The author of this short letter (text below) claims that the divine power of Jesus "has given us everything needed for life and godliness...." Then, perhaps we skim. Because that's all, really, that we need.The divine power of Jesus is like Harry Potter's invisibility cloak, we throw it on us and we claim the promise that we "may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of lust, and may become participants of the divine nature."
(Lust isn't lust...at least not by our typical definition. It is an earnest longing for something--positive or negative. Can be sexual, but is much broader. Power? Wealth? Security?)
The invitation is to become participants of the "divine nature" we see in Jesus. For this reason, we are encouraged to support our faith with "goodness, and goodness with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance with godliness, and godliness with mutual affection, and mutual affection with love."
To translate in a way that brings us closer to the original meaning: we are encouraged to support our trust in the way Jesus lived and support our decision to trust (faith) with a deliberate preference of right to wrong (goodness). This goodness is supported with the understanding that God's way is best (knowledge), and that leads to a disciplined lifestyle which requires a mutual forbearance of each other and a commitment to stand firm in our practice (endurance). This standing firm requires the living out of our faith devoted to God (godliness) and that is supported with tenderness, compassion and pity with and for each other (mutual affection), and that is supported by love--the expression of the lifestyle in doing concrete acts of service for the well-being of others.
Suddenly, it's less about a magical spiritual aura and more about a way of living.
That is exactly what Amos continues to preach.
Suddenly, it's less about a magical spiritual aura and more about a way of living.
That is exactly what Amos continues to preach.
2 Peter 1:1-11
1 Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ,
To those who have received a faith as precious as ours through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:
2 May grace and peace be yours in abundance in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
The Christian’s Call and Election
3 His divine power has given us everything needed for life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Thus he has given us, through these things, his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of lust, and may become participants of the divine nature. 5 For this very reason, you must make every effort to support your faith with goodness, and goodness with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance with godliness, 7 and godliness with mutual affection, and mutual affection with love. 8 For if these things are yours and are increasing among you, they keep you from being ineffective and unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For anyone who lacks these things is short-sighted and blind, and is forgetful of the cleansing of past sins. 10 Therefore, brothers and sisters, be all the more eager to confirm your call and election, for if you do this, you will never stumble. 11 For in this way, entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be richly provided for you.
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