Going deeper into the "constitution" of 1 and 2 Peter, this episode highlights how "true knowledge" or "experiential knowledge" is the goal of the Christian life, NOT the forgiveness of sins. What unlocks the divine power giving everything related to life and godliness? It's the "true knowledge of the One who called us by His own glory and excellence." (2 Pet. 1:3) Very interesting is that Peter concludes that those who excel in applying several moral qualities are "fruitful in the TRUE KNOWLEDGE of our Lord Jesus Christ."(v. 8) The measure then of Christian maturity is growth in the knowledge of God where we partake of God's moral attributes. (v. 4) He who lacks this growth is "blind and short-sighted," for he lacks the "true knowledge" of God. The episode closes with the obvious question: do we really want the true knowledge of God?
Not Growing–Are You Blind and Short-sighted?
This episode mostly deals with the believer's response to the gift of divine power in 2 Pet. 1:5-8. Resting on God's divine power, Christians should excel in 9 moral attributes, among them are moral excellence, self-control, and love. Peter concludes that those lacking these qualities are "blind or shortsighted, having forgotten the purification from their former sins." Peter's understanding of the gospel that saves is much more than mere forgiveness of sins, so he likely had much more than mere forgiveness in mind when he refers to "purification." Peter includes the endgame of salvation in both 1 Pet. 1:2 and 1 Pet. 4:1-2, which is obedience and living for the will of God. Believers who apparently see "purification from their former sins" simply in terms of forgiveness, have missed the holistic emphasis of the gospel: God saves us FROM the penalty of sin FOR the will of God. Peter consequently assesses that Christians who only got half the message are "blind and short-sighted." Christians should therefore honestly assess whether their lack of spiritual growth is due to a misunderstanding of the constitution, how things work in the Kingdom: growth in obedience to the will of God is the clear expectation of the gospel.
Are You Putting on the Right Armor?
This episode addresses the belt of truth by contrasting it with the belt of the autonomous self, the outlook of all who reject Christ. The belt of the old self is actually a lie and corresponds with the great exchange of Rom 1:25, where unbelievers "exchange the truth of God for a lie." This episode, following the pattern of Eph. 6:10-17, contrasts the armor of God with the armor of man. Every faculty in unregenerate man is devoted to protecting the autonomous self which is principally defined by devotion to the "lusts of deceit." Some of the armor pieces of the autonomous self are the breastplate of self-confidence, the shield of independence, the shoes of hostility, and the sword of the soul, the word of the self. The episode provides a stark contrast of how believers and unbelievers engage the world. Believers are called to honestly evaluate their lingering sympathies with "the lie," while unbelievers are called to reassess their commitment to the lie.
“Build, with God’s Power”
This episode builds on the first episode, emphasizing that all sanctification is fundamentally drawing on the power of Christ provided in the resurrection. We were born again through the resurrection of Christ (1 Pet. 1:3), and in sanctification, we progressively live out of the power that Christ has made available. "God's divine power has given to us everything pertaining to life and godliness..." (2 Pet. 1:3) The episode exhorts believers not to make the tempting mistake of the Galatians who sought "to be perfected by the flesh" instead of drawing on the divine power. (Gal. 3:2-3) New Years' resolutions often fail because they're based on fleshly resolve and power. The episode closes with the a summary of the numerous qualities that Christians are to walk in, based on abiding in Christ and His power. Even the Christian response is based on God's divine power. So, with respect to the constitutional metaphor, "separation of powers" doesn't refer to a Christian's response independent of God's power, but merely highlights human responsibility to ACT, in response to God's power.
Dump your God-complex and respond to His Power
With a view to beginning the year right, this opening episode calls believers back to the fundamentals, the constitution. Typically constitutions enumerate the powers of government, and our U.S. constitution provides a separation of powers. A successful life in God's eyes is founded on a separation of powers, where believers don't presume on divine prerogatives but only fulfill their responsibilities prescribed in the Biblical separation of powers. Well constitutionally speaking, the Christian life rests completely on the power of God. 1 Pet. 2:3 states that "God's divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life in godliness." The successful Christian life abides in Christ, and out of the power of Christ, bears much fruit. (John 15:5) The fruit enumerated in 2 Pet. 1: 5-8 are all based on the Christian's responsibility to access the power. Well when believers learn to operate in their proper domain, fulfilling their responsibilities through the power of Christ, many of the unnecessary headaches and heartaches that plague believers diminish. Things work better in the kingdom when we let God be God and appropriately respond to His power.
Holy Relish Satisfied in a Holy God
This final episode restates the hope of radical transformation in this life based on 2 Cor. 3:18. Salvation is all about beholding God's glory and being transformed. This theme is underscored in Jonathan Edwards' descriptions of conversion and growth in Christ, which, contrary to popular caricatures of his theology, does not harp on sin but on "holy relish," the sense of God's glory that deepened as he grew in Christ. And Edwards pinpoints how apprehension of this glory is absolutely essential "to count all things as loss" in order to gain Christ. Total repentance and commitment to Christ largely rests on visions of the glory of God in the face of Christ. The episode closes with an exhortation to embrace the bigger salvation picture, that we all behold the glory of Christ, and are ourselves transformed into "little Christs" in the process.
God’s Kindnesses: Motivation to Repent
This episode unpacks Romans 2:4, where the kindnesses of God lead us to repentance. Reflection on the Lord's many kindnesses helps resolve the dilemma of many who're stuck in confession without repentance. Constant repentance, or turning to the Lord, is absolutely essential if anyone of us would make progress towards the beatific vision. Without it, veils and blockages obstruct our vision of the glory of God and transformation stalls. Part of the solution to unwillingness to repent is reflection on God's many kindnesses. We are called to reflect on God's bountiful gifts in Christ, how God canceled our ridiculous debt to Him. We reflect on the Holy Spirit's persistent shaping us into the image of Christ, even when we stubbornly resist Him. And how many times, has God intervened and delivered us out of dire circumstances that we ourselves created? God's many kindnesses, when deeply pondered, often lead to reconsideration of our stubborn rebellion, leading to repentance.
Stuck in Confession without Repentance?
This episode spells out the challenge of making progress in sanctification when one is unwilling to repent. Based on previous episodes, the uncovering of the glory of Christ is the means of transformation, but a veil to this glory often descends when we don't turn to the Lord, i.e., repent. So what do you do when the principal avenue of transformation, beholding the glory of the Lord, is cut off because you're obstinately on the wrong road and unwilling to make a U-turn? You simply don't want to repent. Navel-gazing and fixing yourself is not the answer, turning to the Lord WHERE YOU CAN is the solution. Romans 2:4 states that the kindness of the Lord leads to repentance. Believers stuck in confession without repentance are encouraged to reflect on God's abundant kindnesses. This mediation on God's work, echoing "I believe, help my unbelief," engenders honest confession and partial repentance, leading to more openness to making an about-face and embracing the straights paths of the Lord. The veil lifts more and more, we see our rebellion in light of God's glory, and we fully repent from the heart.
See His Glory and Repent
This episode highlights the dynamics involved in the reversal of the Great Exchange. When we were not in Christ, we had exchanged the glory of God for images and produced a litany of sins based on this fundamental idolatry. In sanctification the Holy Spirit progressively reverses the Great Exchange, moving us to repent from dead works and live for the glory of God. Very interesting is one of the means that the Holy Spirit uses to inspire us to repent. The Holy Spirit uncovers some of the glory of Christ, and we perceive the vileness of our idolatry contrasted with the glory of Christ. The more we see the glory of God in the person of Christ, the more we sin our sinfulness, losing all hope apart from the mercy and grace in Christ. So when we have degrees of the beatific vision in this life, when we progressively behold God's glory, we repent and change our mind about our particular sins based on self-idolatry. The result is we become more and more like Christ. Struggling to repent of particular sins? Ask God to uncover His glory, and that experience will devastate and transform you.
Glorify God by Regarding His works
This episode contrasts sinners and saints by focusing on the attitude over the "works of the Lord." Psalm 29:4-5 states that the fundamental sin of the wicked is that they do not regard the works of the Lord. Paul in Romans 1 suggests the same thing, "they do not honor Him as God or give him thanks." (Rom. 1:21) The essence of sin is failing to regard the works of the Lord, or "missing the glory of God." (Rom 3:23) and it is followed by the Great Exchange, where man exchanges the glory of God for an image in the form of corruptible man. This sin "problem" is reversed in salvation. God forgives our sin, and Christians, in gratitude for what Christ has done at Calvary, progressively seek to glorify God by marveling at the works of the Lord. And this is principally done by gazing on the glory of Christ. We are transformed as our capacity to give God glory, acknowledging His works, is filled up..with all the fullness of God. (Eph. 3:19)