The Divine Means of Being Kept in an Evil Day

2 Peter 1  •  4 min. read  •  grade level: 8
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(Chapter 1)
The Salutation
Vss. 1-2—Peter introduces himself as “Simon Peter.” Simon was his old name that he had as a man in the flesh (John 1:41-4241He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ. 42And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone. (John 1:41‑42)). Oftentimes, when he would act according to his old nature, he is called “Simon” (Mark 14:3737And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not thou watch one hour? (Mark 14:37); Luke 5:4-5; 22:31-324Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. 5And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. (Luke 5:4‑5)
31And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: 32But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. (Luke 22:31‑32); John 18:10; 21:210Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus. (John 18:10)
2There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples. (John 21:2)). It is significant that in having to write about the failure of the Christian testimony, as Peter was led to do here, that he would use his old name. This shows that he was conscious of the fact that he himself had failed, and that in speaking of the collective failure of the Church, he was in no way doing it disparagingly.
He calls himself “a bondman and an apostle of Jesus Christ.” He was an apostle by the Lord’s choosing, but it was of his own volition that he was a bondman. The Lord has never asked or commanded anyone to be His bondman; it is something that the believer chooses to be, voluntarily, when he realizes that he has been “bought with a price” (1 Cor. 6:20; 7:2320For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. (1 Corinthians 6:20)
23Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men. (1 Corinthians 7:23)). The process of exercise that leads the believer to this surrender his life comes through first understanding what Christ’s work on the cross has done. It makes the believer “the Lord’s freedman” (1 Cor. 7:22Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. (1 Corinthians 7:2)2a). As such, we have been set free from the judgment of our sins, from sin as a master, from Satan, and from the world. But when the cost of our freedom comes home to our souls, and we realize that the Lord has paid such a great price to redeem us, we will resolve to no longer use our freedom for our own interests, but for the furtherance of His interests. We, therefore, voluntarily enlist ourselves in His service as “Christ’s bondman” (1 Cor. 7:22Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. (1 Corinthians 7:2)2b). Thus, the Lord’s work on the cross, received by faith, makes us freedmen; but we, by our own choice, make ourselves His bondmen. By Peter’s stating that he was the Christ’s bondman, he was indicating that he had gone through this exercise and had put himself at the Lord’s disposal in the Lord’s service.
By stating that those to whom he was writing had “obtained [received] like precious faith with us,” he meant that these believers had received the Christian revelation of truth from God—Christianity. It has been “delivered unto the saints” through the apostles and is the common possession of all believers (Jude 33Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. (Jude 3)). Peter was not speaking of faith as the inward energy of the soul’s confidence in God, which is in every person who believes, but of Christianity as distinguished from the religions of this world. H. Smith said, “The ‘precious faith’ is the faith of Christianity, in contrast with Judaism with which these believers had been connected” (The Epistles of Peter, p. 44). J. N. Darby said, “The faithfulness of the God of Israel had bestowed on His people this faith (that is to say, Christianity), which was so precious to them. Faith here, is the portion we have now in the things God gives, which in Christianity are revealed as truths” (Synopsis of the Books of the Bible, Loizeaux edition, vol. 5, p. 463).
Peter says that this precious faith has come to the saints “through the righteousness of God.” This refers to God’s faithfulness to His promises in the Old Testament to bring salvation to man through Christ (Gen. 49:1818I have waited for thy salvation, O Lord. (Genesis 49:18); Psa. 14:7; 67:27Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! when the Lord bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad. (Psalm 14:7)
2That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations. (Psalm 67:2); Isa. 12:2-3; 25:9; 45:8; 52:7, 10; 56:12Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. 3Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. (Isaiah 12:2‑3)
9And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation. (Isaiah 25:9)
8Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together; I the Lord have created it. (Isaiah 45:8)
7How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth! (Isaiah 52:7)
10The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God. (Isaiah 52:10)
1Thus saith the Lord, Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed. (Isaiah 56:1), etc.). Peter adds, “and our Saviour Jesus Christ,” because He is the One who made atonement for God’s glory and for our blessing.
Vs. 2—Peter desired “grace and peace” to be “multiplied” to them. It is encouraging to know that in a day when evil is being multiplied on every hand, God can multiply grace and peace for His saints to meet it. This shows that no matter how dark the day gets, God can meet the challenge. Grace and peace for the Christian pathway comes to the saints “through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.” Some seem to think that we need to be versed in the evil doctrines that are in Christendom in order to escape those errors. However, it is not knowing what is false that is going to keep us from error, but rather, knowing, believing, and walking in the truth. Delving into evil, even with good intentions, is potentially dangerous; we could get deceived by it in some way and get tripped up in our Christian lives (compare Deut. 12:29-3229When the Lord thy God shall cut off the nations from before thee, whither thou goest to possess them, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their land; 30Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou inquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise. 31Thou shalt not do so unto the Lord thy God: for every abomination to the Lord, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods. 32What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it. (Deuteronomy 12:29‑32)).