Eternal Life is a life of knowing and understanding
2Pe 1:3-4 According as his divine power has GIVEN unto us ALL THINGS that pertain unto life and holiness 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 ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
Peter opens by declaring that every
good thing essential to life and holiness comes directly from the divine. This
generous provision embodied in those GREAT and PRECIOUS PROMISES is not a novel
idea but finds its roots in the Torah and the Prophets. In fact,
Deu 28:9 -Yahuah shall establish you a holy people unto himself, as he has
sworn seven oaths unto you, if you shall guard the commandments of Yahuah
Elohayka, and walk in his ways. This also includes other statements that remain
in the Torah context.
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Moving to a more detailed blueprint,
2Pe 1:5-7 -And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your FAITH virtue;
and to VIRTUE knowledge; And to KNOWLEDGE temperance; and to TEMPERANCE
patience; and to PATIENCE, holiness; And to HOLINESS, brotherly kindness; and
to BROTHERLY KINDNESS, LOVE.
Here Peter effectively divides the entirety of the 600+ Commandments of the
Torah into eight interlocking themes FAITH, VIRTUE, KNOWLEDGE, TEMPERANCE,
PATIENCE, HOLINESS, BROTHERLY KINDNESS, and LOVE. Rather than being isolated
emotions, each theme represents a group of specific commandments. It’s a bit
like assembling a divine jigsaw puzzle where every piece contributes to the
overall picture of a life lived in obedience, not merely a collection of
feel-good sentiments as modern psychology might suggest.
This pattern of
scriptural reasoning is further reinforced in the call to fruitfulness:
2Pe 1:8 -For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall
neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Adonai Yahusha
Ha’Mashiach. Knowledge of Yahusha and
Yahuah:
Eternal life And it is clarified in
Joh 17:3 -And this is LIFE ETERNAL, that they might KNOW YOU the only true
YAH, and YAHUSHA Ha’Mashiach, whom you have sent.
Eternal life, then, hinges on knowing the true YAH and YAHUSHA Ha’Mashiach.
Since Yahusha is the Torah incarnate the Word of Yahuah in flesh the call to
know Him inherently means knowing the Torah in its fullness. When the world
reduces these eight themes to mere emotional responses, it misses the point
entirely; the Fruit of the Spirit is not just about feelings.
Peter’s exhortation
continues with a practical promise:
2Pe 1:10-11-Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling
and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an
entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting Kingdom
of our Adonai and Savior Yahusha Ha’Mashiach.
In a world where FAITH might be seen as a fleeting
emotion and VIRTUE as simple good behaviour, Peter who was well-versed in Torah
traditions these elements as a robust, systematic routine to secure eternal
life and rightful access to Yahusha's divine government. It’s almost as if he’s
saying, “Get your act together, not by chasing feelings, but by following the
commandments!”
The wisdom of adhering
to the Torah is underscored in Moses’ own words:
Deu 4:6 -Guard therefore and do them; for this is your WISDOM and your
UNDERSTANDING in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes,
and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.
Moses reminded the Hebrews that their true wisdom and understanding were
manifested in their obedience to the Torah. With Yahusha becoming the living
Torah, a believer’s wisdom and understanding are no different from those
ancient statutes—hardly the same as the emotional interpretations imposed by
later, more sentimental approaches.
The call of wisdom rings out from every corner, as captured in Proverbs:
Pro 8:1-3 -DOES not wisdom cry? And understanding put forth her voice? She
stands in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths. She
cries at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors.
Books like Proverbs, Ecclesiastics, and Sirach
demonstrate that true wisdom, drawn from the Torah, is both omnipresent and
outspoken. Anywhere or corner or high place the Torah is
preached or taught; there you'll find Wisdom and understanding is resident.
Finally, we have this heartfelt reminder:
Pro 7:1-3 -MY son, guard my words, and lay up my commandments with you.
Guard my commandments, and live; and my Torah as the apple of your eye. Bind
them upon your fingers, write them upon the table of your heart.
Here, the safeguarding of the commandments isn’t about succumbing to an
abstract emotion; it’s about cherishing and internalizing the Torah as life
itself. Modern interpretations that reduce these rich directives to simple
emotional cues do a disservice to the profound wisdom the Scriptures offer.
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