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Wait. There is a world of articles, books, and information out there when it comes to Christianity, but we are mostly stuck with rhetoric and double talk when it comes to our relationship with the Lord, our new identity as believers, and the security and finality of the work of Christ. Are you getting everything you need spiritually from your church? Or do you find yourself feeling hungry for more? Join Lenny as he unpacks what Scripture really taught about our Lord Jesus Christ in context and why this matters to you. Wake up, wake up, wake up to grace.

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What does Peter mean by calling Christians partakers of the divine nature? What is the divine nature? How can we know it's ours and what happens if our actions seem more human than divine? Does this mean we're not truly Christians? Today I will walk through the first chapter of Peter's second epistle to clarify what it means to partake in the divine nature, and address the questions that often arise from this passage. Let's dive in and sharpen our understanding together. Second Peter chapter one begins. Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ. May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. Peter makes a strong claim, saying others have obtained a faith equal to theirs. Paul started his letters with similar claims to the saints. Peter likewise makes all believers equal through faith obtained by the righteousness of Jesus. Notice obtained. They already had it and did not earn it. Peter's audience received faith in Christ as a free gift, making them equal even to the apostles entrusted with the gospel. Peter then continues by praying that grace and peace be multiplied to those who were of this equal standing in Christ through the knowledge of their Lord. According to Peter, if you want more grace and peace, you need more knowledge of Jesus. Not more good deeds, but more knowledge. And if this isn't already clear, he repeats it. His divine power is granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence, by which He has granted to us His precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. Peter takes things a large step forward here, saying that the divine power of God has granted the believers all things that pertain to life and godliness through knowledge of Him. And what knowledge might he be speaking of? Are we looking at the history of the Bible? Are we looking to understand Greek and Hebrew? Or maybe we need a seminary education so that we can be instructed in how to read our Bible? No, it's none of these things. The knowledge Peter speaks of is the precious and very great promises of the Lord. It's the understanding of the gospel of Jesus Christ. This proclamation will place many Christians into a state of cognitive dissonance. We might think, I don't get it. We have to understand the gospel in order to be saved. It's not complicated. Jesus died for our sins, and now we're saved. What more is there to learn about the gospel? And how can learning more about it help me to navigate life's problems and become more godly? I think Peter must be exaggerating a bit or talking about something else. Or we can say that those who struggle with life and godliness are just not saved. But Peter's message is clear. The gospel, though simple, contains the depth necessary for everything we need in life and godliness. It's not a surface level idea, but the foundation for grace and peace to multiply in our lives. Embracing this depth is essential to expressing the divine nature Peter describes. How much of your life can be summed up as life? Peter says knowledge of the gospel is all we need. It's our source of godliness. To be godly, understand the gospel. To get through hard times, study the gospel. Grace and peace will not multiply by attending church, only through knowledge of Jesus. So what does divine nature mean? Simply put, it's the gift of faith in Jesus given at salvation, placing us on equal footing with the apostles. So why don't all Christians exhibit this in their lives? The core argument is this those focused on the world reflect a worldly nature, while those focused on works seek human praise, as Jesus noted of the faithless Pharisees. In Matthew six two, Jesus says thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly I say to you, they have received their reward. And then in verse five he says, When you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly I say to you, they have received their reward. Our father is not impressed by outward behavior, he looks at the heart. He's pleased when we express his divine nature. And what is God's divine nature? Yahweh displayed it through Christ. We express it through knowledge of Him. Peter continues For this very reason make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self control, and self control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Peter describes a spiritual workout, building on knowledge with active faith. This is how grace and peace are multiplied, and we align with our divine calling. Christ in us enables our divine nature. His righteousness makes us godly. Paul exhorted the Philippians to work out their salvation with awe. We work out what he worked in. This is God's divine power. Now to fully answer what the divine nature means, we must clarify how it's obtained. Only by understanding our equal standing with the apostles, through faith can we truly live out and express the divine nature Peter declares is ours. Second Peter one nine says for whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he's blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall, for in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Peter's claim is striking. When believers do not express a living faith it points to a lack of understanding of forgiveness, central to the gospel and our divine nature. The main issue he highlights is not behavior, but doctrine. Failing to grasp the magnitude of forgiveness disrupts our ability to express Christ. In the first century, observance of the law was a stumbling block to many. It appeared good and pious, with those behaving according to God's law seeming holy. However, it's the state of the heart, not behavior alone that pleases the Lord. At the core of many Christians lies ongoing wrestling with forgiveness, a battle that remains unresolved despite its victory in Christ. Today most Protestant denominations teach regular confession as a way to maintain right standing with God. Does this process reflect God's divine nature? Many say it does, citing 1 John 1 9 as proof. But what does this passage actually say? In speaking about those who rejected Jesus, John proclaims in 1 John 1 9, if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Consider this passage. Pulpits often note that the Greek word for confess implies ongoing action, fueling a doctrine of Christians continually asking for forgiveness. This would make Christianity only marginally different from law observance. Beyond a focus on works, what was an issue that could arise with observing Jewish law as a Christian? Trusting animal sacrifices for daily sin would have been a major problem. This is why Hebrews states for by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. So what's wrong with continually asking for more forgiveness? It's the thought process it creates within us. Just as the Hebrews to whom it was written, observing the law in itself is not sin. It was the thought process that could arise if the gospel of Christ were abandoned in its favor. According to John, if we confess our sins, we're cleansed from all unrighteousness. How many times does one need to be cleansed of all unrighteousness? We only need this cleansing once. So then can asking forgiveness be perpetual? First let's recognize that asking for forgiveness is not even mentioned in first John one nine. It's about confession. What is a confession? It's an admittance. How did we become Christians? We admitted we were sinners in need of the blood of Jesus. We agreed with God. We agreed with God that we were sinners in need of the blood of Jesus. We confessed. And does our salvation stop there? If so, what need would we have for more knowledge of the gospel? How would grace and peace be multiplied if the gospel were not a perpetual and living gift? Therefore, we can conclude that John made a great choice of words in describing saving grace as a perpetual thing. It symbolizes saving faith, a faith that is alive within the believer and in itself cleanses us. Theology that puts us in and out of fellowship and salvation based on behavior is exactly what Peter warns against. It's the reason that Christians today have forgotten they've been cleansed of their sins. We convince ourselves otherwise every day. Without crediting Christ Jesus for our righteousness, we find ourselves placing much effort in seeking what we already have, or being proud of something we're not. Neither of these things produce spiritual fruit in our lives. Understanding our right standing with the Lord is critical, but what good is the cross if we exclude the resurrection? I'm not referring to merely believing that Jesus rose from the dead. I'm speaking of believing that his life is in you. I'm talking about Paul's words, I can do all things in Christ who strengthens me. What does divine nature mean but to live knowing with certainty that His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness? Is there any amount of pain that's too much for Christ? Is there any level of anxiety that's beyond casting on him? Once we believe that Christ made us right with God, we must also believe that he's our strength, and that grace and peace will be multiplied in our lives as we wake up to his amazing grace. What do you want out of your life? If grace and peace are what you desire, you only find them in the knowledge of the work of Jesus Christ, the cross and the resurrection, your right standing with God and his divine power which increases as you gain understanding of these things. You already have everything you need right now, but there's more grace and peace to be had in your walk. Be guided by the Lord and not in your own ways. In doing so you partake in the divine nature of Yahweh. In John chapter seven, it is written on the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. A constant consciousness of this truth is necessary as we wade through our lives. Temptation to forget just how much God loves us will always be knocking at the door. Sin will always be around the corner, whether it be drug addiction, pornography, anxiety, fear, or simply not believing that Christ can overcome anything that we're going through. Life circumstances cannot stop the flow of living water from the Christian who is firm in truth. Be thankful for the knowledge you have and never stop seeking more grace and peace. Throw away all doctrine that casts doubt on your divine nature, and don't let your guard down. John wrote, For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. God loves you and loves you through everything. We're saved from all of life's tragedies through this truth, and we enjoy an abundance of grace and peace through his love that flows through us. We need a steady reminder of this. In conclusion, Peter says, Therefore, I intend always to remind you of these qualities, though you know them and are established in the truth that you have. I think it right as long as I'm in the body to stir you up by way of reminder, since I know that the putting off of my body will be soon, as our Lord Jesus made clear to me, and I will make every effort so that after my departure, you may be able at any time to recall these things. That's what I got for this week, guys. See you next time. Grace and peace until then. The content of this message can be found on my blog post at waking up to grace.com. My writings include linked references and visual aids, which will give even more valuable insight, and it's always free of charge. The comment section below each message is a place where we can share mutual encouragement and insight with one another outside of the social media.