Greeting all the Faithful Brothers and Sisters 'in Christ' Part 1
2 Peter 1:1-2 Simon Peter, a servant and Apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the Righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ our Lord, KJV Note: NKJV=New King 👑 James Version
The Apostle Peter now has been commanded by our Lord Jesus Christ to write ✍️ a second letter 💌 to the believers not only to exhort further, but to urgently warn them about the many false teachers who have made themselves at home 🏠 with them, yet they are not true sheep 🐏 like them/us. Peter had just warned at the end of his first letter 💌 that we must be steadfast in our resistance to the devil 👿 and all of his plans, plots, and purposes to harm our walk with our Lord Jesus Christ. This enemy of ours does not only attack from the outside with various spiritual and physical persecutions, but he has sent false/fake 🤥 believers among us in the inside of visible Christendom to try to lead the true sheep 🐑 of God into error. Peter wants to see all of us live lives of godliness which is what the Gospel of Christ, the Gospel of Grace produces (1 Timothy 6:3). Peter first greets us in 2 Peter 1:1 as the 'servant' of Jesus Christ and this little English word is translated by the Greek word doulos which means a literal slave of Jesus Christ our Lord. All of us true believers 'in Christ' are His slaves, for He is the Master and we but subjects. Therefore, Peter is doing what our Lord Jesus commanded him to do in John 21:17, "Feed My sheep 🐑." Peter calls all of us of whom he is writing to, "them that have obtained like precious faith with us" and the little English phrase 'like precious' is translated by the Greek word isotimos (used this one time only right here in the entire New Testament) meaning of equal value and honor: - like precious. In other words, Peter who stood in the physical presence of our Lord Jesus Christ and was an eyewitness to His Glory and Majesty on the Mount of Transfiguration (Luke 3:3-8) declares to everyone of us who have been born from above (John 3:3-8) that his faith and ours are of equal value even though we have never yet seen our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ. It is of the same value because it has been given to us as a free gift 🎁 (Ephesians 2:8-9) in the same manner as to Peter and that is "through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ", for Jesus is our deliverer from sin and from the wrath of God (1 Thessalonians 1:10) just as He is for Peter and Paul and any other sinner made a saint. For each one of us can say of ourselves what the Prophet Jeremiah said of Jerusalem with these words, "In those days Judah/Clifford, Sr. will be saved, And Jerusalem/Clifford, Sr. will dwell safely. And this is the name by which she/he Clifford, Sr. will be called: THE LORD OUR/MY RIGHTEOUSNESS." (Jeremiah 33:16) (KJV). Likewise, each one of us can say of ourselves what the Prophet Isaiah declared with these words, "Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; He also is become my salvation." (Isaiah 12:2) (KJV). Here is what John Wesley said of 2 Peter 1:1, "To them that have obtained - Not by their own works, but by the free grace of God. Like precious faith with us - The Apostles. The faith of those who have not seen, being equally precious with that of those who saw our Lord in the flesh. Through the righteousness - Both active and passive. Of our God and Saviour - It is this alone by which the justice of God is satisfied, and for the sake of which He gives this precious faith."
The Apostle Peter wants us to be furnished with much of the grace of God which produces His peace 🕊️ in our lives as we rest in Him, for Peter says, "Grace and peace 🕊️ be multiplied unto you" in 2 Peter 1:2 and Peter simply means may it increase and increase more and more. When you add two equal numbers, you double them, but when you multiply ❌ the same two numbers 🔢 they more than double, so is Peter wanting us to have as much grace as we can get from the Throne of Grace, as it is written, "Let us therefore come boldly to the Throne of Grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." (Hebrews 4:16) (NKJV). In this world 🌍 of woe there is always time of need for grace. Peter says this grace and peace 🕊️ is "through the Knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord", that is, the English phrase 'the Knowledge' is translated by the Greek word epignosis meaning recognition, that is, (by implication) full discernment. This is to halt or stop 🛑 us from seeking after some extra or super knowledge as the gnostics were doing during that day of Peter 🖋️ penning this letter 💌. Gnostics today and of every generation still exist and do the same thing of trying to go beyond or above what is written (1 Corinthians 4:6) in the text or Word. Full discernment will come from God to us through His Word and His Spirit. Here is what Albert Barnes had to say of 2 Peter 1:2, "That is, grace and peace 🕊️ abound to us, or may be expected to be conferred on us abundantly, if we have a true knowledge of God and of the Saviour. Such a knowledge constitutes true religion: for in that we find 'grace' - the grace that pardons and sanctifies; and 'peace' - peace 🕊️ of conscience, reconciliation with God, and calmness in the trials of life." Here also is what Adam Clarke had to say of 2 Peter 1:2, "God's favor; peace 🕊️- the effects of that favor in the communication of spiritual and temporal blessings. Through the Knowledge of God - By the acknowledging of God, and of Jesus our Lord. For those who acknowledge Him in all their ways, He will direct their steps. Those who know Christ; and do not acknowledge Him before men, can get no multiplication ❌ of grace and peace 🕊️."
If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray 🙏 this from your heart ❤️ to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking 🗣️ directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn 🛞 from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart ❤️ and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen!!!
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