SCRIPTURE: 2 PETER 1
INTRODUCTION:
This is the second letter Peter wrote to the same group of Christians in first Peter. These Christians were not in danger of persecution but were in danger of being confused by false teachers. Peter reminded the Christians to grow in the knowledge of God’s word and practice of the Christian faith so that they would not be carried away by the teachings of the false teachers. Second Peter is a letter of warning of an internal attack — complacency and heresy, which will become prevalent in the last days. He mentioned about false teachers, who claim to have the truth and who clamor for attention and allegiance. Believers have to reject all those who preach anything inconsistent with God’s Word.
MEMORY VERSE:
“Make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness; brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.” (2 Peter 1:5-7)
MAKING ONE’S CALLING AND ELECTION SURE (vs. 3-11)
His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith, goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.
Therefore, my brother, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
PROPHECY OF SCRIPTURE (vs. 12-21)
So, I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things.
We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him for the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my son, whom I love with him I am well pleased.” We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.
And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
THOUGHTS:
Second Peter focused on the church’s internal problems, especially on the false teachers who caused people to doubt their faith and turn away from Christianity. It combats their heresies by denouncing the evil motives of the false teachers and reaffirming Christianity’s truths – the authority of Scripture, the primacy of faith, and the certainty of Christ’s return.
Believers must get to know Christ better through Bible study and prayer. To live a godly life, we need God’s spirit to empower us with his own goodness. Starting with faith, we have to develop goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and love. We have the responsibility to learn and grow in the process.
Salvation is by a gift of God given to us. We are saved through faith alone. Salvation does not depend on good deeds but it results in good deeds. So, after we have become children of God, we must follow God’s command to become holy. We have to produce His character in us by our deeds. As we obey Christ guided by the Holy Spirit, we can develop self-control resulting in good fruits and spiritual maturity.
False teacher taught that since salvation is not based on good deeds, they could live any way they want. But Peter wrote: if you truly belong to the Lord, you must prove it by developing the qualities of self-control, patience, godliness, kindness and love. Without these qualities you will be ineffective and unproductive as a Christian.
Peter knew that his death was at hand. He was martyred for the faith about AD 68. According to tradition, he was crucified upside down at his own request because he did not feel worthy to die in the same manner as Christ.
The prophecy of the Scripture did not come from the creative work of the prophet’s own invention or interpretation. It was the Holy Spirit who inspired the writers to ensure that the message God intended was faithfully communicated in the very words they wrote.
..
0