Paul taught the church in Rome, "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God" (Rom. 5:1-2). In 2 Peter 1:2a, Peter writes, "Grace and peace be multiplied to you." God wants the substance of salvation, "grace and peace," to "be multiplied to you,” or to be poured out upon you abundantly.
"Grace" (charis; v. 2a) is God's free, unmerited favor toward sinners. "Grace" grants those who believe the gospel, forgiveness forever through the Lord Jesus Christ. (John MacArthur, Jr., The MacArthur New Testement Commentary; 2 Peter & Jude, [Moody Publishers, 2005], 23)
"Peace" (eirēnē) with God and "peace" from God in all life's circumstances is the effect of grace flowing out of the forgiveness God has given to all who believe.
John wrote, "For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace" (John 1:16, NASB). "Grace upon grace" is a phrase that defines the unending flow of God's favor, while peace comes with such fullness in God that we can't fully comprehend it.
John MacArthur said, "Believers receive surpassing grace for every sin and abundant peace for every trial." (Ibid)
"Grace and peace" come to us "in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord" (v. 2b). It does not come to those who do not know Christ and who do not fully embrace the gospel.
"Knowledge" (epignōsis, v. 2b) is a strengthened form of the basic Greek word for "knowledge" (gnōsis). The word as used here, refers to a full, rich, thorough knowledge, involving a degree of intimate understanding of a specific subject. (Ibid, 24)
Salvation involves this kind of personal knowledge of God through His Word. The knowledge that brings salvation is not from feelings, or emotions, or even from personal experience. It is from the revealed truth. It is based on the gospel of Christ preached from the Word of God: "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ" (Rom. 10:17).
Salvation comes from a true and personal knowledge of the person and work of Jesus Christ. It is not merely knowing the truth about Him—that is mere head knowledge. No, salvation is to know Jesus through the truth of His Word. That is why Peter closed this letter by encouraging his readers, who already have that saving knowledge, to "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18), the benediction I use every Sunday morning.
Knowing the Lord in salvation is where the Christian life begins. The rest of our life is pursuing a greater knowledge of the glory of the Lord and of His grace.
Getting to know Jesus better and learning to walk closer with Him is of extreme importance. That is why you must "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18) every day. As you do, you experience the abundance of God's grace beiing "multiplied to you" (2 Peter 1:2a). Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment