Everything, Not Excuses (2 Peter 1)
I guess it’s human nature to make excuses. “The sun was in my eyes.” “I was in a hurry.” “My parents taught me to act like that.” “How was I supposed to know it was your monkey?”
And we definitely carry this over to our spiritual lives and any lack of spiritual growth or holiness. “My small group isn’t the best.” “I don’t have much time to pray since having kids.” “My church isn’t feeding me.” “I’m just too broken as a person.”
And this is why today’s reading (2 Peter 1) and especially 2 Peter 1:1-4 is so challenging. It just doesn’t lend itself to excuse making. Peter says that God has given us “everything we need for life and godliness.” “Well, Vince, surely not everything?” No, it says everything. “But what about…” Nope, says everything. “But you know how I’ve never…” Ummmm, everything. “Yeah, but isn’t it true that…” Wellllll, maybe, but everything.
It says we have divine power and divine promises, so we can participate in the divine nature, and that means we have … everything. Now that doesn’t mean wholeness and holiness are automatic, in fact Peter spends the next six verses urging us to do something with the divine power, promises and nature. But if we don’t, we don’t have a good excuse, instead we have everything.