Grace and Peace Multiplied

Okay friends, we're starting a new series called "Grow in Grace," diving into the book of Second Peter. It's one thing to know that grace changes everything, but it's another thing altogether to actually grow in it.

You know, I started playing tennis again this week, and after my first morning on the court, I woke up incredibly sore. I realized I just showed up and started hitting without stretching. It's the same with the Bible. Sometimes we skip over the greetings in epistles, thinking they're not essential, and then we wonder why we're "sore" later, having misinterpreted parts of the book. The greeting in Second Peter, though, is like that crucial stretch; it sets up the entire match, preparing us for what's ahead.

As we begin this journey, I want us to consider four key questions from these opening verses:

1. Where does my standing with God come from? Peter tells us directly: it comes "by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ." Your standing with God doesn't rise and fall with your weak efforts. It rests entirely on Christ's righteousness for you. Our deepest defect is often a "merit and achievement identity"—we believe we are what we accomplish, and we feel safe when we perform. But the New Testament insists you are right with God because of Christ's righteousness, not because you're righteous enough to earn His merit. So, see yourself resting on His merits and quit ranking yourself against other people. The question isn't whether you have righteousness, but whose righteousness you have.

2. What kind of faith do Christians have? Peter says we have "obtained a faith of equal standing." This word "obtained" (Lagano) means it's a gift, something received, not an effort you make. It's a gift before it's an effort. And this faith is of "equal standing" (iso team on), meaning you are just as valuable in the Father's eyes as Saint Peter was. This has massive implications for our community. Think about the old "rude screens" in churches that separated the people from the priests. During the Reformation, they were torn down because reformers understood this verse: we all have equal standing. We all worship in the same holy space because Christ is our one mediator.

In our modern world, with thousands of "channels" competing for our attention, it's easy to fall into denigrating those who listen to different channels. But when we come to worship, we must resist that hatred and practice listening before speaking, knowing that we all have equal standing in faith before the Lord. This challenges our merit-based thinking and the identity scripts that tell us to "prove yourself, brand yourself, curate yourself, free yourself." Your identity first comes in Jesus, and He sings over you with His love.

3. Who is Jesus in this greeting? Peter names him with startling clarity: "our God and Savior Jesus Christ." He is not some vague spiritual figure; He is God and He is the Savior. Everything in these verses is anchored to Him. He is the ground of our standing, the one who multiplies grace and peace. Don't relativize Jesus or make Him your butler. He calls you into a reality, to bow before Him as King. So much of our angst comes from having a "small Christ." He is the one who upholds all things by the power of His word.

4. How do grace and peace grow in my life? Peter says, "May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ, our Lord." Grace and peace are not self-generated; they are covenant blessings, realities God gives us, and they are multiplied. This isn't just addition; it's exponential growth. The most mature among us are often the most humble, broken over their sin, and self-aware.

This "knowledge" isn't just intellectual; it's a deep, rich knowledge (epignosis) that gives birth to profound worship. It's a knowledge that allows you to live inside His promises and His verdict of you, declared when Jesus died on the cross and rose again. This knowledge counters our tendency to privatize spirituality. Peace isn't manufactured through control, distraction, or managing circumstances. Peace is a person—Jesus—who invites you to know Him.

So, where do you currently go to manufacture your peace? What if peace is not a technique, but a person to be known, trusted, and obeyed?

We are prone to build our standing on the wrong foundation and chase peace in all the wrong places. If you drift into thinking that your acceptance with God is based upon your performance, you are thinking like the world, not as a Christian. Don't treat Christ's righteousness as just a starting point, but as the present foundation for all your growth in grace. When grace becomes not only the joy of being brought into His family but the foundation upon which you stand, you will find your delight ever deepening, your humility ever growing, and your deep sense of identity ever more rooted in Christ, who is our God and our Savior.

If you don't believe, would you receive this faith? If you do believe, would you acknowledge Jesus as Lord even this very hour? He is offering you a faith that is received.