Peter's Letters
10 - Be On Your Guard
One of the neglected New Testament books is Peter’s second letter. It was written to combat beliefs and activities of certain men who were a threat to the church. Peter warns of heresy like poison seeping into the church via its teachers.
This letter, written around 66 AD, was Peter’s swan-song in which he takes a strong stand against those who would depart from the faith. If someone defects from their beliefs and abandons their religious faith, we may call such a person an apostate. Peter, like Paul, was keen to anchor the church on the Word of God as the only defence against the coming storm of false doctrine and apostasy. It’s as if Peter is saying, knowledge of the scriptures will be our defence and shield. Decide not to be a biblically ignorant Christian.
If Peter’s first letter was saying be hopeful though persecution is coming upon you, from outside the church, his second letter is saying be alert because there are real dangers inside the church. False teachers spreading error are dangerous. It’s not unchristian to warn of spiritual charlatans and religious shysters. A group called Gnostics claimed to have some secret knowledge that no one else had. They had a form or formula, a rite or ritual, a secret order or password that you had to get in order to join their society. Peter says real knowledge is not the preserve of the private few, the initiated elite. Real knowledge is to know Jesus Christ. It is in the public domain. Know Him, the living Word, and know the Scripture, the written word. This is a vital truth especially in our day. You will not be able to live for God in these days of apostasy unless you have a knowledge of the Word of God. That’s Peter’s theme – knowing will result in growing. Hadn’t Hosea written “My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge”?
Peter begins his second letter by calling himself ‘a servant ‘or slave of Jesus Christ. It’s a title of humiliation for it signified an unquestioning obedience. In the ancient world the slave had literally no time of his own, no holidays, no leisure. All his time belonged to his Master.
2 Peter 1 verse 3 is well worth memorising, “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness.” How? “Through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.” When born again we are given the divine nature. We receive faith that is ‘precious’ (verse 1) and promises that are ‘great and precious’ (verse 4) and godly living is the result of cultivating the new nature within. That’s why Peter (verse 5) urges us to ‘make every effort to add to our faith’ seven qualities of Christian character. We’re to add ‘goodness, knowledge and self control.’ Proverbs 25 verse 28 says, “Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control.” Many false teachers claimed knowledge made self control unnecessary. Peter believed that Christian knowledge led to self control. We’re to add ‘perseverance’ which relates to the pressures of life and ‘godliness’ or godlikeness. Also we must add ‘brotherly kindness and love.’ Such qualities are Spirit produced.
It’s so important in the Christian life to keep on making progress. The supreme effort of man must cooperate with the grace of God. It’s not about polishing human qualities, but rather producing divine qualities. There’s a great promise in verse 8. “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.”
The Authorised Version says (verse 11) “Give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall.” Believer, don’t park up in a local church and rest in a spiritual lay by, keep moving. Nutritionists say that diet can certainly affect vision. If we desire to see clearly in the spiritual realm, we need to feed on the Word of God and remember we have been cleansed from our past sins. Think of the rich welcome that awaits the overcomer on that day in the eternal kingdom.
Peter reminds them of truth they already know and he says ‘I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body’ (verse13). He knows his tent must be folded up very soon – as Jesus prophesied. Death is taking down your tent and pitching it in another location – in the believer’s case, on higher ground! Peter is acting very responsibly as he writes (verse 15) “I will make every effort to see that after my departure (his exodus from this world) you will always be able to remember these things.”
The apostle includes his own personal testimony, “We weren’t just wishing on a star when we laid the facts out before you regarding the powerful return of our Master, Jesus Christ” (verse 16 ’The Message’). Peter, remember, was one of the eyewitnesses of the supernatural occurrence on the Mount of Transfiguration. “He (Jesus) received honour and glory from God the Father when the voice came to Him from 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 mount” (verses 17 and 18).
Was the Transfiguration a miniature picture of the kingdom with Old Testament and New Testament saints present? Was it a foretaste of His coming glory and the kingdom come with power? The Transfiguration was God’s way of strengthening Jesus for Calvary.
We live in a demonised world at the foot of the mountain but Peter’s powerful testimony (verse 16) was, literally, ‘we were admitted to the spectacle of His sovereignty.’ Remember these are the words of the apostle and martyr who had had breakfast with the Risen Christ on the shore of Galilee lake and later preached in Jerusalem at Pentecost when 3,000 people were saved and baptised in water.