Q:I'm really curious about 2 Peter 1:5-9. The pastor was really laying it on today with this one. I don't ever want to read another Scripture of teaching on "trying hard to be good" or adding anything to what Christ has done already for me. I'm sure 2 Peter 1:5-9 has come up before, but please help me.
A: Does this sound familiar to any of you? How many Sunday's have we spent being told that we have more to do as Christians? Normally, what it is we are told to do is packaged within the context of whatever denomination, or teaching, we have subjected ourselves to. It is in this way that the church leadership can then define, not what it is God wants from you, but what they want from you. By allowing ourselves to be influenced in this manner, we have not only given over ourselves to their control, but we have also let them decide what it is scripture is saying to us. But, we must realize that if there is something we must do to be considered a good Christian there must be a penalty or punishment for not doing these things we identify as indicative of good Christian behavior. That is the embodiment of legalism. Furthermore, we must also decide who it is that defines this behavior for us. Of course, that leads to all types of side issues about who is right. And everybody believes what they are doing is biblical and can probably produce a scripture or two they feel validates their teaching. The only way to figure out what it is scripture is saying to us is to go to scripture.
"You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood." 1 John 4:4-6
The answer to figuring out who is telling the truth about Scripture is to allow the Holy Spirit of God, who indwells each believer, to discern that truth for us. However, as a friend of mine once stated, many people are not interested in the truth. For example, he said that there was an occasion when he visited a Bible study, held by a local congregation, and struck up a conversation with an individual who was a member of the congregation. This individual said that he felt farther away from God now then he did when He first became a Christian. The reason was because this individual felt he needed to keep performing for God. But, the reason I bring this up is because the pastor of the congregation overheard my friend and the other gentleman talking and asked to speak to my friend. He told my friend that he didn't care if what he was telling this gentleman was 100% true and that he needed to stop. You see, my friend is a pastor. And this other pastor thought that he was trying to steal people from his congregation. Nothing could be further from the truth. But, do you see my point? The other pastor was more concerned about controlling the member of his church than he was interested in the truth being told to him. I would not be surprised if this pastor is not alone in his beliefs. The controlling nature he exhibited leads to fear. Fear that he will lose control over his "flock" and possibly his entire ministry. And also fear from those in the congregation who may never question anything because of the control they have given to their pastor. When we realize that it is the Holy Spirit that leads us into all truth and is our counselor, we will be able to answer questions like the one about 2 Peter 1:5-9.
"His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 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. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins." 2 Peter 1:3-9
I think verses 5-9 are a byproduct of what Peter states we already have been given through faith in Christ. If you think about it, how can you "add to" your faith if you already have everything you need for life and godliness? Sounds like an oxymoron. But, the way I see it is that we have been given an inheritance through the death of Jesus Christ. Therefore, we spend the rest of our lives discovering what it is we have received. In some ways that can be perceived as "adding" to something. One thing I have noticed is that as I mature in the finished work of Christ, old habits, old beliefs, and so on, begin to fall away. I am learning what it is I have in Christ and then applying it to my life. I realize the things I no longer need to hold on to and discard them. When a snake molts, it is not necessarily adding a new skin, it is shedding the old skin and revealing a fresh skin underneath that was already there. All the attributes discussed in this passage are part of our inheritance in Christ. Remember, apart from Christ, we can do nothing. We can't demonstrate goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and love without first recognizing that God, in Christ, demonstrated all of these attributes towards us. We, therefore, end up sharing with those around us that which has freely been given to us by faith. The Christian life is about learning to trust God. In turn, we end up becoming in thought, word and deed, what we already are in God's eyes.
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