Promises of Purpose

February 8, 2012

 

 2 Peter was Peter’s final letter before he was martyred. We are all, no matter your occupation, if you are a child of God, surrendered, forgiven and walking in the light — yes, all of us are partners in ministry for the call of the gospel. You may be weary today from the stresses of your life at work or with family, or both. You may feel the weight of guilt from sin long ago washed by His grace and forgiveness. You may be strained by the hopes and dreams of this life that have not happened or the painful reality of waiting on something with seemingly no clear answers. May you be encouraged as you are reminded of the calling we have in Christ and the strength we have in and through Him. Sometimes we are nearsighted by the problems of life and need to view them from the lens of God’s Word to be reminded of an everlasting and eternal perspective of our life and purpose. Peter under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit says to the Christians of his time and to you,

 “May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him (Christ) who called us to His own glory and excellence, by which He has granted to us His precious and very great promises He has granted….”

 Pause. Soak that in for a minute before we continue.

We have been granted, what through the knowledge of Christ?

1. All things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of Christ. 

 2 His precious and very great promises through the knowledge of Christ.

 The word “knowledge” there pertains to a knowledge that is not ONLY head knowledge. It it does start with hearing and studying the Word so that is certainly a vital part of it, but this is a knowledge that changes you; a knowledge that transforms you by His grace and only by His Spirit. Saving knowledge of Christ — salvation if you will. It is also the continued sanctifying knowledge of God that trickles down from our ears to our hearts.

 Okay so what does this look like? Let’s continue.

 “…so that through them (the promises) you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and selfcontrol with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

 Now this is not a call for legalism to do your very best to keep a list of things you should have in your life to be fruitful. Rather a freeing knowledge that through His Spirit our life is one of faith and virtue..etc.. It is a heart check.

 Are these fruits the outpouring of my heart? What knowledge are you feeding your soul with? The knowledge of Him found in His Word? Or the empty knowledge from the world that sometimes feeds faulty expectations or goals and desires that leave us burdened, empty and rob our joy. By the life-saving knowledge of Christ and His Word, you and I are partakers of divine nature. By His grace we have escaped from the trap of worldly sinful desires and walk with hope!

Meditate today in the life-changing knowledge of who He is in His Word and be reminded andrenewed of the hope of our calling trusting Him for wisdom and grace in the midst of hardship.

By Becky Lucarelli