ByBlessed be the name of Jesus for taking us through the first book of Peter. This article marks the inception of study scripture articles of 2nd Peter, and I trust God that He will help you to understand them. Today, I want to focus on Peter’s greeting when he began writing his epistle. That is, “Grace and peace be multiplied to you…”. But before that, let’s take a read at today’s scripture focus and overview of the book.
[1] “Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ: [2] Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,” – 2 Peter 1:1-2 (NKJV)
Overview of the 2nd Epistle of Peter
The second epistle of Peter is an epistle where much focus has been placed on believers being watchful of false teachers and prophets who have mixed with us in the faith. The truth is that those people are on a mission to thwart believers’ faith systems and sound doctrine by infiltrating their minds with false doctrines.
It’s true that doctrine is contagious. As such, it directly affects how a person handles his life. For example, if a false teacher teaches a believer that taking bribes is not sinful, such a person will keep taking bribes, thinking there is nothing wrong with it. Meanwhile, it is wrong (see Proverbs 10:2). God’s Word is standard, and as believers, we must take heed to what and how we hear the sermons preached unto us. Let’s dive in.
Verse 1
“Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ,
To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:” – 2 Peter 1:1 (NKJV)
In this verse, Simon Peter extended his greetings to those he addressed the letter to – the believers who have obtained like precious faith with him. How? By the righteousness of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ. These are heavy words used for greeting. Here are some takeaways from this scripture:
#1 As a believer, your faith is very precious. In 1 Peter 1:7, the same apostle was inspired by the Spirit to say that our faith is so genuine that it doesn’t perish like gold and silver. Right? Think about that! You cannot put a price tag on your faith in Christ.
#2 You obtained that precious faith by the righteousness of God and Jesus Christ. That means you didn’t earn it. It was given to you because Jesus Christ chose to die and atone for your sins so that when you believe in Him, you’re made righteous (see Romans 10:10).
You cannot put a price tag on your faith in Christ.
Dear believer, don’t trade your faith for earthly things. That faith is even more precious than gold and unperishable because Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith (see Hebrews 12:1), is the same yesterday, today and forever (see Hebrews 13:8).
Verse 2
[2] “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,”
2 Peter 1:2 (NKJV)
Here is where the title of this article was obtained from. After Peter addressed the believers and made them understand how precious their faith was, he said solemnly “Grace and peace be multiplied to you.” From this, a child of God can experience greater grace and peace in his life. But by what means? In the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. That is it.
The more you know God, the greater His grace and peace will become evident in your life. Why? Because He has a way to always help you to anchor His faith in Him.
Dear friend, knowing God has so many benefits. Avoid becoming so busy in life that you don’t have time to pursue a deeper intimacy with God. Avoid it!
