2 Pietro 1:4

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LA PREZIOSITÀ DELLE PROMESSE

2 Pietro 1:4 . Per cui ci sono date promesse straordinarie e preziose: affinché con esse possiate essere partecipi della natura divina, essendo sfuggiti alla corruzione che è nel mondo a causa della lussuria .

I COMMENTATORI non sono d'accordo riguardo al collegamento di queste parole. Alcuni collegano "per cui" con "gloria e virtù", nel versetto precedente; e intendetelo così: « Per mezzo della quale ci sono date promesse gloriose e preziose del Vangelo ». Altri, comprendendo il terzo versetto tra parentesi, collegano il mio testo con "Dio e Cristo", nel secondo versetto, e traducono il passaggio così: " Da chi ci è dato", e così via.

Ma, per l'uso che sto per fare del brano, non ha importanza determinare con precisione quale sia la connessione. È sulla grandezza e preziosità delle promesse che propongo di indirizzare la vostra attenzione: e, quindi, sventolando ogni ulteriore accenno di contesto, vi aprirò le promesse di Dio, e vi mostrerò,

I. Il loro valore intrinseco—

Ma come devo tentare questo? Devo metterli tutti in ordine davanti ai tuoi occhi? Non basterebbero molte ore per questa ardua impresa: basti dunque dire:
Essi estendono a tutte le necessità dell'uomo peccatore —
[Anche le cose di questa vita sono spesso e pienamente comprese in esse: poiché dice san Paolo , “La pietà giova a tutte le cose, avendo la promessa della vita che è ora e di quella che verrà [Nota: 1 Timoteo 4:8 .

]”. E il nostro benedetto Signore ci ha assicurato che, se “cercheremo prima il regno di Dio e la sua giustizia, tutte le cose necessarie ci saranno aggiunte [Nota: Matteo 6:33 .]”. Ma «le cose che riguardano la vita e la pietà [Nota: ver. 3.]” sono quelle a cui più immediatamente si fa riferimento nel mio testo: e non c'è mancanza che un'anima immortale possa sentire, in riferimento né al tempo né all'eternità, che non sia riccamente provveduta nelle promesse del nostro Dio.

Il perdono, la pace, la santità e la gloria ci sono tutti assicurati, nei termini più espliciti che il linguaggio può permettersi. Né, se agli uomini fosse stato permesso di dettare a Dio quali cose dovrebbero essere loro assegnate, o quanto liberamente dovrebbero essere elargite, avrebbero mai potuto osare di esprimere ciò che Dio ha espresso, o di chiedere loro in termini così facili: perché tutte le promesse devono essere apprese semplicemente dalla fede, ed essere possedute da tutti coloro che riposeranno su di esse veramente e senza fingere [Nota: un passaggio come Geremia 31:33 , può essere addotto come un breve esempio.]”. ]

But fully to declare their worth is impossible—
[Who shall appreciate a deliverance from the torments which are endured by those who are now cast into the lake of fire and brimstone ? or, who shall form a correct estimate of the glory and felicity of heaven ? None but those who have experienced the one or the other can form any just conception of either: nor could any one fully and adequately comprehend what salvation imports, unless he have both endured the evil from which a condemned soul is rescued, and partaken of the blessedness to which a glorified soul is exalted before the throne of God. Eternity will be too short to count the inestimable worth of the exceeding great and precious promises which are contained in the Gospel of Christ.]

Let us pass on to consider,

II.

Their sanctifying efficacy—

We must not imagine that any sinner can so “partake of the Divine nature” as really to be united to the Divine essence. That is impossible. But to partake of all the communicable perfections of the Deity, is the privilege of all who believe in Christ—

We are exalted to bear a strict resemblance to the Deity—
[In mind, in will, in our whole character, we may resemble God: for, in conversion, we “are renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created us [Note: Colossesi 3:10.];” so that we view every thing no longer according to the apprehensions of our corrupt nature, but as taught of God, and enlightened by his Holy Spirit.

With a renovated understanding we receive also a new heart; so that, instead of finding our will opposed to the will of God, “we delight in the law of God after our inward man [Note: Romani 7:22.],” and desire to do his will even as it is done in heaven. I say not too much, if I add, that the very character of God is imparted to his saints, even as the impression of a seal to the melted wax; so that, through the operation of his grace upon them, they become “holy, even as he is holy,” and “perfect, even as their Father which is in heaven is perfect.

” As for “the corruptions that are in the world through lust and inordinate desire, the true believer escapes from them:” he renounces the world and all its vanities: he “becomes crucified to it by the cross of Christ [Note: Galati 6:14.]:” he rises above it, “keeps himself unspotted from it [Note: Giacomo 1:27; Apocalisse 3:4.],” and has his “conversation altogether in heaven [Note: Filippesi 3:20.].”]

And by what is all this effected, but by the promises of God ?
[”By these we become partakers of the Divine nature, and escape the corruption that is in the world through lust.” St. Paul is particularly careful in marking this important truth. He traces not any of these benefits to mere human efforts, but simply to faith in the Lord Jesus, which alone can “overcome the world [Note: 1 Giovanni 5:4.

],” and “purify the heart [Note: Atti degli Apostoli 15:9.].” Hear his words; and mark especially the order which he prescribes for the attainment of these blessings: “Having these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God [Note: 2 Corinzi 7:1.

].” Here, at the same time that he specifies the extent to which the promises will effect this change, he shews us, that we are not to attain the change first, and then lay hold on the promises; but first to lay hold on the promises, and by them to attain the change. Now, this is a point of extreme importance; and it was marked with singular precision in the Jewish law. In the ordinance for the cleansing of the leper, it was appointed that the blood of his sacrifice should be put upon the tip of his right ear, and on the thumb of his right hand, and on the great toe of his right foot [Note: Levitico 14:14; Levitico 14:28.

]; which was to shew, that, in all his faculties, whereby he either received or executed the will of God, even from head to foot, he needed an application of the blood of atonement, to cleanse him from his guilt: and then oil was not only to be applied by the priest to the same places, but to be “put upon the very place of the blood of the trespass-offering” And what was this intended to shew ? I hesitate not to say, it was intended to declare the very same thing which is intimated in my text; namely, that our justification by the blood of atonement must be first sought, and then our sanctification by the Holy Spirit; that the blood of atonement must be the foundation of our sanctification; and that, though the two are never to be separated, they must be sought in their due order, and be put each in its appointed and appropriate place.

In a word, we must first go to God as sinners, to obtain mercy through the blood of Christ; and then shall we be made saints, by the operation of the Spirit of Christ upon our souls.]

Infer—
1.

How desirable is an interest in Christ Jesus!

[It is in Christ that all the promises are treasured up for us [Note: 2 Timoteo 1:1.]; and in Him alone are they ratified and confirmed to us [Note: 2 Corinzi 1:20.]. Unless as found in him, and united unto him by faith, we have no part in any one of them: but “all are ours, when we are Christ’s [Note: 1 Corinzi 3:21.

].” How earnest, then, should we be, in fleeing to him, that we may receive out of his fulness all the blessings both of grace and glory! I pray you, brethren, neglect him not; but seek him with your whole hearts, and cleave unto him with your whole souls.]

2. How truly blessed are they who are united to him by faith!

[To them God has secured every thing, not by promise only, but by oath also! And this he has done in order that they might be assured of “the immutability of his counsel, and enjoy the richer consolation in their own souls [Note: Ebrei 6:18.].” Take the word of God, my dear brethren: cull out of it every promise it contains, and carry it to the throne of grace, and plead it before God; and verily you shall, in your dying hour, be able to say with Solomon, “Blessed be the Lord, who hath given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that he promised: there hath not failed one word of all his good promise which he promised by the hand of Moses,” or by all his prophets from the foundation of the world [Note: 1 Re 8:26.]