Language Studies

Greek Thoughts

EUSEBEIA* - Part 6 - εχηγεομαι (Strong's #1834)
Reverence, piety, godliness

Please note that all Biblical quotes, in this and all other lessons posted to Greek Thoughts, are from The Literal English Translation of the Bible produced by BTE Ministries - The Bible Translation and Exegesis Institute of America.

This week we continue our study by taking the third essential of the Christian faith as presented in 2 Peter 1:8-11. Our Greek word of study is εὐσὲβεια (Strong's #2150), which expresses reverence or respect toward someone. We will also consider other Greek words that are used in context with it.

We have already studied, in 2 Peter 1:2-4, Peter's presentation of the first essential of the Christian faith— relationship. In these verses, he describes a believer as a partaker of the divine nature, one who is empowered by the divine nature which supplies him with all things pertaining to life and godliness. Peter uses the term "faith" as a designation for the one who has the divine nature of God living within.

We have also considered, in verses 5-7, the second essential of the Christian faith— growth. Peter divides the Christian growth process into seven phases. The first five phases have to do with the development of a believer's personal relationship with and response to the Lord; while the final two phases have to do with his/her relationship to others. So far we have gained the understanding that each phase of the growth process lays the foundation of the next, as it also grows into the succeeding phase.

After establishing "faith" as a designation for one who has the divine nature dwelling within, Peter says that the believer should let the process of faith develop the virtues of God's character in him. He then says that the believer should let the process of development in the virtues of God's character produce the understanding of the Lord and His ways in him. Peter continues, in verse 6, to instruct the believer to let the process of development in the understanding of the Lord produce the control of one's passions, desires, and appetites by the Spirit of God from within. From out of the process of the control of one's self, the believer should let "godliness" be produced in him. The word used here for "godliness" is εὐσὲβεια, our word of study. Simply put, Peter is saying that a healthy respect and reverence for the Lord is developed through the process of a Christian's self-life coming under the control of God's Spirit. This text reveals that the Lord is developing and forming a correct attitude toward Himself within each believer through all of the experiences of life, including the difficult ones.

The last two phases of the growth process, presented in verse 7, have to do with a believer's relationship to others. Each must be developed out of an established, mature relationship with the Lord. This means that a believer must be mature in his personal relationship with the Lord before he can have a right spiritual relationship with others.

The first of these two (sixth phase of the growth process) is "brotherly love." Out of a mature relationship with the Lord, the believer is to let love for the family of the Lord be developed in him. The last (seventh phase of the growth process) is "Agape" love, which means, "to be concerned about the spiritual welfare of others" and is presented by Peter as the final phase of Christian maturity

Our focus now becomes 2 Peter 1:8-11, where we find the third essential of the Christian faith — the believer's eternal reward.

2 Peter 1:8-11

8)

For these things existing and abounding in you are not establishing you as unproductive nor unfruitful toward the full-knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

9)

For in whom these things are not present, he is blind being myopic, having received forgetfulness of the cleansing of his old sins.

10)

On account of which brothers, you rather be diligent to make your calling and election firm; for while doing these things, you should never at any time stumble.

11)

For in this way, the entrance will be richly supplied to you, into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Peter's first presentation on rewards, in verses 8,9, concerns the contrast between the believer who is involved in the growth processes detailed in verses 5-7 and the one who is not. He teaches that the believer who has these growth processes existing and abounding in him/her, is being established as productive and fruitful. This productivity and fruitfulness is "toward the full-knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." This is in keeping with Peter's theme throughout this letter— that believers experience growth in the Lord by going through a process of growing in "grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." (2 Peter 3:18)

In verse 9, Peter presents the believer who is not involved in the growth processes as blind "being myopic" (μυωπὰζω, Strong's #3467, to be near or shortsighted). He describes such a believer as "having received forgetfulness of the cleansing of his old sins." This believer is only able to see his or her immediate condition without the realization and reminder that he/she was cleansed from past sins. The Greek idiom, "having received forgetfulness" is expressed by an aorist participle, "having received" indicating that the believer purposely put the cleansing of old sins out of mind and therefore has forgotten the sinful condition that he/she was saved from.

Peter begins verse 10 by referring back to the contrasting descriptions of the two types of believers, as signaled by the phrase "on account of which." He then commands all believers to be diligent. The word "diligent" is the Greek word σπουδὰζω (Strong's #4704), which means "to make haste" or, in this context, "make priority." He completes his thought by saying that the believer's priority is "to make your calling and election firm (βὲβαιος, Strong's #949)." He then expresses the end result of being involved in the growth processes: "for while doing these things, you should never at any time stumble." The believer who is maturing through the growth processes, who makes his/her calling and election a priority, will never at any time stumble in their walk with the Lord.

In the final phase of Peter's presentation (verse 11), he indicates that believers will enter into heaven in different spiritual conditions. We will consider this important concept in our next study; but presently we understand that Peter, who knows that his time on earth is short, seizes the occasion to warn believers that there is a threat to their spiritual growth from within the church. He says, in the second chapter of 2Peter, that many will come teaching and preaching, but that much of it will have nothing to do with the growth processes necessary for Christian maturity. He establishes that relationship with the Lord is everything and details for them the growth process that will bring about a mature relationship with God and fellow believers. He then commands them to make growing to maturity a priority, so that they will not only become established and firm in the faith, but also will never stumble. Finally, in verse 11, Peter presents that the spiritual condition and maturity of each believer will be different as he/she enters heaven. This indicates the significance of his message. We will begin the study of this great biblical teaching with our next study.

*EUSEBEIA is the English font spelling of the Greek word εὐσὲβεια.

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