2 Peter 1:3
His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence.
There is a notion current among a lot of Christians that the Christian life consists simply and solely of being forgiven of our sins. But this is like saying that human life consists simply and solely of having been born. The forgiveness of sins is, of course, a colossal blessing. This is probably why so many people focus on it and never move beyond it into the rest of what God desires to give us. If somebody hands you a check for one billion dollars it might seem rather petty to ask, “Is there anything in addition to this?” Nonetheless, it is important to realize that God does in fact wish to give us more than mere forgiveness of sins and, in fact, insists that we take the whole of his gift to us. For he wishes to change us, not just forgive us. And that change involves the fundamental renewal of our beings so that we really do receive an infusion of his divine life and transformation into the very image of Christ. As today’s verse points out, we have been given, not just forgiveness, but “all things that pertain to life and godliness”. And we have been given those things because God calls us, not to simply bask in forgiveness, but “to his own glory and excellence”. For as 2 Peter 1:4 says, we are to be, not merely spectators, but participants in the divine nature. So don’t be shy. Take everything God wants to give you.
