Restoration and the Torah

The Restorative Impact of 2 Peter 1:5-7

The pages of the Bible move from rescue, to redemption, to restoration, but most notably, the journey happens relationally.  Without a deeply rooted understanding of covenant theology, the Bible takes on a much more transactional overtone.  It is only through a Hebraic worldview are we able to see the embodiment of the relational journey of covenant, the depth of God’s desire to restore, and the formative journey back to the priestly life that followers of the way are invited into.  

The way of Jesus is the way of discipleship through covenant relationships.  A journey that is experienced linearly, side by side, rooted in authentic community pursuing the transformation from and into Edenic intimacy and relational harmony.  The Torah was given to shepherd Israel through a transformative healing journey back into relational intimacy and harmony knowing God and knowing one another covenantally.  

To divorce the Old Testament from the Bible would be to dilute Torah living all together, yet the Bible continues to not separate itself, but rather fulfill what it began.  What began as an invitation into covenant to Israel, Jesus fulfilled, and later capitalizes on this concept by inviting disciples into the beauty and depth of these restorative relationships through Torah living.

Emunah (אֱמוּנָה) in Hebrew carries the sense of faithfulness, steadiness, and relational trust expressed in action. First-century Christians could not divide belief from behavior because they could not teach theology apart from ethics—Peter would say that if we believe what he believes, we must behave as he behaves[1]. This integration mirrors Torah’s design, where obedience expresses covenant loyalty rather than earning righteousness.

For 2 Peter, ethics represents continuing in full knowledge of Jesus that appropriates the salvation he accomplished[2]. Rather than legal obligation, everything needed for life and godliness comes from grace and peace granted by God’s power[3].  The progression itself reflects covenantal logic: each virtue is rooted in and contained in the previous one, with all virtues ultimately contained in faith[4]. Peter’s progression through faith, moral excellence, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love (2 Pet 1:5–7) establishes a framework where virtue development flows directly from covenant relationship with God rather than autonomous ethical achievement. 

“For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.”  2 Peter 1:5-7

Peter’s progression establishes a framework where virtue development flows directly from covenant relationship with God rather than autonomous ethical achievement. This sequence embodies how Torah living and covenant theology intersect in Christian practice.

The pathway of discipleship first begins with a response to an invitation to know and be known by God himself, but progresses into formation of Christ in us, the embodiment of the living God retorting creation back to himself.

Embodiment is imminent in the life of the disciple.  The way of Jesus is not striving to become, but rather formation from within.  A baby is born fully human although it’s understandings are incomplete.  A follower of Jesus does not lack the availability of the fulness of God and full access to heavenly realities, yet discipleship through covenant relationship allows these realities to be experienced on a journey towards the lived reality of wholeness, harmony, and completeness.  

It is because of God’s covenant faithfulness that 2 Peter exhorts its readers to live out the divine life that has been lavished on them through grace.  Faith is the basis of the believers reciprocity to God’s faithfulness and as knowledge of his goodness grows within, the embodiment of God’s character begins to reshape and mold the heart of the believer into his image, sparking the journey of life long journey of discipleship vertically with God and linearly within covenant community.  

The pastoral exhortation of this passage is to return to the unashamed relationship with God and with one another in Eden.  To embody the divine calling to love and worship the Lord through love and care for one another and creation itself and the way there is through the sacrificial life set forth as an example by Jesus Christ.  The way to completeness is to be completely emptied of self, following in the footsteps of the covenant keeper, that our lives, our deeds, our love may directly point to the character of our God.    

- [1] = R. C. Lucas & Christopher Green, The Message of 2 Peter & Jude, 56.

- [2] = Terrance Callan, “Second Peter,” in First and Second Peter, 199–200.

- [3] = William H. Baker, “2 Peter,” in Evangelical Commentary on the Bible, 3:1173.

- [4] = H. K. LaRondelle, Perfection and Perfectionism, 3:237, 3:239.