United Apostolic Church

Established in the Truth

Lesson 1: Partakers of His Divine Nature

2 Peter 1:1–11

Introduction

We are beginning a new Bible Study series titled “Established in the Truth.” This series is a study through 2 Peter designed to strengthen believers in four critical areas: spiritual formation, biblical foundation, spiritual discernment, and eternal readiness.

Peter’s letter calls the church to grow in Christlike character, remain firmly grounded in apostolic truth, recognize and resist spiritual deception, and live faithfully in expectation of Jesus Christ’s return.

By the end of this lesson, we should understand why Peter wrote his second letter, what it means to be a “partaker of the divine nature,” and why spiritual growth must be intentional in every believer’s life.

Spiritual Growth Self-Assessment

Before we begin tonight’s lesson, take a few minutes to reflect honestly on your spiritual growth. This activity is for your personal reflection. You are not required to share anything you are uncomfortable sharing.

Part 1 — Look Back

Think about your spiritual life one year ago compared with today.

1. In what areas can you honestly say you have grown spiritually?

2. In what areas do you feel you have remained unchanged or still need significant growth?

Part 2 — Identify Two Areas

3. The area in which I believe I have grown the most is:

4. The area in which I most need God to help me grow is:

Personal Reflection

5. Complete this sentence:

If I am to continue my transformation process in becoming more like Jesus, one change that should become more visible in my life is:

Introduction to 2 Peter

Before analyzing the first 11 verses, it’s important to grasp the purpose of this letter.

This is not merely a formal introduction. Peter identifies himself in two ways.

1. He is first a servant. Before speaking about his authority, he speaks about his submission. He belongs to Jesus Christ.
2. He is also an apostle. Peter is not simply offering personal advice. He writes as one who was personally called by Jesus Christ, walked with Him, heard His teaching, witnessed His miracles, saw His glory, witnessed His death and resurrection, and was commissioned to preach the gospel.

Peter wanted the church to understand that what he teaches is based on apostolic eyewitness testimony, not religious speculation.

Peter Knows His Time Is Short

There is an urgency behind this letter. Peter writes in 2 Peter 1:14–15:

Peter knows he will die soon, so he is doing more than teaching another Bible lesson: he is preparing the church to remain faithful after his death.

What must they remember when he is no longer there to remind them? His answer begins with spiritual growth.

Peter’s Strategy Is Significant

Something very important happens in chapter 1. Peter knows false teachers are coming, but he doesn’t begin by describing them. Instead, he first strengthens the believers.

Before saying, “Beware of them,” he says, “Develop yourself.”

That matters because the strongest protection against deception isn’t simply knowing everything that’s false; it’s being deeply established in what’s true.

Peter therefore begins with:

Peter Writes That We Have Like Precious Faith

A Precious Faith

Peter says, “...to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.”

Notice the expression “like precious faith.”

Peter is an apostle. He walked with Jesus for three years. He witnessed the Transfiguration and walked on water. He also denied Jesus three times — and was personally restored by Him.

Peter writes not as a distant theologian but as someone who knew Jesus face to face. The believers to whom Peter wrote never had the experiences he had, yet Peter does not suggest that his faith is spiritually superior to theirs.

They had “...obtained like precious faith...”

This speaks to the equality of believers before God. There may be different ministries, offices, responsibilities, gifts, and levels of maturity, but salvation is not divided into superior and inferior categories.

Peter’s point is that every believer has received the same precious faith in Jesus Christ. Peter’s apostolic position did not grant him a superior kind of faith.

Personal Reflection

Complete the personal affirmation below by writing your name in the blank space. Then read the affirmation slowly and prayerfully several times, allowing its truth to become personal to you.

Peter called this faith precious because he understood its true worth. He had learned through experience that faith in Jesus Christ is more valuable than anything this world can offer.

As disciples of Jesus Christ, we possess something greater than wealth, position, recognition, influence, or earthly security. All of these things can change, diminish, or be taken away. But genuine faith in Jesus Christ gives us something the world cannot give and cannot take from us.

Our faith connects us to God’s promises, enables us to trust in God’s power, and gives us confidence in God’s faithfulness. It sustains us when circumstances change, strengthens us when we are weak, and keeps us anchored when everything around us feels uncertain.

When our faith is firmly placed in Jesus Christ, we possess a spiritual treasure of immeasurable worth.

Growing in the Knowledge of Jesus Christ

One of the central themes in 2 Peter is knowledge. Peter understood that false teachers would try to influence believers by introducing ideas that sounded convincing yet contradicted the truth of God.

Therefore, one of the believer’s greatest protections against false teaching is to continually grow in the true knowledge of Jesus Christ.

But biblical knowledge is more than simply collecting information. A person can know facts about Jesus without truly knowing Him. Peter speaks of a knowledge of Christ that goes beyond the mind and begins to shape the believer’s heart, character, choices, and conduct.

The More We Truly Know Christ:

• the more we understand His character;
• the more clearly we understand His will;
• the more easily we recognize attitudes, teachings, and behaviors that are unlike Him;
• the more confidently we can distinguish truth from error; and
• the more our own lives should begin to reflect His character.

Growing in our knowledge of Christ should therefore produce a visible change in the way we live. If our knowledge is increasing but our character, obedience, and devotion to Christ remain unchanged, we may be gaining information without experiencing true spiritual growth.

In 2 Peter, growing in the knowledge of Jesus Christ is both a path to spiritual maturity and a safeguard against spiritual deception.

United Apostolic Church

Established in the Truth