relationship with Jesus Christ.
