2 Peter 1:1-2 – Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours: 2 Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
“…a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ…” Peter refers to Himself as a bondservant, a willing “slave” to Jesus. A bondservant was a person who had served as a slave for six years and was to be set free. But the bondservant circumspectly considered his options and after considerable thought were convinced that they had a good master and a good situation being the slave to their master. If the slave decided to break his union with his master, then he must then go into the world and supply and fend for himself. He needed to start a business or find a job. Who knew if his business would succeed or if his new boss would treat him as well as his master had. His master supplied his needs. His master gave him a roof over his head, supplied him food and drink, protected him, and a good master was kind to him. The bondservant was one who decided that he had a good thing and he could think of no better situation than to stay with his good master. This bondservant wanted to serve his master. Peter was called by the Father to Jesus, selected by Jesus to be one of His closest disciples. Jesus had loved, cared for, given Peter words of eternal life, provided for him and protected Him. Peter understood that only Jesus is the Holy Son of God who had the “words of eternal life”(John 6:68). Peter, though a person who sometimes talked too soon, made poor and rash decisions, and even at one time denied the Lord, and then had been abundantly forgiven, knew that there was no-one else to go to. He knew that Jesus was the only option on whom one should give his life to. He knew that Jesus was Savior and Lord. Peter said I am willingly and thankfully a servant to Christ to do Hs bidding. Oh Lord, may I always likewise serve!
Peter identifies himself as an Apostle. Apostle means “sent out one,” or “sent one.” Of the great multitude who were disciples of Christ, Peter was one of the twelve who were closest to Jesus and, who were selected by Him to carry on with His work. Of the twelve, Peter was one of the even tighter group of three (Peter, James and John). Peter walked close with the Lord, understood who He was, and knew that He would serve Jesus during his whole life, with His whole life.
“…through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ…” Here Peter is acknowledging Jesus as both God and Savior. For those who deny the deity of Christ, this is a good scripture for us to refer back to us. To us who understand and believe in Jesus, the knowledge of His deity is sacrosanct and unassailable. Yet, we must remember that to those who do not know Jesus, this is vital, life-saving information. Yes, there is only one Lord, and one God (1 Samuel 2:2) and we know that the one God is our Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
Peter does not put himself above us, but humbly states that he and all of us share the same precious faith. When something is precious, it is something that is highly valued, something that is set apart from common things as more dear and valuable to us. Someone precious are those who are found deep in our hearts. Such is both Jesus our Savior and Lord and the faith that we have because of Him. He and our faith in Him, is the dearest, the most valuable of all to us. None can come between us, we will not allow that! Most precious to us are those we love most dearly, most tenderly. Indeed our Lord, and our faith in Him is the most precious to us. Nothing more valuable. No-one and nothing is more dear. Now, let us be wise, as Peter was, and remember that continuously and always. Let us live our lives based on that knowledge. How dear to us is He who first considered us dear to Him!
“Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.” We are delivered from exclusion from God to the throne room of God by the work of Jesus and our faith in Him and it. Having that sure knowledge, not being “double-minded,” we receive the grace of God which brings us peace. Why do we need to worry when it is God who has secured a destiny for us? We have faith in what God has provided and promised. Yet we must have a knowledge to have faith. One does not believe in Jesus if one does not know of Him (Romans 10:14). We then progress, by the calling of God’s Holy Spirit, from knowing of Him, to knowing Him. The more we know Him, the more faith we have in Him. If our faith is lacking, our knowledge is lacking. So, as we know who Jesus is and what He has done we have faith in Him. As we draw ever more closely to the Lord, our knowledge is increased our deepened faith brings us to sure grace, and sure grace brings us peace. As we know Him more, He becomes ever the more “precious” and we are willing that all other parts of our life be set aside and we cling only to our precious Lord. He whom we consider most valuable and most dear to us is whom we cling to. As the adage goes “Know God, Know Peace. No God, No Peace.” With our faith in Jesus, there is our peace found. Jesus, there is none other! Praise the Lord!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God.