Last Words - almost Part 7

Last words – almost  Part 7

Now for this very reason also . . . . 2 Peter 1:5

What reason?  THIS REASON !!!

Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.

(2Pe 1:2-4) NASB

1 Peter 1:2-4		1 Peter 1:5-10
multiplied		increasing,
has granted to us everything		For if these qualities are yours
the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord;		true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
the true knowledge of Him		true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
called us by His own glory and excellence.		to make certain about His calling and choosing you;
become partakers of the divine nature,		neither useless nor unfruitful
having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust		for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble;

There is an interesting parallel between the two passages.  They both focus on assurance.  Verses 2-4 focus on it from God’s perspective, verses 5-10 from the perspective of how we participate in God’s grace.  God guarantees our redemption and provides for us to experience in an ever growing way.  We are not only able to rest on His faithfulness to His promise but we are able to see it worked out through the practice of the qualities Peter (via the Holy Spirit) enumerates.

We are able to be PARTAKERS not only in His promise but in the very practical working out of that promise in our own lives.

There’s a quote I use in my consulting work that I think applies.

“In organizations, real power and energy is generated through relationships. The patterns of relationships and the capacities to form them are more important than tasks, functions, roles, and positions.”   ― Margaret Wheatley

It is in our relationship with Him, our “partaking” in not just His grace but in His work, that makes plain the power and energy available to the Believer.  It is the development of our relationship with Him – and only that – which makes anything we do fruitful.  That needs to be our focus and here in 2 Peter we are provided with a way of building that relationship.

Before we get into the qualities, I’d like to share the following.  I have no idea who wrote it so if you do, let me know.  It’s cute and skillful and a great way to get started in living out His grace more and more and more ----

Plant three rows of squash:

• Squash gossip.

• Squash criticism.

• Squash indifference.

Plant seven rows of peas:

• Prayer

• Promptness

• Perseverance

• Politeness

• Preparedness

• Purity

• Patience

Plant seven heads of lettuce:

• Let us be unselfish and loyal.

• Let us be faithful to duty.

• Let us search the Scriptures.

• Let us not be weary in well-doing.

• Let us be obedient in all things.

• Let us be truthful.

• Let us love one another.

No garden is complete without turnips:

• Turn up for church.

• Turn up for meetings, in prayer, and Bible study.

• Turn up with a smile, even when things are difficult.

• Turn up with determination to do your best in God’s

   service.

“His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him. . . . “