Knowledge and God's Promises

Following his greeting, Peter writes:  "May undeserved kindness and peace be increased in you."  How are undeserved kindness and peace  to be increased to us?  "By an accurate knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord," answers Peter.  Then he says:  "Divine power has been given us freely all the things that concern life and godly devotion."  But how do we receive these vital things? "Through the accurate knowledge of the One who called us through glory  and virtue."  Thus Peter twice emphasizes that an accurate knowledge of God and his  Son is essential. -2 Peter 1:2, 3; John 17:3. 

The "false teachers" about whom Peter warns in chapter 2 use "counterfeit words" to deceive Christians. In this way they try to seduce them back into the immorality from which they were delivered.  The results to any who have been saved through "an accurate knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" and who later succumb to such deception are disastrous.  (2 Peter 2:1-3, 20) Evidently in anticipation of discussing this problem later, Peter stresses at the very  outset of his letter the role of accurate knowledge in maintaining a clean standing with God. Peter observes that God "has freely given us the precious and very grand promises, that through  these you may become sharers in divine nature." Yet, to enjoy these promises, which are an integral part of our faith, says Peter, we must first have "escaped from the corruption that is in the world through lust." -2 Peter 1:4.

How do you view God's promises?  In this way the remnant of anointed Christians do?  In 1991, Fredrick Franz, then president of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, who had pursued the full-time ministry for over 75 years, summed up the feelings of those who hope to reign with Christ:  "We are holding fast down to this very hour, and we are going to hold fast until God has actually proved that he is true to his "precious and very grand promises.' " Brother Franz remained confident in God's promise of a heavenly resurrection, and he held fast to the faith until his death at age 99.  (1 Corinthians 15:42-44; Philippians 3:13, 14; 2 Timothy 2: 10-12)  Similarly, millions are holding fast to the faith, keeping their focus on God's promise of an earthly paradise in which people will live forever in happiness. Are you one of these? -Luke 23:43; 2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:3, 4. 

Next time:  Response to God's Promises

From the Watchtower magazine, 1997