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IMPORTANT REMINDERS
THE SECOND EPISTLE OF PETER
CHAPTER 1
A very warm
welcome back to you, and happy to have you join in again for the next book
of the New Testament, which is The Second Epistle of Peter. After studying
his first letter, Peter doesn’t need much of an introduction, so let’s just
start right in without any further ado.
From Simon Peter,
a servant and an Apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have received the
same precious Faith with us (the Apostles) through the righteousness of God
and our Savior Jesus Christ. Remember again, to you, this first sentence
should say, From Simon Peter, to Your name here. That is because
these letters are addressed to Christians. Grace and peace in abundance to
you in the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has
given to us all things that relate to life and godliness, through the
knowledge of Him that has called us to glory and virtue, by which are given
to us very great and precious promises, that by these (promises) you might
be partakers of the divine nature (the Heavenly life), having escaped the
corruption that is in the world through lust (desire).
You’ll find in
most of the epistles in the Bible, that there is usually a very elaborate
greeting, which included well wishing, followed by a very lengthy glorifying
of God, things He has said or done, and who He is. Now Peter continues with
his message.
And beside this,
with much diligence, add to your faith virtue,
and to virtue knowledge,
and to knowledge temperance,
and to temperance patience,
and to patience godliness,
and to godliness brotherly kindness,
and to brotherly kindness charity
(love). Peter has shared with us a recipe of becoming whole in Christ.
Because if these
things are in you, and abound, they make you so that you’ll never be barren
(idle or useless) or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
But whoever lacks these things is blind, and can’t see far off, and has
forgotten that he was purified of his old sins.
So then, brethren,
be earnest to make your calling and election sure, because if you do
these things, you will never fall, because an entrance (admission) will be
given to you abundantly into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Savior
Jesus Christ. So I won’t be negligent to remind you of these things, though
you know them, and be established in the present TRUTH.
Yes, I think it
proper, as long as I’m in this body, to stir you up by reminding you,
knowing that shortly I must die, as our Lord Jesus Christ has showed me. In
addition, I am determined that you may be able, after my death, to have
these things always in remembrance. For we (Jesus’ Apostles) have not made
up clever stories, when we told you of the power and coming of our Lord
Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. He received from God the
Father, honor and glory, when there came such a voice to Him from the
majestic glory, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased (Matthew
17:5). And this voice that came from Heaven, we heard, when we were with
Him in the Holy Mount.
We have also a
more certain word of prophecy, to which you do good if you notice, as a
light that shines in a dark place, until the day breaks, and the day star
arise in your hearts, knowing this first, that
no prophecy of the scripture is of any private
interpretation. Because the prophecy of the
olden days didn’t come about by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke
as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
In
other words, ALL of the prophecies from Genesis to Revelation are given to
ALL mankind from God through the prophet and for ALL to ponder and discern
the TRUTH of. Peter is saying, we had Jesus show us and tell us things, and
if you’ll take notice, He fulfilled many of the prophecies of old. Like a
light in the darkness, if you’ll let the day star, the sun, the Son, arise
in your hearts, you’ll see that scripture isn’t just a bunch of stories
either, but it was inspired by the
Holy Spirit.
Remember, we learned about this a little bit in Peter’s first letter.
So, in this
introduction, it’s clear that Peter wants to make sure that believers
remember how to live the Christian life, and what virtues are important to
possess within their character, and he wants to remind them before he dies,
so they’ll remember ever after as well. In the next Daily Bread, we’ll study
more reminders from Peter, so be sure to join us again soon, and we’ll share
them together.
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