Great and small, a faith of the same type means equality. But how can experience, status, tradition, and knowledge amount to nothing?
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Great and small, a faith of the same type means equality. But how can experience, status, tradition, and knowledge amount to nothing?
Intro Summary: 2 Peter 1:1B – Peter writes his second Epistle to the Church in Rome. The only honor he carries is similar to what many in Rome know, as a Slave and takes neither his accolades nor position in the beginning of his letter. It is literally a faith of the same type.
Readers Involved: Roman Church, young believers of various ages.
What has been said: Peter has announced his pronouns are Bond-Slave and Apostle. Quite the start considering it was he whom Jesus made the Cornerstone writing to believers in a place not known for anyone of faith.
2 Peter 1:1B
The Same Righteousness and Association of Faith.
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Discussion
A faith of the same kind. Tied together by the righteousness of Jesus.
Peter begins his second sentence in his letter to remind his readers in Rome that they have the same status as those Jerusalem. Now, not only did Peter view himself as a slave, as many in Rome were, but the shift in his perspective was that he had the same type of faith as he was a slave to the same Lord. Just as today in many places, our status and the level or “type” of education and beliefs can often be a source of contention or separation.
Have you ever heard of people who are in a league of their own or part of an exclusive group?
Certainly, Peter could have raised these qualifications of his, but he chose not to because he was keenly aware of who he was, where he came from, and what ultimately tied them all together. In the proceeding verses that follow, this narrative will be expanded in more intricate details.
- Romans didn’t have much synagogues, traditions, languages, family heritage to point to.
- Romans likely knew a lot less of Scripture, were more secular socially and in their speech.
- Romans were by and large all new believers. The age of their salvation was not entirely that advanced.
Yet, their faith was the same as Peter, the chief apostle of Jesus Christ.
How? Because their faith was that Jesus’ righteousness was what will save them. Their faith was simply defined BY the righteousness of Jesus Christ.
Key Points
The point is not my life is ok because I am saved; it is WHOM is your faith relying on?
Notice there is no mention of how great, faithful, knowledgeable, uses the right nouns, etc. nothing of you matters to your faith. Only your hope that Jesus is enough. And for Peter, the type of righteousness is comes from He who is God. Lord, and Savior.
Your ultimate status is not who you are, where you grew up, what you know and believe, or the story of your life. It can only be connected by the same faith rooted by the Righteousness that can only come from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Conclusion
On one hand that is relieving but also humbling. Peter was going to die not long after this letter was received (history says by hanging upside down a cross crucified), and yet what he clung to was the righteousness of Christ as his Faith. And notice how Jesus is not just a man but part of the Triune God.
In a nutshell that is the Gospel. That we put our hope and faith in our only God and Savior, Jesus Christ the Righteous.
Peter wrote to those who needed to be encouraged with these words. He also writes the same today, will you hear Jesus’ voice? And if you have already heard Jesus, is this the faith you cling to today?
Application
- Ask yourself, is your faith the same type as Peter and those who lived in Rome?
- Power and Privilege are nothing compared to a unifying faith.
Correction
- Do not think your position makes you better or respect only those of a special status. This is not the mind of the greatest apostle, Peter.
- What ways do I regard others more highly than my fellow men and women?
- Is it more important to me to be in tradition, or statue, or family, than to associate with some others?
- Let go of relying on righteousness other than your Lord God and Savior, Jesus Christ.
- “Little Children, guard yourself from idols.” 1 John 5:21. Our only God and Savior is Jesus, not our own righteousness or the righteousness of rites and ceremonies.
Encouragement
- No matter where you are in life, in Jesus you are an equal to Peter. Not by authority of course, but by value.
- Jesus is not only righteous enough to be your savior, but He is also powerful enough to be your only Savior and God!
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