Lesson 4
Second Peter
Warning against dangers
facing the Church
1:3 Because of His divine power (inherent operational power -
OmPo) has granted to us (for our advantage) all things pertaining to
life and godliness through the means of full knowledge of Him who called us by
His own glory and virtue (essence manifested).
He continues this thought in verse 4
For by
these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises,
For by
these We must
ask what is the antecedent referred to here by these?
The relative pronoun
(o[j) goes
back to His own glory and virtue that is of Christ.
He has granted to us - same
verb, noting we are the recipients of a gift and the to us reminds us
that it is to our advantage to receive these precious and magnificent promises
- first these
promises are precious (ti,mioj) honorable,
precious, valuable
- second they are magnificent (me,gistoj) very great, exceedingly
great, magnificent
- This word (evpa,ggelma) is used for promises I believe to make the
point that these promises in view here flow from His glory/essence and
therefore are guaranteed
More
important the emphasis of the context here is on the promises that are
specifically related to our unique
position as Church age saints, the mystery doctrines or truths.
so that by them (the promises) you
may become partakers of the divine nature,
of the divine nature (qei/oj fu,sij) we have already noted the word for divine in
vs:3 as that which comes from God
- Here divine
modifies phusis which refers to the natural regulated order of something or
someone; here it speaks of God's essential character His nature.
This
becoming a partaker of the divine nature becomes a reality at salvation:
First through regeneration, the new birth,
Second through the ministry of the Holy Spirit
placing us into union with Christ
Third through the imputation of divine +R of
Christ,
Fourth we now possess eternal life, His life.
At the time of the rapture this divine nature
becomes manifested when we receive our resurrection bodies.
We are able to realize the transformation that
comes with this divine nature in time because of the next phrase.
So what is Peter saying
we were freed from or escaped from?
- the corruption
that is in the world by lust
- the corruption (fqora,) literally, as it affects nature of something corruptibility,
subjection to decay (Rom 8.21
of creation being subject to corruption)
- This corruption is in the world, the kosmos, and it is so because of
the next clause which defines the corruption for us.
- by lust (evn evpiqumi,a|)
dative instrumental which describes for us the instrument from which
this corruption is derived, the sin nature
- But for the believer we know that the sin nature
does not have to rule because of RAPT.
1:4 For by means of these (His glory & virtue) He has
granted to us (for our benefit) the valuable and exceedingly great
promises in order by means of these you might become partakers of the divine
nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust (sin
nature).
Summary 1:4
1. As a result of Jesus Christ's strategic victory on the cross and the
veil in the
- The cross was a convergence in time or as Paul refers to
it as the fullness of time when all came together for God to provide in Christ the basis for salvation and an eternal
relationship with God. Gal 4:4
God sent forth His Son
evxaposte,llw [aor.act.ind] to send someone as an authoritative
representative with a specific mission/purpose.
I came that they might have life (E.L.) John 10:10b
John
John
2. It is during this Church age that these valuable and exceedingly
great promises are available to the one who responds and believes in Him.
3. These promises are greater than those promises made to
4. The promises in view here include the "mystery doctrines"
that are unique to the Church age.
a. Ministry
of the Holy Spirit
1. Baptizing
- enters each believer into union with Christ
1 Cor
2.
Indwelling each believer from the point of salvation Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor. 3:16
3. Filling or empowering ministry of the Spirit in the life of the
believer so that we're able to understand the word taught and walk by the
Spirit reflecting the character of Christ.
b. The indwelling of Jesus Christ - Gal 4:19
until Christ is formed in you
- The verb formed is
morfo,w and
illustrates the use of aorist; here its
culminative; this then looks at the end
result of many decisions to take in the Word and to learn who Christ is and His
thinking.
- Basic idea of the word is to cause
something to have a certain form or nature; in the passive to take on a
form, be formed, here Christ be formed in you;
- Ultimately what Paul is anguished
over is that they should be reflecting the character of Christ in their life;
That Christ's life and nature be seen in them.
- Also must ask with the passive,
since it places an emphasis on something
external what is it? What's the
mechanic? The how!
- The answer is the Word! Word of Christ richly dwelling within Col.
3:15 parallel to Eph 5:18 where we're
commanded to be filled by means of the Holy Spirit, which describes the Holy
Spirit filling us with Christ, that is the Word and does so through faith. Eph
3:17
- Verb is in the Subjunctive mood
which points out that this is potential therefore tells us what Paul is
referring to happens or occurs, this Christ being formed in us, during our life
after salvation.
This capacity for Christ being formed in us flows from what is ours in Christ
positionally.
- Paul is saying much the same thing as he did earlier in
c. Being in union with Christ we become royalty 1 Pet 2:9 "a royal priesthood"
d. Heirship/inheritance which is unique
Rom
- As a believer, as a son, you
are an heir of God, not only that, you are also fellow heirs with Christ!
What
belongs to Him belongs to you! How much
is that?
Look at
Heb 1:2 Christ's inheritance is awesome!
- This is what adoption is all about;
God has placed us as sons, with all the rights privileges and benefits
and blessings that comes from being God's son; this includes an inheritance;
present [Eph 1:3; and future
[1 Pet. 1:3-4]
e. The
Rapture of the Church, that is the believers of the Church age 1 Cor 15:51
5.
What's a mystery?? Need to go to
Eph 3:1-4 to gain some insight on this.
- "mystery" musth,rion; this is another major word for Paul [6 in
Eph.; 4 in
Four aspects
1. It refers to something previously concealed but now revealed.
2. It was concealed in the past but is revealed in the present.
3. It speaks of a part, an aspect of
God's will, His purpose, His plan, that
was concealed from man in the past but is now revealed through Paul.
4. Very important: It is something undiscoverable by human
reason; it was only known by divine
revelation.