God’s Provision for Holiness

In our previous Teaching Letter, we focused on the Holy Spirit’s role and timing in setting us apart to walk in the divine destiny God has for our lives. In Part 3 of this series on holiness, (excerpted from Derek Prince’s book Set Apart for God), we see how God has made provision for us to be partakers of His total nature—of His holiness. That truth is the basis of this letter, and it is important that we take hold of it.

The Christian Life Is Not Static

“Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord . . . .” (2 Peter 1:2 KJV)

Let’s note again that the Christian life is not a static condition in which you get into salvation and simply sit there. The Christian experience is a life of growth, increase, and multiplication. Frankly, if there is no growth, increase, or multiplication in your spiritual experience, I question whether you are in salvation at all.

There is not one thing God has created that just remains static—unmoved and unchanged. Clearly, the believer in Christ is the summit of God’s creation. So, if there ever should be unfolding growth, increase, and progress, it should be in the life of the Christian believer. This is what Peter was indicating here when he said, “Grace and peace be multiplied unto you . . . .” That impartation of grace and peace from God is continually increasing.

Knowing God and Jesus

Next, Peter said, “. . . through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord” (2 Peter 1:2 KJV). Everything is contained in knowing God and Jesus Christ. Jesus said elsewhere that to know the true God is eternal life. (See John 17:3.) I pointed out earlier that, in relation to holiness, a person can have no conception of what holiness means until he begins to know God. Everything we are speaking about here is wrapped up in knowing God and Jesus Christ in a direct and personal way.

We see the outworking of knowing God in 2 Peter 1:3–4:

“According as his 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 ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” (KJV)

Four Truths about God’s Provision

There are four statements in the above passage that are of tremendous importance. Two statements are found in verse 3, and two are found in verse 4.

1. Full provision has already been given through God’s power.

The first statement is that “[God’s] divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness . . .” (2 Peter 1:3 KJV). Notice, above all, the tense that is used. Tense refers to the form of verb, which shows the time of the action. It is not that God will give, but that He has given. God has already given us all we will ever need for this life and for the next. For time and for eternity, God has made complete, total provision by His power. It is essential that we grasp this truth.

2. Provision comes through acknowledging Christ.

The second part of 2 Peter 1:3 says, “. . . through the knowledge of him [Jesus Christ] that hath called us to glory and virtue . . .” (KJV). Where the King James Version says “knowledge,” the word in the original Greek actually means “acknowledging.” In other words, our capacity to move forward in the things of God comes in proportion to the degree that we acknowledge Jesus Christ.

Let me state here that the church is not united by discussing doctrine. In fact, experience in history confirms that the more we discuss doctrine, the more divided we become. The church is united by acknowledging Jesus Christ. Paul said, “Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God” (Ephesians 4:13 KJV). Again, the Greek word for “knowledge” means “acknowledging.” In other words, we move into the unity of the faith in proportion to the degree that we acknowledge the Lord Jesus Christ.

Quite plainly, every aspect of true Christian doctrine is an aspect of Jesus Christ and His ministry. You come into salvation through acknowledging Jesus as the Savior. You come into healing through acknowledging Jesus as the Healer. You come into the baptism in the Holy Spirit through acknowledging Jesus as the Baptizer. You come into deliverance through acknowledging Jesus as the Deliverer. Progress in the Christian life and unity among believers are not achieved by isolating doctrines and disputing about them but by acknowledging the Lord Jesus Christ for who He is. The more completely we acknowledge Him, the more we are united in Him and the more we develop in our own spiritual experiences. The second part of 2 Peter 1:3, therefore, confirms the truth that we enter into God’s provision through the acknowledging of Jesus Christ.

3. The provision is in the promises of God.

Second Peter 1:4 states the actual means by which we enter into what God has provided. The first part of this verse says, “. . . whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises” (KJV). The provision of God is in His promises. This is a tremendously important truth for us to realize.

The total provision for all believers is in the promises of God. I have developed a little slogan that I would like you to read out loud. Read it to yourself first, and then say it out loud, because you will remember it that way: “The provision is in the promises.”

Proclaim it again, so that you will remember it: “The provision is in the promises.”

4. As we appropriate God’s promises, we partake of His nature and escape the world’s corruption.

Let’s look now at the latter part of 2 Peter 1:4, which clearly states what happens when we appropriate the promises of God. You may classify it as a single result or a double result; it doesn’t matter. But the first result of appropriating the promises that Peter cited is that “ye might be partakers of the divine nature . . .” (KJV). You actually begin to partake of the very nature of God Himself.

Then, at the end of verse 4, Peter said, “. . . having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (KJV). In proportion to how much we partake of God’s nature, we escape the corruption of the old Adamic, or fallen, nature.

Let’s recognize this fact: sinful corruption and the divine nature are incompatible. Where sinful corruption prevails, there is nothing of the divine nature. Where the divine nature prevails, there can be no sinful corruption. So, again, in proportion to the degree to which we partake of the divine nature, we escape the corruption that we inherited from Adam.

Moving Ahead with God

It may seem incomprehensible that we can actually become partakers of God’s holiness. But with His help and our active faith, we can. Would you like to commit yourself now to this goal—asking for the Lord’s help in the process?