Dear Ones:
Perhaps one of the great stories of the Bible concerning the transformative power of Christ, is the life of Peter the Apostle. First called Simon, his name would be changed to Peter (Petros…Rock). Why? Because of what Christ would put into him. When the day of Pentecost came, though already named Peter, the character of “the Eternal Rock,” would enter his heart, and the transformation would rapidly manifest itself.
We know that Jesus called Peter to be His disciple. And yet, in his second epistle, Peter writes this introduction: “Simon Peter, a SERVANT and an apostle of Jesus Christ…” (2 Peter 1:1) Peter was first a servant before and even during his apostleship. As a servant of Christ, he learned a very important secret, one that would be the transforming power of his life. It was that same “secret” that the Apostle Paul had to learn, which was the key of his life and service to Christ.
In 2 Peter 1:3-4, we read, “…According as His (Christ’s) divine power hath given unto us ALL THINGS that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue: whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that BY THESE we might be partakers of the divine nature…” We see these parallel truths in Paul’s epistle to the Colossians, “…For In Him (Christ) dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and power.” (Col. 2:10) What is the secret that Peter and Paul have discovered, by which, all becomes possible for them? It is that God has “…blessed us with EVERY spiritual blessing in heavenly places IN CHRIST.” (Eph. 1:3) Because of the fact of the believer’s union with Christ, all that Christ IS by virtue of His sinless, virtuous and victorious life, the believer has become. He is complete…nothing lacking.
How then are we to live? By laying hold of the “exceeding precious promises,” those specific declarations by God concerning the gifts, commitment, and blessing of God, abiding on the believer because of Christ’s work. The believer, inseparably one with Christ, has access by faith into all the resources in/of Christ, so that he is to live BY, FROM, and FOR Him.
“Complete in Thee! Each need supplied, And no good thing to me denied; Since Thou my portion, Lord, wilt be, I ask no more, complete in Thee.”
Love, Dad