Christian Maturity

By Colleen Podmore

2Peter 1:1-11

Here is a short exhortation by the apostle Peter, to encourage the believers to reach maturity in their faith so that they will be able to persevere to the end. If 1 Peter is written to those who were being persecuted by outsiders, 2 Peter is written to those who were being attacked from inside the church, to encourage them to maturity, to be careful of false teachers and to be ready for the Lord’s return.

1Peter 1:1a, Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ

· Written by Peter around AD 65-68 (Martyred in AD68 by Nero)

· Uses the name Jesus gave him, Peter or Cephas which means rock (John 1:42). Simon Hebrew - Peter Greek. (Is 62:2, 65:15)

· Bond-servant (doulos) slave. A slave is one who completely belongs to his owner and has no freedom to leave and a servant is one who willingly chooses to serve his master. (Ex 14:31 – Moses was a servant of God, Joshua is described as a servant of God Jos 24:29, Samuel 1Sam 3:10, David 2Sam 3:18 and Elijah 2Kings 9:36) (How do we know we serve God and not satan?)

· Peter describes himself as a bond-servant first and an apostle second. An apostle is one commissioned by Jesus, his authorised representative who is sent as a messenger. What is our role in the House of God? What are the gifts we have been given? How would we describe ourselves?

· Jesus the messiah
Perhaps we could put our own name in this verse. Are we servants of the Living God? Do we lay down our lives that He might use us for His own glory, serving Him the way he wants to use us?
1Peter 1:1b, To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours:’

· Notice how Peter calls Jesus both God and Savior, a clear statement of the diety of Christ. God and Savior are the same person. Jesus coequal with God (Matt 16:16; John 1:1; 20:28; Titus 2:13) In fact Peter uses the title Savior five times (2Peter 1:1, 11; 2:20; 3:2, 18)

· The words ‘have received’ imply divine choice rather than anything the recipients might have done to receive faith which in this context is just the ability to believe. This ability is given on the basis of the righteousness of Christ

· Finally Peter says their faith is as precious as ours, meaning perhaps the apostles’ faith. There is no hierarchy here with the apostles having more or special knowledge which sets them apart from others. And furthermore, we can infer that the apostles had the same faith as we have today. We are equal with Peter the Apostle.
How does that make you feel? AMEN!

1Peter 1:2,3 Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. 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.

· Notice how God has called us. Isn’t that amazing? That the Creator of the Universe not only became a man and died for our sins but that He should come near to us and furthermore to desire intimacy with us! Grace and peace through knowing God, a personal and intimate relationship that each of us can have. Wow is that blessed or what. Grace and peace are ours in abundance! AMEN We have everything we need for life (spiritual vitality) and godliness (piety, godly living) through knowing Him!

· He draws us by His own glory and goodness. His own moral excellence and his glory.
1Peter 1:4 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.

· ‘Through these’, that is His glory and goodness

· His very great and precious promises –see 1Peter 1:3-5

· Participate means to be like a partner, to share in the divine nature through His promises

· Because of Jesus glory and goodness, God has given us precious promises regarding salvation eternity and protection through faith so that we participate in the divine nature and therefore escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

1Peter 1:5 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, brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive.

· God has done all he can and now he asks us to make every effort...

· Seven virtues

Faith or trust in our Savior Jesus is what gives the edge
Goodness : moral excellency. This is the same as Christ’s goodness
Knowledge : not intellectual knowing but spiritual knowledge through the Holy Spirit
Self-control : this means to have one’s passions under control
Perseverance : how easy to become discouraged and turn away, when we are mocked or scoffed at, but perseverance means that even in adversity we keep going without giving in or giving up
Godliness : refers to piety or reverence towards God
These first five virtues refer to the inner life and our relationship to God, whereas the last two refer to others
Brotherly kindness : a fervent practical caring for others
Love : agape love or desiring the highest good for others

· These qualities are not in order. We should possess them all and increase them in our lives if we want to be effective and productive.

References:
1. Holy Bible (NIV, NKJV, NASB)
2. The New Bible Dictionary – JD Douglas (editor)
3. The Bible Knowledge Commentary –John F. Walvoord