The Knowledge of Righteousness Apprehended by Faith
The Christian faith is received by each one who is born again of God’s Spirit (2 Pet 1:1; 1 Pet 1:3). The gift of faith is inseparable from the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38; 10:45; Eph 2:8–9). Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of Christ (Rom 10:17). The Word of Christ is preached by the man of God, who is himself filled with the Holy Spirit to proclaim Christ and Him crucified (1 Cor 2:2, 4; Col 1:28).
The Christian trusts Jesus Christ (Ps 118:8; Prv 3:5–6), who is Himself righteous before God the Father (1 Jn 2:1), by His own meritorious works in life and death (Phil 3:9). Jesus, our God and Savior (Titus 1:4; 2:13; 2 Pet 1:1), is the solution to our sin, death, and damnation problem (Ps 51:5; Rom 3:23; 5:12; 6:23; Heb 9:27). There is no other way into the presence of the Holy God than through His only begotten Son our Lord (Jn 3:16; 14:6).
Simeon (Simon) Peter, the fisherman of Galilee and disciple of Jesus of Nazareth, is well known among the followers of Jesus because of his personality. The New Testament writers grant us a view to Cephas that is prominent.
As a risk taker, Peter had primacy among the closest followers of Jesus. He was at the inner circle of Jesus’ confidantes, along with James and John, the sons of thunder. His bold approach also subjected him to making mistakes. The reader of the Bible respects the zeal of this brother of Andrew; but we also pause at the impulsive words and actions that frequented Peter’s demeanor (Mt 4:18; 16:22–23).
Preachers of the Gospel are easily tempted away from the doctrine of God’s judgment of sinners. Judgment and wrath are not popular subjects with hearers of the Word, which is why men of God, called to preach the Word (Acts 16:10; 2 Tim 4:2), must be expository preachers. The verse-by-verse explication of the Bible text prevents the preacher from avoiding difficult doctrines like reprobation; sin; judgment; wrath; punishment; hell; and the lake of fire. The whole counsel of God must be explained to God’s chosen people.
The epistle of 2 Peter helps us to address some of these difficult doctrines. They are not so difficult to understand; but they are difficult to swallow. Peter opens his letter by identifying himself (2 Pet 1:1a). He then addresses his audience in the traditional (Hellenistic) way of letter writing of the times (2 Pet 1:1b).
Identifying oneself as a slave of another is helpful to know the placement of that person’s position and allegiance. A slave of Jesus Christ is one who is subservient to his or her Master; but the slave also carries the authority of the Master in dealings with others. In Peter’s case, this is emphasized by his second identifying title “apostle.”
An apostle is a sent delegate who represents his Master. He is a man on a mission to do his Master’s bidding in pertinent matters. There were the 12 (capital “A”) Apostles of Jesus Christ (Mattias replacing Judas Iscariot); and then there were the missionaries. These were the lower case “a” apostles. These had not been with Jesus, nor did they witness His resurrection; but the church ordained and commissioned them to go out and plant local churches; appointing elders; and establishing the Gospel in new places where Christ was not known.
These sent-out slaves of their Master and Lord, Jesus Christ, suffered for the sake of His Name (Acts 5:41; 9:16; Jas 5:10; 1 Pet 4:16). The world which is at enmity with God; which killed the Messiah; was hostile to the early missionary apostles. Jesus promised His disciples that they would receive hatred from the world (Jn 15:18–25), even to the point of being persecuted unto death (Jn 16:2). Christians, today, share in the sufferings of Christ and His church (Col 1:24).
Peter introduced three themes in his opening salutation: faith; righteousness; and the knowledge of God. Let us consider, briefly, these doctrinal themes, which will help us through the rest of the epistle.
Faith is that which apprehends the knowledge of God in Christ Jesus. One either trusts in God’s revelation of Himself, most fully understood in Christ (Heb 1:2), or one does not believe that our God and Savior is who He said He is, nor that He has done great things for His elect, redeemed, regenerate people. The preaching of God’s Word of truth helps separate the believers from the unbelievers.
Peter teaches us that faith, to trust Jesus our Savior, is received (2 Pet 1:1). So, we must inquire about the source, the origin of faith. The writer of Hebrews points us to Jesus upon the throne of God, as the Author and Perfecter of one’s faith (Heb 1:13; 8:1; 12:2). He is the One who imparts faith according to the measure of His choosing (Rom 12:3).
Faith is common to all the saints because it is trust in the inspired, inerrant, infallible Word of God (2 Tim 3:16; 2 Pet 1:20–21), which has been handed down to us with the promise that though heaven and earth will pass away…the Word of God stands forever (1 Pet 1:25). God has spoken. He has made promises. He keeps His promises. Together, all the saints trust Christ, the Word, and it is the Holy Spirit who delivers faith, maintains it, and increases it by growing the saints by grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Pet 3:18). He will preserve it until the day of Christ Jesus.
One aspect of faith’s apprehension is one’s status before the holy God. The biblical term for right standing before God is righteousness. The natural man is unrighteous (1 Cor 2:14). He does not have right standing in the presence of God (Eph 2:12). When he senses his disposition, his natural sinful inclination is to perform “good” works to earn God’s favor. God has judged sinful man’s good works to be filthy rags (Is 64:6). They accomplish nothing as it pertains to right standing; but to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness (Rom 4:5).
The knowledge of God informs us that only the righteousness of Christ, imputed to us by the grace of God (2 Cor 5:21), can justify guilty sinners before a holy God. True believers in Jesus share this common faith handed down to us in Christ, alone (Rom 3:26, 28; Jude 3); by God’s grace, alone (Eph 2:8–9); according to the Scriptures, alone; for the glory of God, alone.
The God of peace, who brought up from the dead, Jesus, our Savior (Heb 13:20), who has sent us the Spirit (Jn 14:26; 15:26), who has poured out the love of God into our hearts (Rom 5:5) has showered His beloved with grace and peace. Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Rom 5:1), the one and only Savior of sinners (Acts 4:12). He is the One who gives us peace that passes all understanding, in the midst of every trial (Phil 4:7). Praise Him, for He has revealed these things for us to remember all the days appointed for us.
David Norczyk
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
August 3, 2024
2 Peter 1:1–2
