His divine power has granted to us all things pertaining to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, ~ 2 Peter 1:3As I read this verse last night while nursing, I realized that it just seems mystical, holding mystery. So, I prayed that the Spirit would please illuminate and help me to understand this verse. Here is my simple rewording from what I felt like He showed me:
His Holy Spirit has given us all we need to attain eternal life and live a godly lifestyle, which is through knowing Christ!
Want eternal life? KNOW CHRIST.
Want to live a godly life? KNOW CHRIST.
Know Christ? Receive eternal life.
Know Christ? Receive the ability to live a godly life.
I love how Peter refers to the conduit for this exchange (gift) as His Divine Power (which I think is just a name for the Holy Spirit) because it is so accurate! I know Christ, so I can receive these two gifts from God. {I imagine looking up, and these gifts are flowing down to me.} I mean, wow! Knowing Christ grants me eternal life and the impossible ability to live godly?! Those are some kind of big gifts that would take limitless power to bestow because fallible humans like myself certainly cannot do either. {Now I imagine that it is His Divine Power holding and guarding these gifts, as He carries them down to me.}
I also like how the emphasis is on knowing Christ, NOT knowing about Christ. It's not in the admiration or likeability of Him. Or trying to copy His behavior. Knowing what He liked, what He did, or what He taught. It is in the relationship. Like a husband knows his wife, intimately. Know Christ.
I think the whole last bit of the verse, called us to his own glory and excellence, is saying, "I have made you for eternity (Ecc. 3:11), and I am calling you up here!" [Although, I am sure there is a lot more being said here, too! Actually, this verse still has much more hidden meaning I have yet to grasp, I know ;)]
Known and knowing,
