2 Peter 1

2 Peter 1:1

As we read the Gospel accounts, we see Peter talking when he should have been listening (Mat_16:21-22), sleeping when he should have been praying (Mar_14:37), stepping out when he should have held back (Joh_18:10), and holding back when he should have stepped out (Joh_13:8). That’s why Peter is such a favorite of mineI see his characteristics and tendencies in my own walk and history. Maybe you see them in yours as well. But here’s the great news, the amazing truth, the glorious fact: Even with all of his failures and denials, even with all of his setbacks and stumbles, Simon made it through. Why? Because he was such a great guy? No. Simon made it through because Jesus prayed for him (Luk_22:32). And guess what. The same thing is true of you and me. We’re all people who want to do right, but who invariably mess up. We’re all people whose spirits are willing, but whose flesh is unbelievably weak. Yet even right now, Jesus knows the temptation we’re facing, the fears we’re feeling, the questions that are churning. He knows them all, and He’s praying for us (Heb_7:25)not because we’re worthy, but because He’s faithful. When Jesus first called Peter, He said, “You are Simon, but you shall be Petros, Peter, Rock,” as if to say, “You’re shifting sand now, but I know what I’m going to do with you, and I know what will be accomplished in you.” When was Simon’s name officially changed to Peter? It happened in Caesarea Philippi… “Whom do men say that I am?” Jesus asked His disciples. “Some say You’re Elijah; some say You’re John the Baptist; some say You’re Jeremiah; some say You’re the promised prophet of Deuteronomy 18, " they answered. “Yes, but who do you say that I am?” He asked His boys. It was Peter who said, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” “Blessed are you, Simon,” Jesus said, “for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father which is in heaven. Thou art Peter. Upon the rock of your confession, I will build My church. And the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (see Mat_16:18). Peter discovered his identity. Peter was changed from shifting sand to rock when he understood who Jesus was. And the same is still true today. I know men fifty years old who are still trying to figure out their identities. Confused about who they are, they try to drive the newest car, marry the youngest wife, and line up the easiest job. But they remain unhappy and unstable because it’s only when a man, woman, or teenager finally realizes who Jesus Christ is that life begins to make sense. It’s only when we understand that God doesn’t exist for us, but that all things were made by and for the One who died for us (Col_1:16) that we see who we are in Him. Show me a teenager who realizes that Jesus does not exist to give him a girlfriend, but that he exists to please Jesus Christ; show me a mom who understands that her purpose is to please Christ even more than pleasing her family; show me a businessman climbing the ladder vocationally who knows his job simply gives him opportunity to please Christ in the workplaceand I’ll show you a teenager, a mom, a businessman who knows their true identity. Please note with me one other element of Peter’s introduction. In his first epistle, he referred to himself simply as Peter. In this, his second epistle, coming to the very last days of his life, he refers to himself as Simon Peter. Samuel Chadwick, powerful preacher of generations past, was known as the “Preacher of Passion.” This was due to the fact that at some point in every sermon, tears would fill his eyes. His writings reveal the reason why week, after week, year after year he felt such compassion for people. He recounts how every Saturday night, after his sermon was prepared, he would go into his study, close the door behind him, and reflect on what a sinner he had been before he met Christ and how good God was to save him. Remembering the pit from which he had been rescued caused him to break down in gratitude. Then, looking out at his congregation the next morning, realizing many of them were in the same place he had been, he wept for them. For we who have been saved for over ten years, the danger lies in forgetting the emptiness, the shattered relationships, the broken promises, the valleys that defined our days before the Lord saved us. What was good for Samuel Chadwick and Simon Peter is good for you and me as wellas we reflect on who and where we would be if it wasn’t for Jesus in our lives. The Greek word translated “servant” is doulos, or bondservant. After six years of service, slaves were set free. But if a slave wanted to remain in his master’s service, an earring would be placed in his ear, signifying that he was a slave by choice. Such is what Peter was. Why? Because although the doulos was committed to serve his master for life, the master was equally committed to provide for the slave. Now, if you know Jesus at all, it makes all the sense in the world that Peter would want to be a servant of His because who would care for him, who would provide for him better than Jesus? “Apostle” means “sent out one.” Of the hundreds of disciples, or “disciplined ones,” who followed Him, Jesus chose twelve apostles to bring into His inner circle, and then to send out into ministry. Peter was one of those twelve. I find it intriguing that throughout his writing, Peter uses the word “precious.” In his first epistle, he wrote of precious blood (2Pe_1:19). Here in verse 2Pe_1:1 of his second epistle, he speaks of precious faith. In verse 2Pe_1:4, he’ll talk about precious promises. In chapter 2, he’ll speak of the precious stone. Although it’s not a word we would expect to find in the vocabulary of a big fisherman, “precious” is a perfect choice because it literally means “beyond calculation.” And truly, the faith, blood, and promises of our Lord are of incalculable worth. Peter isn’t saying, “I’m flying First Class because I’m an apostle, but the rest of you are in Coach.” No, he says, “You have the same precious faith I do. It’s common to us all.” The Greek phrase translated “of God and our Savior Jesus Christ” is literally “of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ.” This means Peter is calling Jesuswith whom he lived and walked for three yearsGod.

2 Peter 1:2

The more knowledge you have of Jesus Christ, the greater understanding you’ll have that our God is truly a God of grace. At the outset of his ministry, Billy Graham was referred to as “God’s Machine Gun.” But as he went on in his knowledge of the Lord, he found himself becoming more and more oriented toward graceso much so that many Christians today scratch their heads and wonder how he can be open to so many. “That denomination can’t be Christian,” they scoff. Or, “Surely, those people can’t be saved.” But Billy has a way of being incredibly embracive without compromising. And in his own writings, he explains that as he grows older in the Lord, he’s more and more amazed by the grace of the Lord. The older you grow in the Lord, the more grace-oriented you’ll be as you realize the Christian life is all about Jesus and the undeserved, unearned favor He lavishes upon us so freely due to the finished work of Calvary. The result? Unmistakable, undeniable, unshakable peace. Grace and peace walk hand in hand.

2 Peter 1:3

Notice that Peter is not telling us that everything we have need of pertaining to life and godliness will be given to us. No, he says everything we need to live an abundant, fulfilled lifeand everything we need to live like Christhas already been given to us. This is radical because many of us don’t have this understanding. We think we’re still pursuing some key and if we can find it, then we’ll be able to unlock the secret of life. We’re looking for the combination on the padlock of godliness. But Peter says something wonderful when he says God has already given us all thingsnot most things, not a bunch of thingsbut all things that pertain to life and godliness. When my son Benjamin was born, although he wasn’t all that he will be one day, everything he needed was already packed into his little body. His job, then, was not to find additional body parts to add to himself. His job was simply to grow. “That’s obvious,” you say. But a whole bunch of Christians do what I did for some years in my walkthey read, search, look for what’s missing in their faith, instead of simply taking God’s Word at face value, which says His divine power has given us everything we need for godliness and all we need for abundant life. This understanding can save us a bunch of time and a lot of money. For instead of searching bookstores and infomercials to find the seven secrets of effective people, or the way to “awaken the giant within,” we can simply grow in the knowledge that we’ve already been given everything we need to live abundantly and godly. How do we grow? Read on. We grow as we get to know the Lord Jesus through prayer, through the Word, through worship morning by morning, day by day, evening by evening. For the better we know Him, the better we understand how all things that pertain to life and godliness can function within us. The Hebrew word translated “glory” is chabod, meaning “weight” or “heaviness.” The opposite of a cotton candy-type froth, He who calls us has called us to a substantial, meaningful life.

2 Peter 1:4

“She shows great promise,” the teacher says of the child prodigy. “He shows so much promise,” the press says of the NFL rookie. The question iswill they live up to it? The same is true of us, for in addition to giving us everything we need to live godly, God also makes amazing promises available to you and me. The question is: Are we living up to them? We partake of the divine nature through the promises He’s given to us and through the knowledge of Him who gave Himself for us. The craziness of the world can be traced directly to lust. Whether regarding money, sex, esteem, or approval, lust simply says, “I’ve got to have more.” And it is from such a mind-set that we have been delivered.

2 Peter 1:5

“Beside this” could be translated “in light of this.” In other words, in light of the fact that we have everything we need to enjoy life fully and to live godly; in light of the fact that we have been given hundreds of promises so graciously; in light of the fact that we are free of the grasp of lust, we are to be those who add to their faith diligently… “You have faith,” says Peter. “Now go for virtue, or moral excellence.” This means that the darkness of our culture as portrayed on the screen or in print, in song lyrics or in the questionable jokes around the water cooler has no place in our lives. Why are we to add virtue before knowledge? I believe it’s because if my mind is cluttered with pornography and violence, I won’t be able to extract knowledge about life from the Word because I’ve filled my spirit with the junk food of the world. Moral excellence is that which makes room for us to take in the Word and gain knowledge of the Lord.

2 Peter 1:6

Why is temperance, or self-control, to be added to knowledge? Because as I gain knowledge, if I’m not very, very careful, I will begin to say, “Now that I have knowledge about this, I can handle it.” A dear pastor friend of mine who had been mightily used by the Lord began to say, “My studies have convinced me that Jesus drank alcohol.” And he went on to develop an extensive argument for why Christians should be able to drink. This led him and his wife to wine-tasting events, which led to nightclubs, which led to dancing with other people, which led to divorce. In the name of knowledge, this dear brother sacrificed temperanceand lost his family and ministry as a result. Peter warns us that as we add knowledge, we must be sure we don’t get caught up in a pharisaical pseudo-intellectualism that makes us feel that, because we’re a cut above others, we can indulge ourselves in ways that will destroy us. Although I’m temperate, disciplined, self-controlled, if I’m not careful, I can become impatient with those who aren’t. Therefore, I must add patience to my temperance. Yes, I must be patientbut not to the point where I no longer stand for righteousness and godliness.

2 Peter 1:7

Brotherly kindness keeps godliness from being harsh, for brotherly kindness dictates that we be as magnanimous as we possibly can to as many as we possibly can. Because John tells us that love is the proof that we have passed from death to life (1Jn_3:14), it is easy to see why He places charity, agape, perfect love at the top of the list.

2 Peter 1:8

If you feel barren or unfruitful spiritually, if you’re going through a dry season in your walk, the Holy Spirit inspired Peter to tell you to start working on these things. Start being kind to people. Start adding temperance to your life. Be patient with folks. Go for moral excellence. The degree to which you add these qualities to your life will be the degree to which you will be fruitful and productive in your knowledge of the Lord. “Abide in Me,” Jesus said, “and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself except it abide in the vine, neither can ye except ye abide in Me” (Joh_15:4). It is as we abide in the only One whose nature contains all of these traits, the only One who lived them out daily, that we will be able to incorporate them into our own lives.

2 Peter 1:9

The idea of purging, or pruning, takes us back to the abiding, the fruitfulness of John 15.

2 Peter 1:10

“I’m worried I’m going to lose my salvation,” some say. Not if you do these things. “I’m worried I’ll stumble,” some say. Not if you do these things. According to Peter, if you do these things, your calling, your election is sure and you’ll not fail.

2 Peter 1:11

If you do these things, you’ll not only be fruitful in this life, but you will be rewarded eternally. I find it amazing and wonderful that Peter doesn’t give us a fifteen-volume set of books on how to be fruitful. Rather, he gives us two verses. If I don’t pursue knowledge, I may fall. If I don’t add virtue, I may fall. If I don’t seek after godliness, I may fall. But if I do these things I will never falland I will be rewarded eternally on top of that.

2 Peter 1:12

Very likely in prison even as he writes this letter, Peter knows he’s about to die. And he uses whatever life he has left to say, “I know you know this stuff. But I will not be negligent to put you in remembrance of it until you are established in it.” If you are a Sunday-school teacher, parent, elder, or anyone else who wants to be used in service, this is a huge point, for the key to ministry is putting people in remembrance of things they already know. You see, because our minds have been affected by sin, we forget the things we should remember and remember the things we should forget. Therefore, your job as a dad, my job as a pastor is to say the same things over and over and over until those in our charge are established in them. It’s not how much you know that counts, gang. It’s how well you know what you know. What matters is how well you understand the basic truths, and how deep they sink into the soil of your soul.

2 Peter 1:14

Peter knew his death was imminent. But rather than producing panic, this knowledge produced peace. Peter’s Perfect Peace A Topical Study of 2Pe_1:14 An old man, Peter said, “I’m about to die.” Although this is the first time Peter makes such a statement, it wasn’t the first time he could have had reason. You recall the story… Eager to gain favor with the Jewish community, Herod killed James, the brother of John. And when he saw this pleased the Jews, he imprisoned Peter as well. Scripture tells us that on the night before his execution, Peter slept between two soldiers (Act_12:6). Peter’s heart should have been filled with fear. Instead, his eyes were heavy with sleep. Why? Some suggest it was because Peter was one who fell asleep easily and often… One of only three men who accompanied Jesus to the Mount of Transfiguration, you’d think Peter would be curious about what would transpire. In reality, however, such was not the case, for Luke tells us that when Moses and Elijah appeared, and when Jesus started shining, Peter was sleeping (Luk_9:32). It was to Peter and James and John that Jesus said, “My soul is troubled. Come to the Garden and pray with Me.” But after having gone a short distance from them, when Jesus returned to His boys, He found them sleeping. “Could you not watch and pray but one hour with Me?” He said before returning to His place of prayer. Jesus came back a second time to find His disciples asleep again. And, after a third time, He finally said, “Sleep on” (see Mar_14:37-41). Why was Peter sleeping in prison? Perhaps it was because he was a sound sleeper. But I don’t think that’s the reason. I don’t think anyone sleeps the night before his execution. Others propose Peter could sleep because prayer had been made. That could be the case, for evidently having seen what had happened to James, Luke tells us the church prayed without ceasing for Peter (Act_12:5). Yet, I think there’s a more profound and practical explanation for why Peter was sawing logs the night before he was ordered to die. I suggest Peter could sleep because he knew that, although he was indeed chained to Roman guards, he could not be executed at that time. How did he know? I believe the answer is found in John 21… After dying on the Cross and rising from the dead, Jesus sought out the one who had thrice denied Him. “I’ll stand for You, Lord,” Peter had declared. “I’ll never turn my back on You. You can count on me.” After failing miserably, thinking he had no choice but to return to his former occupation, Peter was fishing when Jesus came to him. Realizing it was the Lord calling him, Peter quickly swam to shorewhere Jesus would re-commission him for service (see Joh_21:15-17). Then, after re-commissioning him, Jesus went on to tell him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.Joh_21:18 Jesus spoke of crucifixionthe very way Peter did, in fact, die, upside down on a cross outside of Rome. So because Peter had heard Jesus say, “When you’re old, you’re going to die in this manner,” chained between two guards as a young man, Peter knew it wasn’t his time to die. Whether you feel like you’re on a merry-go-round at work, or like you’re being driven crazy by your parents or kids; whether you’re not finding what you thought you would find in that relationship, or whether your bills are threatening to bury you, you can be at total peace if you want to be. How? By doing the same thing Peter didby simply believing the promise Jesus gives to you even as Peter believed the promise Jesus had spoken to him. What promise? Take your pick… But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.Php_4:19 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.Psa_37:4 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.Rom_8:28 I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.Heb_13:5 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.1Pe_5:7 God makes promise after promise to you and me throughout His Word. Therefore, in any given situation, we can either become hostile and tenseor, like Peter, we can sleep like a baby, saying, “I don’t know how this is going to work out. I don’t see a solution. But God has said that He would provide for me, give guidance to me, and would always be right beside me. And He is all I need.” “Wait a minute,” you say. “The promise given to Peter was that he would eventually be crucified. What kind of a promise is that?” To Peter, it must have been a wonderful promise. You see, Peter was a great big fisherman who had said to Jesus, “I’ll stand with You. I’ll stay by You. No matter what happens, You can count on me"only to fail miserably and deny Him completely. So when Jesus told him he would be crucified, Peter’s heart must have been warmed, knowing that he would at last be able to lay down his life for his Lordsomething he had wanted to do all along. “Yea, all those who live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution,” we read (see 2Ti_3:12). What kind of a promise is that? We wonder. But knowing we want to be a people who truly do come through and stand strong, the Lord says, “You who live godly will have the opportunity to suffer persecution in some form or another. And as you do, I’m going to come through for you.” Know this, precious peopleif you’re upset by the prison of a situation in which you find yourself, you can either remain in a state of confusion, or you can sleep like Peter in peace. I suggest you choose peacefor whatever you’re going through, there’s a promise in Scripture just waiting for you to embrace it.

2 Peter 1:15

The Greek word translated “decease,” is exodos. I like that! Just as the children of Israel left Egypt for the Promised Land, Peter knew he’d soon leave earth for the ultimate Promised Land: heaven. But before he does, he reminds us of three important truths concerning the Word. First, he reminds us that men die, but the Word lives.

2 Peter 1:16

“We’re not following fables and myths, super heroes and zodiac signs, fads or theories,” says Peter, “for we were actual eyewitnesses of the majesty of Jesus Christ.”

2 Peter 1:17

The event to which Peter refers is the Transfigurationwhen Jesus’ deity shone through His humanity. Wouldn’t it be radical to hear a voice from heaven and to see the Lord glowing, talking with Elijah and Moses? Yet Peter, who had experienced all of this, says there’s something even better…

2 Peter 1:19

If someone offered you the choice of either being on Mount Hermon with Jesus, seeing Moses and Elijah, hearing a voice from heavenor having the Old Testament, most of us would choose to see the Lord glowing, to see Moses and Elijah, to hear a voice from heaven. But Peter would choose otherwise. Why? Because experiences fade, but the Word endures. The problem with experiences is that all they produce is a craving to see more. How do I know? Because the people who saw more experiences than any other were the children of Israel. They saw God part the Red Sea miraculously. They were fed from heaven daily. They saw miracles constantly. Yet why couldn’t they enter into the Promised Land? Because of unbelief (Heb_3:19). Having been around for a while, I would rather hear a great Bible study and be fed from the Scriptures than see a bunch of experiences unfolding. There was a time when this was not true in my life. But the longer I walk with the Lord, the more I realize that experiences fadeeven the valid ones, even the wondrous ones. Only the Word endures. Finally, the world gets darker, but the Word shines brighter. The Greek word translated “dark” is literally “murky.” “Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path,” the psalmist declared (Psa_119:105). The darker or murkier the world getsor the darker or murkier your situation becomes in your marriage, your family, at school, or on the jobthe brighter the Word will shine and be more precious to you than ever.

2 Peter 1:20

“Make sure you understand that no prophecy is of private interpretation,” Peter warns. That is, there is no such thing as a private interpretation of Scripture that someone can sell you “for only $29.95.” I love hearing teachings and reading commentaries because it’s wonderful to see how, regarding basic truths of the faith, godly men always line up in agreement. Not only is interpretation never given to individuals exclusively, but Scriptures are linked together perfectly. That is, doctrine or theology cannot be built upon an isolated Scripture, but only upon the full counsel of God. I would be sadly mistaken if I said, “Folks, I’ve just been reading Daniel and now I understand how to pray. We are to pray three times a daymorning, noon, and night. We are to face Jerusalem. And we are to pray with our windows open.” Now, if I read a little further, I’d see Jesus specifically telling us to pray in a closet so that we wouldn’t be seen of men (Mat_6:6). And Paul instructed us not to pray three times a day, but unceasingly (1Th_5:17). No Scripture stands by itself in isolation. That is why, at Calvary Chapel, we are absolutely committed to going through the Bible cover to cover. In your own devotional life, I would encourage you to do the same.

2 Peter 1:21

The Word is inspired, indeed. One thousand years before Jesus Christ came, men of old were moved by the Holy Ghost to post prophetic signposts that would point to Him as Messiah… David prophesied that Messiah’s hands and feet would be pierced (Psa_22:16). Isaiah prophesied that Messiah would not open His mouth to defend Himself when tried on false charges (Isa_53:7), and that although He initially would be destined for burial with the wicked, He would ultimately be buried in the tomb of a rich man (Isa_53:9). Micah prophesied that Messiah would be born in the town of Bethlehem (Mic_5:2). Zechariah prophesied that He would ride into the Holy City on the back of a donkey (Zec_9:9), that He would be betrayed by a friend for thirty pieces of silver (Zec_11:12), and that the silver would be used to buy a potter’s field (Zec_11:13). Malachi prophesied that He would have a forerunner announcing His coming (Mal_3:1). What is the chance that those eight prophecies would be fulfilled in the life of one individual? The “Law of Compound Probabilities” tells us the chance Isaiah 1 in 1028. In other words… You cover the entire state of Texas two feet deep in silver dollars, one of which has a red mark on it, and tell your friend to walk through the entire statethrough the Panhandle down to the Gulf, through Dallas, Houston, and Corpus Christi, from north to south, east to westand choose one silver dollar. The statistical probability that he will choose the one with the red mark Isaiah 1 in 1028. But there are not three prophecies given in the Old Testament concerning Messiah. There are three hundred! And the probability of one individual perfectly fulfilling all three hundred is beyond the ability to illustrate. No other so-called holy book dares to deal with prophecy. Only this book we hold in our hands has the boldness, the courage to deal with future events. That is why, although men die, the Word lives. That is why, although experiences fade, the Word endures. That is why, although the world gets darker, the Word shines brighter. How I thank God for the Scriptures. I’m so glad we have this Book.