«　WEEK 4　DAY 1　»

　　1 Pet. 1:2 Chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father in the sanctification of the Spirit unto the obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.

　　2 Pet. 1:2 Grace to you and peace be multiplied in the full knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

　　Peter speaks of the grace that multiplies in the believers’ daily life in the full knowledge of God and of Jesus their Lord (1 Pet. 1:2; 2 Pet. 1:2). In the full knowledge of God and the Lord, the onefold grace multiplies again and again …Grace is unlimited just as God is unlimited. When we were regenerated, we received God into us, but we had only a small amount of God. Gradually, as God increases within us through the years, we will be weighty with the measure of God. This is because God as grace will be increased in us. (CWWL, 1994-1997, vol. 1, “Crystallization-study of the Epistle to the Romans,” p. 404)

　　The grace of God in His economy is rich, multiplying, and abounding…The riches of God’s grace surpass every limitation. These are the riches of God Himself for our enjoyment. Furthermore, the grace of God and the gift in grace of Jesus Christ have abounded to the many (Rom. 5:15b, 20b). In their experience of the grace in God’s economy, the believers also receive God’s abounding supply of all grace [cf. 2 Cor. 9:8]…Today we have God abundantly supplying us with all grace.

　　We are constantly enjoying God’s multiplying grace…This grace is not dead but living and multiplying; it is being multiplied to us day by day. (CWWL, 1991-1992, vol. 2, “The Law and Grace of God in His Economy,” pp. 309, 312)

　　Paul often uses the expression “grace to you and peace.” Peter, however, twice speaks of grace and peace being multiplied. In 1 Peter 1:2 he says, “Grace to you and peace be multiplied,” and in 2 Peter 1:2, “Grace to you and peace be multiplied in the full knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.” Peter desires not only that grace be with the saints, but that grace be multiplied to them. Have you ever thought about what it means for grace to be multiplied? Have you ever heard of a sermon or message telling you that grace and peace can be multiplied? Most of us may find this expression puzzling. Peter’s use of the word multiplied is another illustration of his particularity. In this matter, not even Paul was as particular as Peter, for he never spoke in his Epistles of grace and peace being multiplied.

　　The word multiplied indicates that a certain thing is present and that instead of having another of the same thing added, we need what we have to be multiplied. This means that we need the multiplication of the grace we already have. We do not need another grace. What we need is to have multiplied the grace we have already.

　　With the thought of multiplied grace as the base, Peter goes on to speak in 1 Peter 4:10 of varied grace: “Each one, as he has received a gift, ministering it among yourselves as good stewards of the varied grace of God.” We all should be good stewards of what Peter calls varied grace, grace in different aspects and of different categories. Peter mentions grace again in 5:10, where he speaks of the God of all grace. Therefore, in 1 Peter we have four unique expressions concerning grace: grace of life, multiplied grace, varied grace, and all grace. The grace of life is being multiplied in us. Then it becomes the varied grace and eventually, the all grace. As a result, we do not have grace just from one direction, but from many directions, for example, from the heavens and from the earth, from our husband or wife, and from our children. The more children we have, the more aspects of grace we shall experience. If you have four children, you will enjoy grace in four aspects. But if you have more children, you will enjoy more aspects of grace. (Life-study of 1 Peter, pp. 4-5)

　　Further Reading: CWWL, 1994-1997, vol. 1, “Crystallization-study of the Epistle to the Romans,” chs. 19-20