Grow in the Likeness of Christ

In 2 Peter 1:3-4, Peter reveals still more about God's call on the life of all true believers: "His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust."

By His power, God has given us everything we need to live our life in the likeness of Christ. Everything we need to conform to the image of Christ comes through knowing the Lord. Pursue the knowledge of God and you will not be lacking in any way.

The knowledge of God comes through His Word. Study the Scriptures, get to know the Word, and you will come to know God. The Bible is our guide to life. It teaches us the way we should go. "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths" (Prov. 3:5-6).

The Lord even provides leaders to teach us His Word: "And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" (Eph. 4:11-13).

Our pastors and teachers train us in our "work of ministry" (v. 12a), our “work of service” (NASB), and in the use of our spiritual gifts. They help us to know Christ better, enabling us to be more like Him.

God has "called us by His own glory and excellence" (2 Peter 1:3b, NASB) into a life of godliness, and in Christ He has given us "exceedingly great and precious promises" (v. 4a). Through these promises we become "partakers of the divine nature" (v. 4b). "Divine nature" (v. 4b) refers to what comes from God, who He is and how He handles things. "Partakers" (v. 4b) means to have something in common. It refers to believers being partners with God, becoming like Jesus in our basic character and how we handle the things in life.

Considering this, Peter urges all diligence in our growing up into Christ: "Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins" (2 Peter 1:5-9; NASB).

Do these things and you will grow in the knowledge of Christ and in the likeness of Christ. In this way, you are to "be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 1:10-11). Amen.