In His Epistles, Peter Unveils Crucial Things related to God’s Economy From 4 Sides

It is amazing to see that the apostle Peter in his two Epistles covers the entire economy of God – from eternity past before the foundation of the world to the new heavens and new earth in eternity future, unveiling the crucial things related to God’s economy, concerning which things the prophets prophesied and the apostles preached from four sides. Wow!

Peter had a unique style of presenting these things, but he did cover the entire economy of God, from eternity past before the foundation of the world (1 Pet. 1:2, 20) to the new heavens and new earth in eternity future (2 Pet. 3:13). Wow!

These things are truly amazing and so deep, and they were prophesied by the prophets in the Old Testament and also were preached by the apostles in the New Testament (1 Pet. 1:10-12).

Isaiah, for example, prophesied very much concerning the Lord Jesus, speaking about the processes He was about to go through, His attainments, and His person and work.

The prophets in the Old Testament sought and searched diligently into what time or what manner of time the Lord would come.

The Spirit of Christ in them made it clear, testifying beforehand of the sufferings of Christ and the glories after these.

To them, it was revealed that not to themselves but to us, the believers in Christ in the New Testament age, that they ministered these things which have now been announced to us through those who preach the gospel to us by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, which things angels long to look into. Wow!

The prophets were in the Old Testament time, and the Spirit of Christ is in the New Testament time; how can the Spirit of Christ be in them and show them these things?

Dispensationally, Christ became the Spirit after His incarnation, crucifixion, that is, in His resurrection; however, since Christ offered Himself through the eternal Spirit, all that He is and did has an eternal function in the eternal Spirit. Wow!

So the Spirit of Christ was there in the Old Testament with the dear prophets who were searching and seeking diligently, making clear to them and testifying beforehand of the sufferings of Christ and the glories after these.

And even the angels were stooping to look into these amazing things.

The angels are great creatures, but they were not revealed what Christ will be doing, what is the inner experience of what Christ will do, and what are these glories.

This is truly amazing. The angels stretched their necks and wanted to see what was going on in the economy of God, looking at the wonderful sight of God’s eternal plan.

The angels are interested in observing the things concerning Christ for God’s salvation. They are interested in what Christ is doing in us. Praise the Lord!

In His Epistles Peter Unveils Crucial Things Related to God’s Economy From Four Sides

Even though Peter did not use the phrase, God’s economy, and even though he did not have such an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the plan God hid throughout the ages but revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in spirit, he still unveiled crucial things related to God’s economy.

In his two Epistles, Peter unveils crucial things related to God’s economy, from his point of view, understanding, experience, and knowledge of the Lord, and he did this from four sides.

First, from the side of the Triune God; second, from the side of the believers; third, from the side of Satan, and fourth, from the side of the universe.

We need to be enlightened by the Lord and come to the epistles of Peter with much prayer to see some of the crucial things related to God’s economy from these four sides.

Crucial Things Related to God’s Economy from the Side of the Triune God

In his Epistles, Peter reveals some crucial things related to God’s economy from the side of the Triune God.

God the Father chose a people in eternity according to His foreknowledge (1 Pet. 1:1-2; 2:0) and called them into His glory (2 Pet. 1:3).

This is on the side of the Father.

Then, Christ the Son of God, foreknown by God before the foundation of the world but manifested in the last times (1 Pet. 1:20), has redeemed and saved God’s chosen people (vv. 18-19, 2) by His vicarious death (2:24; 3:18) through His resurrection in life and ascension in power (1:3; 3:21-22). Amen!

Praise the Lord, it was not corruptible things – with silver or with gold – that we were redeemed from the vain manner of life handed down from our fathers, but with the precious blood as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot, the blood of Christ. Hallelujah!

Before we were redeemed by the blood of Christ, our life was vain; we were living in a vain manner of life.

Our life had no meaning and no goal; we may have thought that it had a goal, but that was not a real goal.

Pursuing a career, a spot, or a hobby is not the real meaning of our life.

Today people give their life to play tennis, ping-pong, basketball, football, American football, or other sports, but all these are meaningless; these are not the meaning of our life.

But praise the Lord, Christ redeemed us from our vain manner of life.

On the side of God the Spirit, He was sent from heaven, and He has sanctified and purified those whom Christ has redeemed and saved (1:2, 12, 22; 4:14)—the angels long to look into these things (1:12).

It is truly amazing what the Triune God has done, is doing, and will do for us and in us, and there is great joy in the heavens and among the angels whenever a sinner is saved.

We can testify that we have touched this joy of helping someone get saved, and we were filled with the joy of salvation in a fresh way. Hallelujah!

The Triune God’s divine power has provided the redeemed ones with all things that relate to life and godliness (2 Pet. 1:3-4) to guard them unto full salvation (1 Pet. 1:5). Praise the Lord!

At the same time, God also disciplines us (5:6) by some of His varied governmental judgments (1:17; 2:23; 4:5-6, 17; 2 Pet. 2:3-4, 9; 3:7), and He will perfect, establish, strengthen, and ground them by His all grace (1 Pet. 5:10).

On one hand, He dispenses Himself into us and does everything in us and for us; on the other hand, He exercises His government to discipline us so that we may be brought back to the full enjoyment of the Triune God.

Praise the Lord, the Lord is long-suffering toward all men so that they may have an opportunity to repent unto salvation (2 Pet. 3:9, 15).

Not only toward us, but toward all men, God is suffering toward all that they may have the opportunity to repent unto salvation.

What a Triune God we have! And Christ will appear in glory with His full salvation for His lovers (1 Pet. 1:5, 7-9, 13; 4:13; 5:4). How about that!

In the past, the Triune God went through a process and accomplished many things in order to prepare a wonderful salvation for us.

In the present, the Triune God provides us with all things which relate to life and godliness and guards us unto full salvation, and He also disciplines us.

And one day, Christ will appear in glory with His full salvation to us, His lovers. Hallelujah for the crucial things related to God’s economy from the side of the Triune God!

Thank You, Father, for choosing us in eternity according to Your foreknowledge and calling us into Your glory. Thank You, Lord Jesus, for being manifested in the last times to redeem and save us by Your vicarious death through Your resurrection life and ascension in power. Thank You, God the Spirit, for coming to sanctify and purify us, those whom Christ has redeemed and saved! Hallelujah, the Triune God’s divine power has provided us with all things that relate to life and godliness to guard us unto full salvation! Amen, Lord, keep us enjoying the daily divine dispensing of the Divine Trinity so that we may grow in life unto full salvation and become a corporate expression for the Triune God! Thank You, God, for disciplining us by some of Your varied judgments. Thank You that You will perfect, establish, strengthen, and ground us by Your all grace. How we thank You, Lord, for being long-suffering toward us so that all may have the opportunity to repent unto salvation! Hallelujah, one day Christ will appear in glory with His full salvation for us, His lovers! Praise the Lord!

Crucial Things Related to God’s Economy from the Side of the Believers

In the Epistles of Peter, we see some crucial things related to God’s economy from the side of the believers.

As God’s possession, the believers were chosen by God (1:2; 2:9), called by His glory and virtue (v. 9; 3:9; 2 Pet. 1:3, 10), redeemed by Christ (1 Pet. 1:18-19), regenerated by God through His living word (vv. 3, 23), and saved through the resurrection of Christ (3:21).

We were chosen and called by God, and we are called to bless, even as we were called to be blessed by God.

We bless one another so that we might inherit blessing.

Just as God called Abraham in Gen. 12:2 and promised him that He would bless him and make him a blessing, we need to ask the Lord to bless us and make us a blessing. God blesses us with Himself in His Divine Trinity, the eternal blessing of the Triune God (Num. 6:22-27).

The Father keeps us and blesses us. Christ the Son makes His face to shine upon us and is gracious to us.

God the Spirit lifts up His countenance upon us and gives us peace.

Today we as believers are being guarded by the power of God (1:5), are being purified to love one another (v. 22), are growing by feeding on the milk of the word (2:2), are developing in life the spiritual virtues (2 Pet. 1:5-8), and are being transformed and built up into a spiritual house, a holy priesthood to serve God (1 Pet. 2:4-5, 9). Amen!

We are guarded by God’s power, we’re purified to love one another, we grow by drinking the milk of the Word, we develop in life the spiritual virtues, and we’re being transformed and built up into God’s spiritual house.

Thank the Lord, we are God’s chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and a peculiar people for His private possession to express His virtues (v. 9). How wonderful!

These are some of the crucial things related to God’s economy from the side of the believers revealed in the Epistles of Peter.

Furthermore, we believers are being disciplined by God’s governmental judgment (1:17; 2:19- 21; 3:9, 14, 17; 4:6, 12-19; 5:6, 9) and we are living a holy life in an excellent manner and in godliness to glorify Him (1:15; 2:12; 3:1-2).

We are ministering as good stewards of His varied grace for His glorification through Christ (4:10-11)—under the elders’ exemplary shepherding (5:1-4)—and are expecting and hastening the coming of the Lord (1:13; 2 Pet. 3:12) in order to be richly supplied with an entrance into the eternal kingdom of the Lord (1:11).

On the negative side, the unpleasant side, we are under the government of God and are being disciplined by the Lord, learning to live a holy life in an excellent manner of life to glorify God.

On the positive side, we enjoy the Lord, we partake of His grace, and we are being shepherded in the Body so that we may have a rich entrance into God’s kingdom.

May we learn to daily open to the Lord for His divine dispensing.

Further, we are expecting the new heavens and new earth, in which righteousness dwells, in eternity (3:13), and they are growing continually in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (v. 18). Amen!

Thank You, Lord, for choosing us and calling us by Your glory and virtue. Hallelujah, we are redeemed by Christ, regenerated by God through His living word, and saved through the resurrection of Christ! Amen, Lord, thank You, we are now being guarded by the power of God and we’re being purified to love one another. We want to grow in life by feeding on the milk of the word and develop in life the spiritual virtues. Hallelujah, we are being transformed and built up into a spiritual house, a holy priesthood to serve God! Amen, Lord, we are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nature, and a peculiar people for God’s private possession to express His virtues! Grow in us today, Lord. Continue to transform us. We open to Your discipline so that we may live a holy life in an excellent manner and in godliness to glorify You. Amen, Lord, we are expecting the new heavens and new earth, in which righteousness dwells! Keep us growing continually in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

Crucial Things Related to God’s Economy from the Side of Satan

In his Epistles, Peter reveals one crucial thing related to God’s economy from the side of Satan: he is the believers’ adversary, the devil, who as a roaring lion is walking about, seeking someone to devour (1 Pet. 5:8).

Since Peter did not dedicate a lot of verses to dealing with Satan, we should also not focus on him that much.

We need to know that we have an adversary, and we need to realize that Satan is like a roaring lion.

He roams about, seeking to devour us if we live in the flesh, in the natural man, or in the self.

But praise the Lord, we can turn to our spirit.

We can remain in the process of God’s organic salvation.

And we can be sober and watchful, for our adversary, the devil, is walking about seeking to devour us. So we need to watch and be on the alert.

Oh Lord, may we realize that Satan is our adversary. May we realize that Satan is like a roaring lion walking about, seeking someone to devour. Oh Lord, keep us turning to You today and every day. Save us from living in the flesh. Save us from living according to the natural man or in the desires of the self. May we set our mind on our spirit. May we drink the guileless milk of the word so that we may grow unto salvation. Amen, Lord, may we be watchful and on the alert, not giving the enemy any opportunity or ground in our being!

Crucial Things Related to God’s Economy from the Side of the Universe

In Peter’s Epistles, we see some crucial things related to God’s economy from the side of the universe.

There are some unique things that the Lord reveals through Peter related to the universe, including the ancient world, the present world, the mankind, and the future judgment.

The fallen angels were condemned and are awaiting eternal judgment (2 Pet. 2:4).

Then, the ancient ungodly world was destroyed by a flood (v. 5; 3:6). As for the ungodly cities, they were reduced to ashes (2:6).

The false teachers and heretical mockers in the apostasy and mankind in his evil living will all be judged unto destruction (vv. 1, 3, 9-10, 12; 3:3-4, 7; 1 Pet. 4:5). Amen!

Regarding the future, the heavens and the earth will be burned up (2 Pet. 3:7, 10-11), and all the dead men and the demons will be judged (1 Pet. 4:5). Wow!

God is specific in what He reveals to us concerning the history of the universe, from its inception to its consummation, and there are some crucial things related to God’s economy from the side of the universe revealed in the writings of Peter.

Finally, Peter reveals that the new heavens and new earth will come as a new universe in which God’s righteousness will dwell for eternity (2 Pet. 3:13; cf. Isa. 1:26).

May we have such an expectation as Peter wrote, expecting new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

In the new heaven and new earth, we have the New Jerusalem, the city of righteousness, and we will be filled with Christ as our subjective righteousness.

The Lord will take the old heavens and old earth and will renew and transform them through the burning of God’s judging fire, just as the new man is our old man renewed and transformed. Hallelujah!

And today we have this eager expectation that the Lord will bring in the new heavens and new earth, in which God’s righteousness will dwell for eternity!

Lord Jesus, we love You and we give ourselves to You today to grow in life and be transformed. Renew us a little more today. Transform us and conform us to Your glorious image. Amen, Lord, we believe that You will one day judge all men and all creatures, just as You have already judged the fallen angels, the ancient ungodly world, and the ungodly cities. Oh Lord, may we live a life of enjoying Christ and acknowledge the government of God with His judgment. May everything concerning God’s government bring us back to the central focus and basic structure of these epistles – the Triune God as our full enjoyment to carry out the economy of God! Amen, Lord Jesus, we believe that one day the new heavens and new earth will come as a new universe, in which God’s righteousness will dwell for eternity! Hallelujah!

References and Hymns on this Topic

• Inspiration for this article/sharing comes from the Word of God, the enjoyment in the ministry, a sharing by brother Ed Marks in the message for this week, and portions from, Life-study of 2 Peter, pp. 112-114, as quoted in the Holy Word for Morning Revival on, Living a Christian Life and Church Life under the Government of God for the Economy of God (2024 Thanksgiving Blending Conference), week 1, The Government of God for the Economy of God.
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  – Now we Thy new creation are— / New spirit and new heart; / We’re daily from the old renewed, / New life Thou dost impart. / The earth and heavens will be new / And Thy new city share; / New fruits each month will be supplied, / For all is newness there. (Hymns #16 stanzas 4-5)