2 Peter 1:1-11: a reflection

1Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained a like precious faith with us in the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ: 2Grace to you and peace be multiplied in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3seeing that his divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and virtue, 4by which he has granted to us his precious and exceedingly great promises; that through these you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world by lust. 5Yes, and for this very cause adding on your part all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence; and in moral excellence, knowledge; 6and in knowledge, self-control; and in self-control, perseverance; and in perseverance, godliness; 7and in godliness, brotherly affection; and in brotherly affection, love. 8For if these things are yours and abound, they make you to not be idle or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9For he who lacks these things is blind, seeing only what is near, having forgotten the cleansing from his old sins. 10Therefore, brothers, be more diligent to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never stumble. 11For thus you will be richly supplied with the entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Peter opens his second letter with a striking assurance about what God has already given us: His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us. Before he calls us to add virtue upon virtue to our faith, he grounds it in this: God has already given us everything we need for life and godliness. The growth he then urges, supplying moral excellence, knowledge, self-control, and the rest, is not manufactured from nothing; it builds on a provision God has already made. We are not left to produce godliness from our own resources; God has granted us all we need for it.

Notice the order: God has granted us all things for life and godliness, and therefore we grow. Peter does not begin by demanding that we produce godliness from nothing; he begins with God's gift, that his divine power has already granted us everything we need for life and godliness. The diligence he then urges, building virtue upon virtue, is our working out of a provision already given, not a manufacturing of what we lack from our own resources. God has supplied what is needed; our growth builds on his provision. We do not climb toward godliness on our own strength, but grow on the basis of what God has already granted us.

That order is worth taking to heart, for our growth in godliness builds on what God has already given, not on our own resources alone. We can feel that godliness is ours to produce from nothing, an exhausting effort to manufacture what we do not have; but Peter says God has already granted us all things for life and godliness. Our growth builds on this provision; we cultivate what God has supplied, rather than producing it from our own resources. Do not try to manufacture godliness from your own resources alone, as though God had given you nothing to build on; he has granted you all things for life and godliness. Build your growth on what God has already given you for life and godliness, cultivating the virtues on the basis of his provision rather than your own resources alone, as Peter says his divine power has granted us all we need; for God has already supplied what is needed, and our growth is the working out of his gift, not a producing of godliness from nothing.

Lord, Peter opens his second letter with a striking assurance about what you have already given us: his divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us. Before he calls us to add virtue upon virtue to our faith, he grounds it in this: you have already given us everything we need for life and godliness. The growth he then urges is not manufactured from nothing; it builds on a provision you have already made. Show me the order: you have granted us all things for life and godliness, and therefore we grow. Peter does not begin by demanding that we produce godliness from nothing; he begins with your gift. The diligence he then urges, building virtue upon virtue, is our working out of a provision already given. You have supplied what is needed; our growth builds on your provision. We do not climb toward godliness on our own strength, but grow on the basis of what you have already granted us. Take that order to my heart, for my growth in godliness builds on what you have already given, not on my own resources alone. I can feel that godliness is mine to produce from nothing, an exhausting effort to manufacture what I do not have; but Peter says you have already granted me all things for life and godliness. Keep me from trying to manufacture godliness from my own resources alone, as though you had given me nothing to build on; you have granted me all things for life and godliness, Lord. Help me build my growth on what you have already given me, cultivating the virtues on the basis of your provision rather than my own resources alone.