We have already studied the apostle Peter’s first epistle, (see Standing Steadfast in the Face of Your Trials and The Apostle Peter’s Love Applications).
Now we will delve into his second and last epistle, known as the book of 2 Peter.
In the mid 60s A.D., there was a fire in Rome, and the emperor Nero blamed it on the Christians. In retaliation, Nero launched a murderous campaign against them…
Peter wrote his letter to his same audience as in 1 Peter, that is, to the Christian Jews of the Diaspora, spread across modern-day Turkey. He begins with an introduction of solidarity:
I am writing to you who share the same precious faith we have. This faith was given to you because of the justice and fairness of Jesus Christ, our God and Savior. May God give you more and more grace and peace as you grow in your knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord. 2 Pt. 1:1, 2. NLT
By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises.
These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires. 2 Pt. 1:3, 4. NLT
We see then that Peter is encouraging us to pursue our spiritual growth because God and His Son has prepared us to successfully do so.
Then, he tells us how to help ourselves to enhance the use of those gifts:
In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and with brotherly affection with love for everyone. 2 Pt. 5 – 7. NLT
Do these things, and you will never fall away. Then God will give you a grand entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 2 Pt. 1:10, 11. NLT
The apostle is telling us to run our race for Jesus until we take our last breath, or until He returns – whichever comes first. Jesus will be waving the checkered flag, congratulating you, saying “Well done good and faithful servant.” (Mt. 25:21)
Peter stresses that they do not forget what he has Holy Spirit-inspired in them because his time is short:
For our Lord Jesus Christ has shown me that I must soon leave this earthly life… 2 Pt. 1:14 NLT (see Jn. 21:18)
Next, the apostle stresses the veracity of what he says, because he was with Christ Himself:
For we were not making up clever stories when we told you about the powerful coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We saw his majestic splendor with our own eyes when he received honor and glory from God the Father.
The voice from the majestic glory of God said to him, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.” We ourselves heard that voice from heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain. 2 Pt 1:16 – 18. NLT (see Mt. 17:4 – 6.)
The result?
Because of that experience, we have even greater confidence in the message proclaimed by the prophets. You must pay close attention to what they wrote, for their words are like a lamp shining in a dark place – until the Day dawns, and Christ the Morning Star shines in your hearts.
Above all, you must realize that no prophecy in Scripture every came from the prophet’s own understanding, or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God. 2 Pt. 1:19 – 21. NLT
We see then that all biblical authors were Holy Spirit-inspired, so that they could both receive and reveal the pure unadulterated word of God.
Now, Peter shifts his focus to false teachers who want to destroy the church. This battle will be fought right up until Christ returns:
…there will be false teachers among you. They will cleverly teach destructive heresies and even deny the Master who bought them. In this way, they will bring sudden destruction on themselves.
Many will follow their evil teaching and shameful immorality. And because of these teachers, the way of the truth will be slandered. In their greed they will make up clever lies to get hold of your money. But God condemned them long ago, and their destruction will not be delayed. 2 Pt. 2:1 – 3. NLT
For God did not spare even the angels who sinned. He threw them into hell, in gloomy pits of darkness, where they are being held until the day of judgment. 2 Pt. 2:4 NLT
However, their wicked end does not befall God’s children:
…the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials, even while keeping the wicked under punishment until the final day of judgment. 2 Pt. 2:9 NLT
Our job is to remain firm in the true hope of Christ’s return:
…in the last days scoffers will come, mocking the truth and following their own desires. They will say, “What happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again? From before the times of our ancestors, everything has remained the same since the world was first created.” 2 Pt. 3:3, 4. NLT
But you must not forget this one thing…: A Day is like a thousand years to the Lord and a thousand years is like a day.
The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise…No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. 2 Pt. 3:8, 9. NLT
Jehovah has a plan, and He promises that it will all come to pass. It will be fulfilled when He decides that it is the exact moment for time to end, and not one millisecond before. He has set the time interval to be ideal for everyone to have a chance to grab ahold of their salvation – out of His great love for humankind.
God is a promise-keeper. He will send His Son for us. How will that look?
…the day of the Lord will come unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment.
Since everything around us is going to be destroyed like this, what holy and godly lives you should live, looking forward to the day…On that day he will set the heavens on fire, and the elements will melt away in the flames.
But we are looking forward to the new heavens and the new earth he has promised, a world filled with God’s righteousness. 2 Cor. 3:10 – 13. NLT
When Christ returns, He is going to help His Father a create a major re-do of the universe, which, for God’s children, will be a wonderful, marvelous beginning in a love-saturated eternity…
Goodnight and God bless.