2 Peter 1:5 - And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
And beside this, or literally, on account of this. On account of what? You became partakers of the divine nature. If you are a partaker of the divine nature, then there are changes taking place within you as you're influenced by the very nature and quality of God Himself.
So, the first phrase there is making reference back to Verse 4. And there's where you bring the first phase into the second. Next, which would be the third thing, it says giving all diligence. And this is a phrase that indicates for me my responsibility in this growth process. It's diligence, which means top priority. It is my decision making and my responsibility to make spiritual growth in Christ the top priority of my life.
Fourthly: And here's where we get into a crunch of words. Add to your faith. What in the world does that mean? First of all, here's an explanation of how Paul said it, because Peter is saying the same thing. In Philippians 2:12-13, Paul says wherefore my beloved as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
But you can't stop there. It says in Verse 13, for it is God which works in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure. There are people who stop at Verse 12 and say "See, that's what we're supposed to do in our efforts. We're supposed to work out our own salvation." No! Our responsibility is that our salvation should be being worked out in us in a growth process. That is my responsibility, but I don't do the work. That's why is says for it is God who works in you.
And that's the importance of our relationship with Christ. Please know that I'm not minimizing the importance of the bible. It's just that some people have a relationship with the bible and they don't have a relationship with Christ. By my participation with the divine nature, His very virtue is developed in my life, the qualities of God's nature, virtue!
Next, and in virtue, and remember that the word to means in. And in the virtue, let it supply knowledge. So, all of these prepositional phrases "in," come off of that. Supply in your faith virtue; in your virtue, let it supply knowledge. How does knowledge come out of virtue? As I just mentioned to you that Acts 4:13 said that the religious council took note that they were unlearned and ignorant men, but that they had been with Jesus.
The word knowledge is an intimate word, a word that expresses intimate relationship. At the end of Matthew Chapter 1, it says that Mary and Joseph, that they didn't know each other until after she gave birth to her firstborn son. So, it's an intimate term. It's even used for the physical relationship between husband and wife. It's coming to know Him, being influenced by His virtue, the qualities of His nature.
For there are a number of versions that have translated ' on" instead of 'in" . Namely in rev 3 where the Spirit of the Lord says to the churches on this case to the church of Laodocia that " if you overcome I will make you sit IN my throne even as I overcome and sit IN my Fathers throne"
The ONLY one who can sit ON the Fathers throne is the Father and the one who can sit ON the Sons throne s The Lord Jesus Christ . Yet some have presumed to translate it as " ON" His throne.
I am not the Lord yet by the grace of God am IN Christ . And have become a partaker of the divine nature. But while IN Christ I may come to share in His Power and Authority He still has " the pre eminence in all things.and thus Must sit ON the throne.
To excercise authority we must be in submission to that authority. To sit ON the throne is to usurp that authority and BE the authority . Even the Lord made no such claim but rather on two grounds stated His authority . The Scriptures and of Him who sent Him . Even the Fathers and "in the mouth of two witnesses a thing is established".
I say all this not for contentions sake but rather for the Words sake. For many have been misled into thinking that if they can but have the Greek or Hebrew they will understand the scriptures.
This is not so . For wether they be in Greek Hebrew English etc it is by the Spirit of truth that we are led in to all truth .
For even as " all scripture was given by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit so likewise and in the same measure we need Him to understand what is written . But if you say by the a" original text" we truly understand etc then my reply would be that if a person understands as they think they do in those languages then they should in English explain or argue the case in English according to their understanding.
But we make a mistake to fall back on " but the original test says etc" But dot not prove the case .
One of the things we learn in our human association, we are warned about being around people that can be bad influence. Paul says in 1 Corinthians Chapter 15 that bad company corrupts good morals. It's not the other way around. It won't be the believers influence over his drinking friends. It will be the drinking friends and their influence over him.
So, to put it into our terminology, whoever you "hang around," you're going to talk like him, you're going to act like him, and you're going to show the influences.
The bible tells us that the more time we spend with Him, and I'm not talking about in a book, even though the bible is part of it. I'm not talking about spending time in the bible and God's Spirit will influence you. I'm talking about Him! Because we cannot see Him nor hear Him, His design is to minister to us through the word, but it's to bring us to Himself.
When you are able to quote scripture, people can tell that you have spent many hours in the bible. But have you been with Christ for many hours? Some people can quote the book. And if you're into memorizing, that's great. Those are tools that God's Spirit uses.
But I'm reminded in Acts 4:13, when Peter and James and John the fishermen were there, and they were talking to the religious council about the fulfillment in the Messiah. It says the council took notice of them that they were unlearned and ignorant men. Well, that's not what the words mean. It actually means that they did not go through the Rabbinical Schools.
Then it says, but they did take knowledge of them, and were marveled at them, but they took note that they had been with Jesus. Ah! It didn't say the bible. It didn't say the Tanak. "You haven't been to the Rabbinical Schools, have you? But we can tell you've been with Jesus!"
Also, each one of these words, along with faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and charity, each one has the Definite Article, which names the stage in which the growth is taking place.
And lastly, before I get into the list itself, this list is arranged with the word "in," and with the Definite Article for each one. And notice that the stages are repeated. Supply in your faith virtue; and in virtue knowledge; and in knowledge, and so on. Each stage of growth is produced out of the one that comes before it. Or, each stage of growth produces the next stage of growth.
I know this is a lot of detail, but we don't get that in our English text, no matter which English text we read, we don't get that lineup and that formula in the detail that Peter is making.
So, he says on the account of the fact that you are a partaker of the divine nature, after having given all priority to this growth process, supply in the faith. That would be the interaction with the Lord.
In the faith, supply virtue. That's why it's important. Back at the end of Verse 3, you'll remember he says the one who has called us of His own glory, and virtue. That's the same word, virtue. This is not my virtue. This is God's virtue, His qualities, the quality of His nature, and His morality. In other words, everything about who God is and His influences over my life, because in faith, I am participating with the divine nature, and as I participate with the divine nature, that produces the influence of who God is on my life. That's very important.
The way God created the world, the way He created you and me, the way He created the process, you're born as a baby, you grow up as an adult, and you go through all the different phases of growth. But every way in which God made creation and made us symbolizes and expresses spiritual truth, the spiritual truth of God and God's kingdom.
I fail or rather cannot see or understand how faith can " supply" virtue etc .
The KJV has it as " add to your faith ..virtue "etc .
The word add and the word supply have completely two different meanings and concepts .
We know that " Now faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things as yet unseen" And that all men have " a measure of faith to profit withall" according to what faith IS. But not all mens faith is in God .That comes when men not only hear the Word of God but understand what is being said .
Now if faith somehow supplies virtue etc then by the same reasoning of scripture then all men have a supply of virtue .
But that clearly is not the case . For while for instance some claim or rather assert there is virtue in the colour of a man's skin be it white or black or in communism or democracy etc while it might be asserted it imply is not true . For that would make virtue but skin deep and not worth a jot .
When the woman with an issue of blood touched the Lords hem of his garment in faith believing it is written that He was aware that " virtue left Him ".
Not that He suffered loss for God is not made poor by His giving .
We are rather instructed to "ADD to our faith " virtue etc which is a conscious decision that comes from our lively knowledge of God . We can take biblical examples of biblical personages who exemplify virtue.. Joseph for one ,Or Job for patience etc .
Faith does not in of and by itself 'supply' such things for many have faith in God but go no further than " little children"( 1 John) .
But it takes a " young man" to be filled with the Word of God richly" to overcome the wicked one "..
And I would also put it to you that while little children have faith in God you have to grow in grace and in the ( lively) knowledge of God to become young men that can only come about as we " study" the scriptures as well by them are renewed in our minds and by degree or measure can rightly divide the Word of God.
So, work out your own salvation. It is God who works. Be where He wants you to be, live the lifestyle He wants you to live, to be on a schedule. And we'll see that when we get into Chapter 3 which gives us the priorities of the believer's life. So, if we understand Paul in Philippians 2:12-13, Peter is saying the same thing, add to your faith.
Now here's the catch phrase:
The word add in Verse 5 EPICHOREGESATE, and in Verse 11 where it says ministered EPICHOREGETHESETAI, add and ministered are the same words, and it means to supply. In Verse 11 it says for so an entrance shall be supplied to you, whereas back in Verse 5 it says supply to your faith. These are catch phrases because Verse 11 is going to make reference back to Verse 5 about our entrance into heaven. That's very important!
So, in Verse 5, it says on account of this, that is, you have become partakers of the divine nature, having provided all priority, supply in, it's not "to" but in your faith. What is faith? You see, faith is a catch phrase back to Verse 1, the Christian faith. My participation with the divine nature, Peter calls a like precious faith. Faith is the word that describes the interaction between myself and the Lord. It's invisible, but He's active, He's persuading, and He's ministering.
So, he's saying by being a partaker of the divine nature, you are now of the faith. So now that you are interacting with the divine nature, I want you to supply something, that is, make sure that this interaction and participation supplies something.
Here are some details that you're going to need to know as we go through this:
Instead of the word "to," in Verses 5 through 7, in the Greek text it is the word "in." Why is that important? Because in the Greek text, it shows the location in which the growth process takes place. You're not adding to something. You're growing in a phase. There are seven stages.
2 Peter 1:5 - And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
And beside this, or literally, on account of this. On account of what? You became partakers of the divine nature. If you are a partaker of the divine nature, then there are changes taking place within you as you're influenced by the very nature and quality of God Himself.
So, the first phrase there is making reference back to Verse 4. And there's where you bring the first phase into the second. Next, which would be the third thing, it says giving all diligence. And this is a phrase that indicates for me my responsibility in this growth process. It's diligence, which means top priority. It is my decision making and my responsibility to make spiritual growth in Christ the top priority of my life.
Fourthly: And here's where we get into a crunch of words. Add to your faith. What in the world does that mean? First of all, here's an explanation of how Paul said it, because Peter is saying the same thing. In Philippians 2:12-13, Paul says wherefore my beloved as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
But you can't stop there. It says in Verse 13, for it is God which works in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure. There are people who stop at Verse 12 and say "See, that's what we're supposed to do in our efforts. We're supposed to work out our own salvation." No! Our responsibility is that our salvation should be being worked out in us in a growth process. That is my responsibility, but I don't do the work. That's why is says for it is God who works in you.
2 Peter 1:5 Continued
And that's the importance of our relationship with Christ. Please know that I'm not minimizing the importance of the bible. It's just that some people have a relationship with the bible and they don't have a relationship with Christ. By my participation with the divine nature, His very virtue is developed in my life, the qualities of God's nature, virtue!
Next, and in virtue, and remember that the word to means in. And in the virtue, let it supply knowledge. So, all of these prepositional phrases "in," come off of that. Supply in your faith virtue; in your virtue, let it supply knowledge. How does knowledge come out of virtue? As I just mentioned to you that Acts 4:13 said that the religious council took note that they were unlearned and ignorant men, but that they had been with Jesus.
The word knowledge is an intimate word, a word that expresses intimate relationship. At the end of Matthew Chapter 1, it says that Mary and Joseph, that they didn't know each other until after she gave birth to her firstborn son. So, it's an intimate term. It's even used for the physical relationship between husband and wife. It's coming to know Him, being influenced by His virtue, the qualities of His nature.
For there are a number of versions that have translated ' on" instead of 'in" . Namely in rev 3 where the Spirit of the Lord says to the churches on this case to the church of Laodocia that " if you overcome I will make you sit IN my throne even as I overcome and sit IN my Fathers throne"
The ONLY one who can sit ON the Fathers throne is the Father and the one who can sit ON the Sons throne s The Lord Jesus Christ . Yet some have presumed to translate it as " ON" His throne.
I am not the Lord yet by the grace of God am IN Christ . And have become a partaker of the divine nature. But while IN Christ I may come to share in His Power and Authority He still has " the pre eminence in all things.and thus Must sit ON the throne.
To excercise authority we must be in submission to that authority. To sit ON the throne is to usurp that authority and BE the authority . Even the Lord made no such claim but rather on two grounds stated His authority . The Scriptures and of Him who sent Him . Even the Fathers and "in the mouth of two witnesses a thing is established".
I say all this not for contentions sake but rather for the Words sake. For many have been misled into thinking that if they can but have the Greek or Hebrew they will understand the scriptures.
This is not so . For wether they be in Greek Hebrew English etc it is by the Spirit of truth that we are led in to all truth .
For even as " all scripture was given by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit so likewise and in the same measure we need Him to understand what is written . But if you say by the a" original text" we truly understand etc then my reply would be that if a person understands as they think they do in those languages then they should in English explain or argue the case in English according to their understanding.
But we make a mistake to fall back on " but the original test says etc" But dot not prove the case .
In English .
2 Peter 1:5 Continued
One of the things we learn in our human association, we are warned about being around people that can be bad influence. Paul says in 1 Corinthians Chapter 15 that bad company corrupts good morals. It's not the other way around. It won't be the believers influence over his drinking friends. It will be the drinking friends and their influence over him.
So, to put it into our terminology, whoever you "hang around," you're going to talk like him, you're going to act like him, and you're going to show the influences.
The bible tells us that the more time we spend with Him, and I'm not talking about in a book, even though the bible is part of it. I'm not talking about spending time in the bible and God's Spirit will influence you. I'm talking about Him! Because we cannot see Him nor hear Him, His design is to minister to us through the word, but it's to bring us to Himself.
When you are able to quote scripture, people can tell that you have spent many hours in the bible. But have you been with Christ for many hours? Some people can quote the book. And if you're into memorizing, that's great. Those are tools that God's Spirit uses.
But I'm reminded in Acts 4:13, when Peter and James and John the fishermen were there, and they were talking to the religious council about the fulfillment in the Messiah. It says the council took notice of them that they were unlearned and ignorant men. Well, that's not what the words mean. It actually means that they did not go through the Rabbinical Schools.
Then it says, but they did take knowledge of them, and were marveled at them, but they took note that they had been with Jesus. Ah! It didn't say the bible. It didn't say the Tanak. "You haven't been to the Rabbinical Schools, have you? But we can tell you've been with Jesus!"
2 Peter 1:5 Continued
Also, each one of these words, along with faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and charity, each one has the Definite Article, which names the stage in which the growth is taking place.
And lastly, before I get into the list itself, this list is arranged with the word "in," and with the Definite Article for each one. And notice that the stages are repeated. Supply in your faith virtue; and in virtue knowledge; and in knowledge, and so on. Each stage of growth is produced out of the one that comes before it. Or, each stage of growth produces the next stage of growth.
I know this is a lot of detail, but we don't get that in our English text, no matter which English text we read, we don't get that lineup and that formula in the detail that Peter is making.
So, he says on the account of the fact that you are a partaker of the divine nature, after having given all priority to this growth process, supply in the faith. That would be the interaction with the Lord.
In the faith, supply virtue. That's why it's important. Back at the end of Verse 3, you'll remember he says the one who has called us of His own glory, and virtue. That's the same word, virtue. This is not my virtue. This is God's virtue, His qualities, the quality of His nature, and His morality. In other words, everything about who God is and His influences over my life, because in faith, I am participating with the divine nature, and as I participate with the divine nature, that produces the influence of who God is on my life. That's very important.
The way God created the world, the way He created you and me, the way He created the process, you're born as a baby, you grow up as an adult, and you go through all the different phases of growth. But every way in which God made creation and made us symbolizes and expresses spiritual truth, the spiritual truth of God and God's kingdom.
The KJV has it as " add to your faith ..virtue "etc .
The word add and the word supply have completely two different meanings and concepts .
We know that " Now faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things as yet unseen" And that all men have " a measure of faith to profit withall" according to what faith IS. But not all mens faith is in God .That comes when men not only hear the Word of God but understand what is being said .
Now if faith somehow supplies virtue etc then by the same reasoning of scripture then all men have a supply of virtue .
But that clearly is not the case . For while for instance some claim or rather assert there is virtue in the colour of a man's skin be it white or black or in communism or democracy etc while it might be asserted it imply is not true . For that would make virtue but skin deep and not worth a jot .
When the woman with an issue of blood touched the Lords hem of his garment in faith believing it is written that He was aware that " virtue left Him ".
Not that He suffered loss for God is not made poor by His giving .
We are rather instructed to "ADD to our faith " virtue etc which is a conscious decision that comes from our lively knowledge of God . We can take biblical examples of biblical personages who exemplify virtue.. Joseph for one ,Or Job for patience etc .
Faith does not in of and by itself 'supply' such things for many have faith in God but go no further than " little children"( 1 John) .
But it takes a " young man" to be filled with the Word of God richly" to overcome the wicked one "..
And I would also put it to you that while little children have faith in God you have to grow in grace and in the ( lively) knowledge of God to become young men that can only come about as we " study" the scriptures as well by them are renewed in our minds and by degree or measure can rightly divide the Word of God.
2 Peter 1:5 Continued
So, work out your own salvation. It is God who works. Be where He wants you to be, live the lifestyle He wants you to live, to be on a schedule. And we'll see that when we get into Chapter 3 which gives us the priorities of the believer's life. So, if we understand Paul in Philippians 2:12-13, Peter is saying the same thing, add to your faith.
Now here's the catch phrase:
The word add in Verse 5 EPICHOREGESATE, and in Verse 11 where it says ministered EPICHOREGETHESETAI, add and ministered are the same words, and it means to supply. In Verse 11 it says for so an entrance shall be supplied to you, whereas back in Verse 5 it says supply to your faith. These are catch phrases because Verse 11 is going to make reference back to Verse 5 about our entrance into heaven. That's very important!
So, in Verse 5, it says on account of this, that is, you have become partakers of the divine nature, having provided all priority, supply in, it's not "to" but in your faith. What is faith? You see, faith is a catch phrase back to Verse 1, the Christian faith. My participation with the divine nature, Peter calls a like precious faith. Faith is the word that describes the interaction between myself and the Lord. It's invisible, but He's active, He's persuading, and He's ministering.
So, he's saying by being a partaker of the divine nature, you are now of the faith. So now that you are interacting with the divine nature, I want you to supply something, that is, make sure that this interaction and participation supplies something.
Here are some details that you're going to need to know as we go through this:
Instead of the word "to," in Verses 5 through 7, in the Greek text it is the word "in." Why is that important? Because in the Greek text, it shows the location in which the growth process takes place. You're not adding to something. You're growing in a phase. There are seven stages.
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