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While pondering how to commence this column today, a refrain and a few words from an old hymn came to mind. I can still hear the melody and those few words, - "will the circle be unbroken...?" I wonder if perhaps the Apostle Peter could have asked the same question, had he had them, as he was writing 2Peter, chapter 1.

There are several reason why he wrote this chapter and the letter. He was very concerned about what was occurring in the church(s) to whom he was writing. He realized that his time was short, and he urgently desired to give his full weight of authority and effort to stem the tide of corruption beginning to manifest in them. He wanted to protect the "circle of grace" and love for which he had served and suffered so much for so long. He did not want it to be broken.

Apparently there was a subtle attitude and teaching beginning to take hold that must be addressed. The Apostle Jude wrote concerning the attitude and teaching also. This was to be expected, as both Peter and Jude knew. The apostle Paul referred to subtle heresies that would be injected into the church after his departure (Acts 20:28-31). It has always been a danger. And so it is also today.

There may have been many facets of corrupt teaching, and for various reasons, but the must subtle and appealing one seemed to be a form of the corruption of grace, which Jude also referred to (Jude 3-4). Some had begun to teach that along with receiving God’s grace, they also received license! Taken to its extreme, this meant that those who had now come to Christ for salvation could live any way they pleased because they were "under grace". A somewhat different teaching beginning to be promoted was that there was nothing more that God required of Christians to do - just believe in Jesus Christ. As the result of this, both Jude and Peter set out to correct the understanding of the churches. Peter begins to show that the proper knowledge of Christ must be the basis of true understanding of what God requires. He even begins his first epistle with this same emphasis (1 Peter 1:2).

The amazing thing about 2 Peter 1 is that here we have a magnificent BLUEPRINT of what is required of a Christian, after repentance and belief in Jesus Christ! In this, and the next week or two, we will discuss this wonderful and inspired blueprint, and what it means applied to you and to me..

The Apostle begins his epistle with an assertion which serves to preempt the false teaching. He asserts that he is a "bondservant" (slave) of Jesus. For those who have proper "knowledge" (verse 2), it would be easy to see that as a bondservant, no one who names the name of belief in Jesus can do as THEY please. Grace and peace is given IN the correct knowledge of God (verse 2).

It would be helpful here to mention a little of "future history" concerning the grace/works issue. Eventually, after the epistles of both Peter and Jude, the pendulum swung to a teaching that "works" are required for one to be saved. This is an understandable knee-jerk reaction to the opposite extreme. Also, control of churches could be administered easier under an enforcement of this teaching. But a pendulum swings - and a predictable swing eventually occurred. When a full knowledge of the "whole counsel" of God is lost or corrupted, distortions in doctrine, teaching, and practice inevitably are distorted also. Many horrors could have been avoided if 2 Peter 1 had been faithfully adhered to.

In verse 3-4, Peter again refers to "true knowledge", given to us by God’s divine power, with life AND Godliness. We, as Christians, have "life" - eternal life abiding in us, and godliness is given to us. However, it has not yet been worked out through us. God’s "divine nature" is in us, but has not yet brought about the diving character which is God’s supreme purpose in creating mankind! It is a "now but not yet "...These "promises" of God will enable us to be created into the image of God (Christ).

He begins in verse 5 to explain how each one of these promises will cause us to be formed into Jesus’ very nature and character - His very image! But this takes TIME - character is not formed, a NEW nature is not formed, in a day or two. This is one reason we are not taken to heaven as soon as we are born again! There may be other reasons - the Apostle Paul affirmed that it would be better for those whom he served for him to remain in this life. Perhaps it is also the same with many of God’s bondservants today.

Now we will begin exploring this glorious pyramid of the "works of grace", as they commence BUILDING a "NEW CREATION", a NEW NATURE in the believer, which is to become the very nature and character of Jesus Christ AND God the Father! (Galatians 4:19)

[Continued...]

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"'Christ in You...'" from Dale Krebbs

God And Our Circumstances