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Scripture Reading: 2 Pet. 1:5-11
In this message we shall consider 1:5-11. This section of 2 Peter is concerned with development by the growth in life unto the rich entrance into the eternal kingdom.
Verse 5 says, “And for this very reason also, adding all diligence, supply bountifully in your faith virtue, and in virtue knowledge.” The Greek word rendered “adding” literally means bringing in besides. Besides, along with, the precious and exceedingly great promises given to us by God, we should bring in all diligence to cooperate with the enabling of the dynamic divine nature for the carrying out of God’s promises.
In verse 5 Peter urges us to supply bountifully in our faith virtue. What the divine power has given us in 2 Pet. 1:3-4 is developed in verses 5 through 7. To supply virtue in faith is to develop virtue in the exercise of faith. The same principle applies to all the other items.
The word “supply” here actually means develop. Peter is telling us to develop what we already have. We have faith, and now in our faith we need to develop virtue.
The faith Peter mentions in 1:5 is the like precious faith allotted to us by God (1:1) as the common portion of the New Testament blessing of life for the initiation of the Christian life. This faith needs to be exercised that the virtue of the divine life may be developed in the following steps to reach its maturity. Faith in 2 Peter 1 may be compared to a seed. On other occasions I have pointed out that in chapter one of 1 Peter the seed is the word with Christ in it as life. Now in 2 Peter 1 this seed becomes our faith, which, no doubt, is the like precious faith. This precious faith is one with Christ as the seed.
After a seed has been sown in the soil, it needs to be developed. The principle is the same with the development of the seed of faith. In our faith we need to develop virtue. Literally, the Greek word for virtue means excellency. It denotes the energy of the divine life issuing in vigorous action. If faith is regarded as the seed, virtue may be considered a root that comes out of this seed.
In 1:5 Peter also tells us to supply “in virtue knowledge.” Virtue, the vigorous action, needs the bountiful supply of the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord (vv. 2, 3, 8) regarding the all things related to the divine life and godliness and the partaking of the divine nature (vv. 3-4) for our enjoyment in the following development. The knowledge which we should develop in our virtue includes the knowledge of God and of our Savior, the knowledge of God’s economy, the knowledge of what faith is, and the knowledge of the divine power, glory, virtue, nature, and life. Actually, this is the knowledge of all things related to life and godliness. We must have this knowledge developed in our virtue. It is not adequate to have virtue without knowledge. I believe that knowledge also is a primary root that develops out of the seed of faith. With virtue and knowledge we have the growth of the seed.
In verse 6 Peter continues, “And in knowledge self-control, and in self-control endurance, and in endurance godliness.” Self-control, or temperance, is the exercise of control and restraint over the self in its passions, desires, and habits. This needs to be supplied and developed in knowledge for the proper growth in life.
Once we have acquired knowledge, it is easy for us to become proud. For this reason, we need to develop in our knowledge self-control. Self-control implies restriction. As a tree grows, the roots spread out, but the trunk grows upward in a rather restricted manner. This is an illustration of the fact that along with the development of virtue and knowledge, we need the restriction that comes with self-control.
According to Peter’s word in verse 6, in our self-control we need to develop endurance. Self-control is to deal with ourselves; endurance is to bear with others and with circumstances. In order to live a proper Christian life, we need endurance toward those around us and also toward our environment and circumstances.
In our endurance we need to develop godliness. Godliness is a living that is like God and expresses God. As we exercise control over the self and bear with others and with circumstances, godliness needs to be developed in our spiritual life so that we may be like God and express Him. If faith is the seed, virtue and knowledge the roots, self-control the trunk, then endurance and godliness are the branches. Here we see a rather full development: out of the seed come the roots, the trunk, and the branches. Eventually, in verse 7 we see brotherly love and love as the blossom and the fruit.
In verse 7 Peter concludes, “And in godliness brotherly love, and in brotherly love, love.” The Greek word rendered “brotherly love” is philadelphia, composed of phileo, to have affection for, and adelphos, a brother; hence, brotherly affection, a love of delight and pleasure. In godliness, the expression of God, this love needs to be supplied for the brotherhood (1 Pet. 2:17; 3:8; Gal. 6:10), for our testimony to the world (John 13:34-35) and for the bearing of fruit (John 15:16-17).
The Greek word for love in verse 7 is agape, the word used in the New Testament for the divine love, which God is in His nature (1 John 4:8, 16). It is nobler than phileo; it adorns all the qualities of the Christian life (1 Cor. 13; Rom. 13:8-10; Gal. 5:13-14). It is stronger in ability and greater in capacity than human love (Matt. 5:44, 46), yet a believer who lives by the divine life (2 Pet. 1:3) and partakes of the divine nature (v. 4) can be saturated with it and express it in full. Such a love needs to be developed in brotherly love, to govern it and flow in it for the full expression of God, who is this love. As we have seen, faith may be considered the seed of life, and this nobler love, the fruit (v. 8) in its full development. The six developments in between are the stages of its growth unto maturity.
Peter’s thought in chapter one of his first Epistle is that the full salvation of the Triune God issues in holiness and brotherly love. Holiness is related to godliness. Hence, the issue of God’s full salvation is the expression of God and the love for the brothers. According to some translations, the word love in 2 Peter 1:7 indicates a love not only for Christian brothers but for all men. According to this understanding, first we love the brothers and then we go on to love all men. However, I do not believe that this understanding is accurate.
We have pointed out that agape is nobler than phileo. In quality and perhaps also in quantity agape is greater than phileo. Sometimes we may love the brothers in a narrow, limited way with a certain amount of brotherly love. In our love we may have preferences and love certain brothers more than others. We may claim that we love all the saints, but our love for them is not the same. Because Peter was experienced and knew the situation among the saints, he did not stop with brotherly love but went on to speak of love, of agape, the deep and noble love with which God the Father loves all mankind, both believers and sinners.
In Matthew 5:44-47 the Lord Jesus said, “But I say to you, Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may become sons of your Father who is in the heavens, because He makes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not also the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brothers only, what are you doing extraordinary? Do not also the nations do the same?” As God sends rain upon both the just and the unjust, so we should love not only our brothers but also our enemies. It does not take much strength or energy for someone to love his own brother. But it does take a special strength and energy to love our enemies. We all need to have this noble love.
Actually, in the church life we may prefer a certain brother whom we regard as nice and love him, but we may not appreciate another brother as much. We may have love for both brothers, but that love is shallow. Therefore, we need a deeper, nobler love. This love is agape. When we have this kind of love, we love all the brothers the same, no matter what kind of brothers they may be.
In 1:5-7 we have the development from faith to love. This development includes virtue, knowledge, self-control, endurance, and godliness. Eventually, we have the full development and maturity from the seed of faith, through the roots of virtue and knowledge, the trunk of self-control, and the branches of endurance and godliness, to the blossom and the fruit of brotherly love and love.
In verse 8 Peter goes on to say, “For these things, existing in you and abounding, constitute you neither idle nor unfruitful unto the full knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” The words “these things” refer to all the virtues covered in verses 5 through 7, from faith to love. Faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, endurance, godliness, brotherly love, and love should all exist in us. Nevertheless, these are only some of the “all things” that have been granted to us by the divine power. We need to see that all these things are included in the seed. This seed contains the root, the trunk, the branches, the blossom, and the fruit.
The Greek word for “existing” is huparcho. It denotes the existence of certain things that belong to someone from the beginning and thus become his rightful possession to the present. This indicates that all the virtues mentioned in verses 5 through 7 are the possession of the believers and exist in them forever through their experience of partaking of the divine nature in all its riches.
Peter speaks of these virtues not only existing in us but also abounding. The divine virtues are not only existing in and possessed by the believers, but are also abounding and multiplying in them in the development and growth of the divine life. All the virtues already exist in the seed, and now they are waiting for the opportunity to abound. In order for the virtues in the seed to abound, the seed needs to be sown in the soil and then grow and develop until it blossoms and bears fruit.
Peter says that if these things exist and abound in us, they shall constitute us neither idle nor unfruitful unto the full knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. This indicates that the virtues of the divine life and divine nature are the constituents, the elements, of our spiritual constitution, our spiritual being, making us persons without the elements of idleness and unfruitfulness.
Being constituted is different from trying to correct ourselves, adjust ourselves, or improve ourselves. In order to be constituted we must have a certain element or constituent. The elements, the ingredients, of the divine nature are the constituents of which we need to be constituted.
Christians are often exhorted and taught to improve themselves. However, in the New Testament we are not exhorted to correct ourselves: we are exhorted to be constituted of the elements of the divine nature. Confucius may have taught people to improve, but he certainly did not teach them to be constituted of the divine nature.
There is a distinction between developing something and being constituted of something. Developing a matter implies that we already have something which needs to be developed. But being constituted of a particular element implies that something is about to be added to us that we do not already possess. We have faith as a seed that includes Christ as life. Actually, this seed is the Triune God. We have seen that we need to develop in our faith virtue, knowledge, self-control, endurance, godliness, brotherly love, and love. We also need to be constituted of all these elements that are developed.
Actually, our natural being needs to be reconstituted. From the time of our birth, we have been constituted a certain kind of person. Now that we have been regenerated, we need to be reconstituted; that is, we need to be constituted of the elements of the divine nature. We were constituted once in our natural life. Now in our new birth with our new life we need to be reconstituted of the divine nature. The divine nature is rich in ingredients, in constituents, with which we need to build up ourselves into a God-man, into a person mingled with the Triune God.
If we are constituted of the elements of the divine nature, we shall not be idle or unfruitful. Literally, the Greek word rendered “idle” means unworking; hence, idle. One may not be idle, but may still be unfruitful. To be fruitful requires more growth in life and more supply of life. Idleness and unfruitfulness are constituents of our fallen being; working, the energizing of life, and fruit-fulness are the constituents of our spiritual constitution. Peter’s use of the word “unfruitful” in verse 8 indicates that what is covered in verses 5 through 7 is the development of the growth of the divine life unto its maturity.
The word idle implies many things. It seems that it is a rather insignificant word. Actually, this word is very important and implies a great deal. We may say that gossiping is a sign of idleness. Anyone who gossips is idle. Such a one may not spend adequate time reading the Word and praying, using the excuse that he is too busy. But such a one is not busy — he is idle.
In verse 8 Peter speaks of not being idle or unfruitful “unto the full knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” The constitution with the spiritual virtues as its constituents advances in many steps toward the full knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, with a view to the full realization of the all-inclusive embodiment of the Triune God. In this section of the Word, three prepositions are used regarding the relationship of the experience of life to spiritual knowledge: in, in verse 2, referring to the sphere of the knowledge; through, in verse 3, referring to the channel of the knowledge; and unto, in verse 8, referring to the knowledge in view as a goal. Our experiential knowledge of the Lord increases according to the degree of our growth in life.
In verse 9 Peter says, “For he in whom these things are not present is blind, being shortsighted, having forgotten the cleansing of his past sins.” As in verse 8, “these things” refers to all the virtues covered in verses 5 through 7. The one in whom these things are not present is blind, being shortsighted. The Greek word rendered “shortsighted” comes from the root word that means to close the eyes due to strong light; hence, to be shortsighted. To be thus shortsighted is to be spiritually blind, unable to see something further in the divine life and divine nature of the Triune God dispensed into the believers as their bountiful supply.
Literally, the Greek word rendered “having forgotten” means taking forgetfulness, that is, willing to forget the experience of the cleansing of past sins. That cleansing was for us to go on in the divine life by partaking of the divine nature to reach its maturity. For one to forget the cleansing of his past sins does not mean that he denies the faithful profession he made when he believed in Christ and was baptized into Him, nor does it mean that he loses the assurance of salvation which he received at that time. Rather, it is to neglect what the initiation of salvation meant to him.
In verse 10 Peter continues, “Wherefore, brothers, be the more diligent to make your calling and selection firm, for doing these things you shall by no means ever stumble.” Here to be diligent is to develop the spiritual virtues in the divine life, to advance in the growth of the divine life. This makes God’s calling and selection of us firm.
If we are diligent to develop the virtues mentioned in verses 5 through 7, we shall confirm, make sure, our calling and selection. We shall never doubt that we have been called by God and selected by Him. However, some may question whether God has chosen them. The reason they have doubt concerning this matter is that they lack the virtues listed by Peter. But if we develop these virtues and are constituted of them, we shall have the confirmation that we have been called and selected. This is to make our calling and selection firm. Furthermore, in doing these things we shall never stumble, because we have been thoroughly constituted.
In verse 11 Peter concludes, “For so shall be richly and bountifully supplied to you the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” The bountiful supply we enjoy in the development of the divine life and divine nature will bountifully supply us a rich entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord. It will enable and qualify us to enter into the coming kingdom with all the riches of the divine life and divine nature as our excellent virtues unto the splendid glory of God. This is not merely to be saved to go to heaven.
The eternal kingdom in this verse refers to the kingdom of God given to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (Dan. 7:13-14), which will be manifested at His coming back (Luke 19:11-12). It will be a reward to His faithful believers, who pursue the growth in His life unto maturity and the development of the virtues of His nature, so that they may participate, in the millennium, in His kingship in God’s glory (2 Tim. 2:12; Rev. 20:4, 6). To enter thus into the eternal kingdom of the Lord is related to the entrance into God’s eternal glory, to which He has called us in Christ (1 Pet. 5:10; 1 Thes. 2:12).
Second Peter 1:11 indicates that we may have an entrance richly and bountifully supplied into the kingdom of our Lord. However, a good number of Christians will not have such an entrance, because they have never built up this entrance by developing the divine seed unto maturity. If we are not constituted of the divine virtues, we shall not be able to build up such an entrance. But if we have the development of the divine life and are constituted of the elements of the divine nature, a rich and bountiful entrance into the coming kingdom will be supplied to us.
