The Foundation of the Christian Life (2 Peter 1:3–4)
Foundations matter—some last, and some, like the sinking city of Venice, do not. Before Peter calls us to a life of godliness, he shows us the foundation on which that life is built: “his divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness.”
In this sermon on 2 Peter 1:3–4, we see the three gracious gifts God has laid beneath the Christian life: the gift of eternal life in Christ, the gift of his precious and very great promises, and the goal of participating in God himself as partakers of the divine nature. We do not build our own foundation; we live on the one God has already given.
Introduction
Children, in this morning’s message, I’m going to be talking about a foundation for us to stand on as Christians. Imagine what that looks like as we go through and draw me a picture.
Last Sunday we began to open up 2 Peter. We began with the first two verses and our standing with God. This means how we’re doing in relation to God. So, how are you doing? It’s not because of what you’ve done or are doing but what God has done! Amen? Repeat after me: “My standing with God…Is not because of what I’ve done…but because of what God has done!”
What has God done? He’s sent his divine Son, Jesus, to rescue us in his righteousness. He’s gifted us with faith to embrace and believe in him. Now, Peter continues to say that our calling to live a godly life has a foundation
1,600 years ago, citizens fleeing the invading Germanic tribes went out on boats to a series of over 100 islands. Eventually, they drove millions of wooden stakes just 15cm apart and 5m deep into the clay, then laid a wooden floor on top, and finally stone on top of that to form a foundation to build the city known as Venice today. But you might know that this foundation and thus the city is sinking. You’ve probably seen videos of tourists eating in cafés where the floor is a couple of feet under water! Foundations are important; some last, some don’t.
For us to live the Christian life, we need to know the foundation under us is going to last. If you’re foundation is based in you and on your performance, that might last 1,600 years like Venice, but eventually it’s going to crumble underneath your feet.
Theme
Here, Peter proclaims our foundation is God’s grace!
The Gift of Eternal Life
He begins with the gift of eternal life. His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness (v. 3). His divine power has granted to us. Who is “his?” The previous reference in verse 2 is Jesus our Lord. Also, in verse 16 he again links the language of power and Jesus together. This is another example of how Peter, who lived with Jesus 24/7 for three years, is so centered on Jesus as the God-man.
His divine power is not that he had some of God’s power, but that he is that power because he’s divine. In Romans 1:4, Paul said that by the resurrection he was declared “Son of God in power.” Remember, as eternal God, he is almighty; but when he became man, he humbled himself in a new situation so the resurrection declared that as human, as the Messiah, he is the Son-of-God-in-power.
In his divine power he granted to us. “Us” reminds us of how “those,” meaning, Gentiles, are one with the Jews who trust in Jesus. That verb granted (dōreomai) speaks of a royal gift. It’s a perfect passive verb, meaning, it’s something accomplished and complete as well as something he gave to us; he’s active in giving, we’re passive in receiving. Jesus has given a royal gift of grace.
What has he granted? All things that pertain to life and godliness (v. 3). Life is eternal life. Godliness (eusebeia) is also translated “piety,” which is our response to the eternal life God has given. In verses 6 and 7 he uses this word again. Jesus has granted the royal gift by his grace of all you need to live forever with God and all you need to live for the glory of God here and now. It’s all grace. That’s your foundation.
“On Christ the solid rock I stand,
all other ground is sinking sand.”
How has he granted it? Jesus’s divine power has granted [gifted] to us all things that pertain to [eternal] life and godliness through the knowledge of him (Jesus, again) who called us (v. 3). Knowledge is more than information that you intellectually assent to; it’s knowing relationally Jesus. Through your knowing him who called.
The New Testament distinguishes a general from a special calling of God. Jesus said, “Many are called, but few are chosen” (Matt. 22:14). There’s a general calling, but there’s a special one that’s also called election. This special calling, we speak of as the effectual call. How do I know if I’ve been chosen or effectually called? Believe! This general call goes out to everyone today. God makes no distinction. Come to him now!
Why has he granted it? Jesus’s divine power has granted [gifted] to us all things that pertain to [eternal] life and godliness through the knowledge of him who [effectually] called us to his own glory (doxa) and excellence (aretē)(v. 3). Notice the order: Jesus effectually called you; Jesus gave you the royal gift of eternal life and godliness; Jesus’s purpose was that you might experience his glory and excellence forever in eternity. Do you realize that living a life of godliness now is a little foretaste of eternal life to come?
We hear in the fashionable ideology of the day that Christianity is just a power play; it’s a white religion that’s colonized indigenous peoples and now I’m seeking to colonize your minds. “Don’t impose your morality on me!” Can we impose our own ideas onto what God says? Yes, and that’s sin. But the call to live a set apart life in distinction from the world is God’s call to you, not mine!
And godliness now prepares us for eternal life to come. What is eternal life? According to Peter it’s entering into Jesus’s own glory and excellence. The Greek word for glory, doxa, is the equivalent of the Hebrew kavod. All throughout the Old Testament kavob is used for the Lord’s majestic presence. He is the King of glory (Ps. 24) and the “God of glory” (Ps. 29:3). “His glory [is] above the heavens,” the psalmist says (Ps. 8:1; 113:4), as well as, “The heavens declare the glory of God” (Ps. 19:1). “Isaiah heard the heavenly hosts singing, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory” (Isa. 6:3). In the wilderness, Israel saw “the glory of the Lord appear[…] in the [pilar of] cloud” (Ex. 16:10) and “on Mount Sinai…like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain ” (Ex.. 24:16, 17). “Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle” (Ex. 40:35).
Who is this God of glory? According to Peter: Jesus! Amen? He… called us to his own glory. How can Peter say that? “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father” (John 1:14). “He is the radiance of the glory of God” (Heb. 1:3). As Peter said in 1 Peter 5:10, “the God of all grace…has [effectually] called you to his eternal glory.” He’s also called us to his excellence in eternity. This speaks of virtue or moral goodness. In theological terms this is Jesus’s inherent holiness and righteousness as well as his active obedience or righteousness. We share in this already by faith, but one day by sight and experience.
King Jesus has gifted you already with all you need to live out eternal life here and now but also to live eternally with him in the life to come.
The Gift of the Promises
Then Peter speaks of the gift of the promises. By which or “through these” [his glory and excellence] he has granted (dōreomai) to us his precious and very great promises (v. 4). Children, do you like promises? Have you ever made a promise? Like your parents, you’ve also broken promises, haven’t you? We have a Savior who makes promises and who keeps them! He never fails.
What promises is he talking about? We could be saying all the promises of his coming in the Old Testament, which he’s kept in his first coming. But Peter is writing to us about eternal life here. How do we know his promises to us about future eternal life are real and will be kept? Because he’s already made and kept the hundreds even thousands of promises in the past. This is our confidence of faith and hope, then, for the future: Jesus has already demonstrated he’s faithful to his promises so we can take him at his word.
King Jesus has gifted with eternal life, which you already enjoy, as well as his secure promises of eternal life to come.
The Goal of Participation in God
These gifts of eternal life and promises are all for the goal of participation in God. Notice the so that in verse 4. Everything he’s said is for a purpose. Through them [the promises] you may become partakers or “sharers” (koinōnoi) of the divine nature (theias phuseōs).
This is one of those lines in the New Testament that has occasioned confusion. If you have an Eastern Orthodox friend, you know this is “their” verse about “theosis” or “divinization.” What’s eternal life for the Orthodox? That God became man so that man might become “god.”
The only other time this phrase divine nature is used in the New Testament is in Acts 17:29 where Paul is speaking to the Athenians about who God is. Notice here in 2 Peter the whole context is referring to Jesus as divine. What I want to say is that our being partakers or “sharers” of the divine nature is no abstract concept of theosis or becoming divine.
Whose divine nature is being described here? Jesus’s! The goal of his royal gifts of eternal life and promises are so that we might share in him. In theological speak, we call this being “united to Christ.” That’s how Paul speaks of our relationship to God now and for eternal life. It’s being united to Jesus.
To be united to him, therefore, is to be united to his eternal Father. And to be united to the Father and the Son, therefore, means being united to the Holy Spirit. Eternal life is coming into communion with God, the Father in his love, through the grace of his Son, Jesus Christ, by the indwelling power and presence of the Holy Spirit. We already have that but we await the fulness of it in the life to come. Amen?
What does this participation in Jesus’s divine nature look like? Note again, this isn’t some abstract contemplation in union with the divine, but it’s concrete sanctification: having escaped (apophugontes) from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire (v. 4). Having escaped is past tense. What have we already escaped? The corruption (phthora) that is in the world because of sinful desire.
Again, participating in the divine nature is something that we already have by virtue of having come out of the world and into Jesus’s fellowship; it’s something we are presently experiencing in an ongoing way in what’s called “sanctification;” and it’s something we’ll finally experience when we put off our corruption and our mortal bodies are resurrected like his glorious body in eternity!
The goal of your life is union with the Triune God: the Father, through his Son, in the power of the Holy Spirit. You have it already in your justification. You are experiencing it more and more in your sanctification. You will have its fulness in eternity in your glorification.
Conclusion
So, what’s the foundation of the Christian life, brothers and sisters? What’s the thing you and I stand upon and build our Christian lives? The foundation of the Christian life is the grace of God and specifically here, the royal gifts and graces of King Jesus! Amen?