COV LIFE BLOG

2 Peter 1:3-11 – The Glory of Grace-Fueled Effort

Beloved, the Christian can never experience a power failure.  Did you hear that?  You can get unplugged, and you can turn the switch off, but the power never fails.  It can’t.  It’s there.  Divine power, the moment you put your faith in Jesus Christ, divine power is granted to us – to Christians.  The word granted – I wish we had some time to look at it more closely.  It is a word, compound word, in the perfect tense, which means that God has generously granted to us permanent power; something He gave us in the past with continuing results.  There can never be a power failure.  These things are not naturally found in us; they have to be given.  And Jesus our Lord, by divine power, generously, continuously gives them to us.

The second word I want you to hang your thought on is provision.  What has His power granted?  Provision – what provision?  He has granted to us – here it is – “everything pertaining to life and godliness” – absolutely unbelievable statement, apart from the fact that it’s in the word of God.  None of us, if we looked at our practical lives, would assume that we have everything necessary to life and godliness, because we stumble and fumble around so much, but here it is.  The word everything is in the emphatic position, because what Peter is emphasizing is full sufficiency.  We have everything.  Related to what?  First of all, everything pertaining to life.  What a statement.  Life is the essential reality.  Everything related to life, we have.  We have new life in Christ, and everything related to sustaining that life, we have.  That’s why we have to believe that a Christian is eternally secure.  Why?  Because you have everything that pertains to that life.  That’s why we believe that a Christian will permanently persevere.  Why?  Because you have everything which is necessary to sustain that life.  That’s why we believe that in any vicissitude, struggle, trial of life, you have everything you need, because all that you need in life, you have.  You have it in fullness, you have it in abundance, you have it in perfection – everything.  And then he adds, “and godliness.”  Everything you need to be godly, you have. 

That beautiful word eusebeia means true reverence, reverence in worship and active obedience.  Everything you need to be a reverent, holy, pious, godly person, you have.  You don’t need to be begging for something more.  You don’t need to be asking for something more, some ecstatic experience, some ecstatic gift, some miracle, some wonder, some sign.  You have every spiritual resource to sustain and perfect that eternal life that is in you, and every spiritual resource to manifest that life in godly living.  What a statement.  Let me say that again.  You have every spiritual resource to sustain and perfect that eternal life that is in you, and you have every spiritual resource to manifest that life in godly living.  All you need is there.  It is never a question of sufficiency.  The grace that is so powerful to save is equally powerful to sustain, and equally powerful to manifest itself in our conduct. 

John MacArthur

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SCRIPTURES FOR MEDITATION
Read 2 Peter 1:3-11.  What do these verses tell us about a Christian’s ability to live a faithful, godly life?  As you strive to obey God’s commands, do you believe your efforts are alone or accompanied by God’s grace?  

SONG FOR THIS WEEK
The Sands of Time are Sinking by Sovereign Grace Music