Yeshua made it clear that His Kingdom, His reign, was not of this earth (John 18:36). His first coming was not about reigning, it was about establishing the criteria for reigning: serving (Matt. 20:28). Yet He instructs us to pray for His Kingdom to come and His will to be done on earth as it is in Heaven (Matt. 6:10). One day when the disciples were arguing who would be the greatest in the Kingdom (Mark 9:34), Yeshua reminded them that the greatest in the Kingdom would have child-like faith and be the servant of all (Matt. 18:1,4).

A child like faith, trusting Yahweh’s leadership and an obedient servant heart is what brings about the greatest influence now (Matt. 5:19) and greatest positions in the Kingdom to come (see yesterday’s study).

What’s in the heart is what determines the outcome. It’s out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks (Matt. 12:34) and it’s out of the abundance of the heart that flow the issues of life (Prov. 4:23). Every good tree brings forth good fruit (Matt. 7:17) and it’s the fruit, the actions of our lives is what will garner the statement, ‘well done, good and faithful servant’ (Matt. 25:21,23). These are the individuals who are careful to maintain good works (Tit. 3:8, 14), which lead to fruitfulness and an abundant entrance into the coming Kingdom of Messiah (2 Pet. 1:11).

2 Peter 1:1-11 gives us wonderful instructions on how to align our heart and our actions in order to receive an abundant entrance into His coming Kingdom.

As in all passages throughout Scripture, Peter reveals the promises that are attached with living a faith-filled life and the means to acquire those promises. Second, he encourages the believer to be diligent in pursuit of these blessed promises. Third, he tells us something that is ‘unheard’ of today…you can live without falling and ultimately receive an abundant entrance into the everlasting Kingdom of Messiah Yeshua.

‘Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Yeshua Messiah, to them that have obtained like precious faith through the righteousness of Elohim and our Savior Messiah Yeshua. Grace and peace be multiplied to you through the knowledge of Elohim and of Yeshua our Master. According as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that has called us to glory and virtue: whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And beside this, give all diligence, add to your faith, virtue and into virtue knowledge, and into knowledge self –control and into self-control patience, and into patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that you shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Master Yeshua Messiah. But he that lacks these things is blind, and cannot see a far off and has forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if you do these things you will never fall. For so an abundant entrance shall be ministered unto you into the everlasting Kingdom of our Master and Savior Yeshua Messiah.’ (2 Pet. 1:1-11)

I highlighted and underlined a word that is translated the same in English, but are completely different words in the original text: knowledge (epignosis) & knowledge (gnosis). Gnosis is the building blocks to epignosis. You cannot have one without the other. Having a fundamental knowledge of something comes before having an intimate experiential knowledge of something. Ironically, Peter starts out telling us that epignosis is a prerequisite to having grace and peace multiplied into our lives (1:2), and the conduit by which He gives us His divine power that leads to life and godliness (1:3). These exceeding great and precious promises empower us to be partakers of His divine nature, having escaped the corruption of lust in this world (1:4).

In order to get to epignosis the faith walker (1:1), must diligently add into his faith, virtue (a steadfast resolution not to turn back; including moral purity), and into virtue, gnosis (fundamental building blocks of knowledge), and into gnosis , self-control…

2 Peter 1:5-7 are seven steps that Peter gives to us to build diligently into our faith a guarantee to be fruitful, no falls and an abundant entrance into the reign of Messiah Yeshua.

If we diligently add into our faith gnosis those pieces of information will turn into epignosis (fruitful, intimate, experiential knowledge) and they will take us to the goal of our faith, ruling and reigning with Messiah in His coming Kingdom.

But the individual who doesn’t practice this not only is barren and unfruitful in the epignosis, but they become blind (cannot see the immediate) and cannot see afar off (lose sight of the purpose of their calling) and forget that they were purged from their old sins (1:9).

Hence, Peter urges us not to become this condition! Give diligence to make your calling (to positions of ruling and reigning) and election (chosen for those positions) sure. In doing so, you WILL NOT FALL (1:10).

Keep ascending those steps! Keep adding diligently into your faith! Always remember Who the source of each of those steps is and bring forth fruit! Take the next step!

Shalom,

Alan