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 (2 Peter 1:4).
The word translated as “promises” in our opening verse needs to be properly understood. In the New Testament, the same Greek word “epaggelia” was translated as “promise” more than fifty times. However, in 2 Peter, another Greek word “epaggelma” was translated as “promise” twice. This was a different type of promise, but the Bible translators didn’t distinguish between the two. I’ll explain.
The first type of promise is futuristic. It’s like when one says, “I’ll give you $200,000 tomorrow.” That’s a promise. But there’s another type when someone tells you, “I’ll give you $200,000” and then proceeds to write a cheque that’s dated today. Now, that cheque is the promise, not the money.
The promise is that if you take the cheque to the bank, the money will be there. So, it depends on whenever you want to cash it. If the first type of promise fails, there might be no consequences; but not the second one; it must not fail. If it fails, that’s a criminal offence in financial terms, because it’ll be a dud cheque.
This second type of promise is what’s written in our opening verse. These aren’t futuristic promises but promises backed already with fulfillment. They’re real already, waiting for whenever you want them “cashed.”
Observe again what the Bible says: “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature….” This means that by “cashing” these precious promises, we become associates of the God-kind. Hallelujah!
It’s time to cash your cheques and start participating in the divine experience. But how do you cash them? It’s by speaking God’s language; it’s by declaring words of faith in agreement with God.
Confession/Prayer
Dear Father, I’m immensely grateful for the privilege to participate in the divine experience. I’m an associate of the God-kind, transfigured in spirit into the image and likeness of the Son of God! I function from the place of advantage, victory, dominion and power, guided and propelled by His divine wisdom to do your will and fulfil my destiny in Christ, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
1-year bible reading plan
John 11:1-16; 2 Kings 10-12
2-year bible reading plan
Mark 12:18-27; Numbers 26