Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

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6 May 2010
Passage:  2 Peter 1
Focus: “To those who…have received faith as precious as ours.”  2 Peter 1:1

            In reading Peter’s introduction to this letter this time, it occurred to me that Peter did not identify a specific addressee.  His target readers are really quite general.  “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.”  The point is that if you are seeking and following the same basic faith as Peter’s, he’s writing to you as directly as any of his contemporaries.  Most definitely, the principles of faith and godliness that he presents never go obsolete.  They are just as applicable and valuable today as they ever were.
            Take note of the term “precious.”  It’s a precious, valuable, and indispensable faith.  And yet it’s overwhelming to consider the broad spectrum of perspective toward it that abounds in this world.  To some it is just so much rubbish.  To others, it’s OK, about as good as any other faith.  But to those of us like Peter, it is PRECIOUS beyond description.  He made mention of this in his first letter too when he described how this faith becomes more valuable via the refinement of suffering.  “These have come (troubles, trials, sufferings) so that your faith—greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed” (1 Peter 1:7).
            I like that quip that says, “The reason that the good news is so GOOD, is because the bad news is so BAD.”  I see the Good News and bad news reflected quite clearly in verse 4.  It spells out the only options before us all.  Either (1) we exercise this faith and “participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires,” or (2) we DO NOT participate in the divine nature and remain bound by the corruption in the world caused by evil desires (natural human nature).  The former, of course is a declaration of GOOD NEWS, while the latter is the only option left…not very good news at all.
            Let’s be sure to pursue a faith that is just as precious as Peter’s.  And remember this: “His divine power has given us EVERYTHING WE NEED for life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3).