The Agency of God in Christian Diligence
Heretics are false teachers, agents of Satan, sent into Christ’s church. Their mission is to distort sound doctrine. They have no love for the truth, as it is in Jesus Christ (Eph 4:21). They have no love for Jesus in their hearts (Jn 5:42), having never received the Holy Spirit (Jn 14:17).
Heretics err in both directions away from truth. They lure and lead their followers into legalism or licentiousness. They misrepresent God’s grace. They preach cleverly devised talks and secretly introduce destruction heresies (2 Pet 1:16; 2:1). Only God’s Word of truth, employed by the Spirit of truth, exposes the sensuality of religion and the corruption of lust (Eph 4:22; 2 Pet 1:4).
The Apostle Peter wrote to the Christians of northern Turkey (Asia minor) to warn them against the heretics, the unrighteous mockers, ungodly, and unprincipled men. In his polemic, Peter encouraged his readers to trust in the agency of God to perform the works necessary to counter the enemies of God, of Christ, and Christ’s church (2 Pet 1:3 c/f 2 Cor 10:4).
Evidence of God’s divine power, to achieve God’s will, in the lives of God’s chosen people, is manifest in various virtues (2 Pet 1:5–7; Gal 5:22–23). Peter lists some of these virtues, that resemble communicable attributes of God. Thus, the life of God in the soul of man produces godliness (2 Pet 1:3) in what we call, Christ-likeness (Rom 8:29).
Christians are not gods, nor will we be in our eternal home (against Mormonism). Upon receipt of Christ (Jn 1:12), by the will of God (Jn 1:13), we do become partakers of the divine nature (2 Pet 1:4). This is the same as saying, “one has received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, who now indwells the one born again of God.” God is at work in the believer, who believes in Jesus because by God’s doing he or she is “in Christ Jesus” (1 Cor 1:30). Just as God cannot deny Himself; neither can the Christian deny Jesus Christ, whose Spirit occupies the soul of every saint (Jn 14:17; Rom 8:9, 11).
The world is corrupt (2 Pet 1:4). It is the domain of darkness (Col 1:13); and men love darkness because their deeds are evil (Jn 3:19). Heretics entice those who have tasted the good things of God (Heb 6:4–6); and despite their exposure to the things of God’s Spirit, they remain blind, short-sighted (2 Pet 1:5; c/f 2 Cor 4:4). This is analogous to forgetting the Gospel of grace.
Reprobate sinners are not chosen by God for salvation (Rom 9:22); nor are they effectually called by the Holy Spirit through the preaching of the Gospel of God. They appear to have a good beginning; but when false teachers lure them away with the false gospel of sensuality, they follow and fall away.
Peter’s list of Christian virtues provides a test for everyone to examine himself to see that he or she is actually a member of Christ’s mystical body (Rom 12:4–5; 1 Cor 12:12–20), His church (Mt 16:18), the Israel of God (Gal 6:16). The presence of the fruit of the Spirit demonstrates the Spirit at work in the true believer. Set in contrast are the deeds of the flesh (Gal 5:19–21).
The Spirit-filled believer grows in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Pet 3:18). His or her progress should be evident, as virtue increases along with the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Spirit and the flesh of men are in conflict with one another (Gal 5:17). This conflict is why Christians are not perfected in holiness in this life. The body of sin must result in the death of the body, for the wages of sin is death (Rom 6:23).
Christians are called, “saints” (1 Cor 1:2; 14:33). The idea is grace leading to holiness (1 Pet 1:15–16); and the two agents at work in every saint are the Spirit of God and the Word of God. The child of God is sanctified by the truth of God’s Word (Jn 17:17), brought to him by the sanctifying work of the Spirit (1 Pet 1:2). The Spirit reveals God’s Word (2 Tim 3:16; 2 Pet 1:20–21); and then the Spirit illumines the Word for the diligent student (Ps 18:28; Eph 1:18).
Diligence is all of grace. We hunger and thirst because God makes us that way, both physically and spiritually (Mt 5:36). God’s grace brings satisfaction by moving the child of God to receive the bread of life and rivers of living water (Jn 6:35). Simply put, we are moved by the Spirit; or we can say, “the love of Christ compels us” (2 Cor 5:14).
The competing kingdoms of this world and of Christ will vie for the souls of people until the kingdom of this world becomes the kingdom of God and of Christ (Rev 11:15). Just as the entrance into the eternal kingdom is supplied by the Holy Spirit (Jn 3:5), sent by the Father and the Son (Jn 14:26; 15:26), for the souls of God’s elect, redeemed, and regenerate people…so the eternal kingdom will be abundantly supplied, eschatologically, on the last day for all who are in Christ Jesus (2 Pet 1:11).
Until that day, my dear reader, let us pray that God will continue to grant us every grace for every situation we endure in this present evil age and perverse generation (Acts 2:40; Gal 1:4; Phil 2:15). Let us pray in the Spirit to God our Father, who loves us, to work in us His will, which is our salvation (Phil 2:12–13). This, he has promised in His Word, where we learn Christ Jesus, His Person and works.
My dear reader, God alone is able to make His grace abound toward you in everything necessary to conform you to the image of His beloved Son (2 Cor 9:8). He wills it (Phil 2:13). He works it (Is 26:12); and He is glorified by it. It is for you to rejoice in so great a salvation (Phil 4:4).
May we never forget nor neglect the memory of Christ Jesus’ purification for sins (Heb 1:3; 2 Pet 1:9). We must meditate upon His death on the cross and proclaim it until he comes again (1 Cor 11:26). God, who is love (1 Jn 4:8), has loved us with an everlasting love. Love never fails (1 Cor 13:8), so, He who began the good work of salvation in you, will bring it to completion (Phil 1:6). And He will do it with divine diligence. You have His Word on it.
David Norczyk
Spokane Valley, Washington
September 5, 2024
2 Peter 1:8–11
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