A Spiritual Growth Check
Growth means dependence upon God, communion with Christ, daily engagement in holiness, prayer and proclamation. We cannot select one or two of these but must engage in all.
The Fruit of Longsuffering
‘And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you.’
Remember Lot the Righteous
‘..and delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: for that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations..’
The Assurance of Fulfilled Biblical Prophecies
The Secret of Steadfastness
The closing admonition of the epistle is a stirring appeal for vigilance in keeping our souls, coupled with a plea for lifelong growth in the gifts given at conversion, and consciousness of Christ’s love. Here is what these are, and how they should deepen.
Living In Peace
The apostle urges growing union with the Lord and inner peace by keeping in view the day of the Lord, reflecting on the reason for Christ’s delay – the salvation of the redeemed – and by building knowledge and stability in the Word of God.
The Day of the Lord
‘One day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.’ Reflection on God’s view of time, the certainty of final dissolution of all things, and the believer’s duty to look for that day and shun materialism.
Signs of Antichrist
From false teachers in the churches, Peter turns to our vulnerability to the godless worldview of the last days, how it is prophesied in both testaments, its motivation, its underlying contempt for accountability, and its wilful rejection of creation, design and morality.
False Teaching and Us
A seemingly negative chapter is crammed with profound comments on false teachers and the immense danger of association. It reviews their infiltration of the church throughout time, and warns believers of growing used to surrounding worldliness and the power of secret sin.
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Right Interpretation
The Old and the New Testaments magnificently authenticate each other through the fulfilling of prophecy in the marvellous Person and work of Christ. Here is the self-interpreting nature of the Bible, its sufficiency, and the right of private judgement, and how these are honoured.
The Silver Chain of Graces
Brotherly love, and how it differs from ‘charity’ (agape love). Here are its characteristics, benefits, helps and hindrances. Also, how love can become a vice, and how all the graces in the silver chain gain assurance and a foretaste of Heaven.
Patience and Godliness
To enjoy the multiplying of God’s blessing, faith must be clothed with seven virtues. Here, patience (endurance) is defined with (biblical) hindrances and helps. Also, here is godliness, shown to mean reverence, and its powerful influence is our spiritual lives.
Clothing Faith With Character
The new life embraced by the gift of faith is to be ‘adorned’ by virtue, knowledge and temperance. Here is what they are, how they are cultivated by the Spirit’s help, how they add to each other, and how they save churches from decline.
Partakers of the Divine Nature
Here the essence of apostolic preaching is seen:- precious faith (the door to blessing) defined; how knowledge is vital to advance; God’s provision of everything needed for spiritual life, and also the sense in which we are partakers of the divine nature.
God’s Unalterable Timetable
The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. (2 Peter … Continued
Adding To Our Faith
Full chapter _____________ 2 Peter 1 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, According as … Continued
2 Peter – Maintaining Soundness and Final Hope in Churches
Described as the perfect epistle for teaching the procedures for holiness, the glories of the Word, the root of apostasy, and the great hope of Christ’s return, 2 Peter yields up its treasures only by spiritual reflection.
The Seven Pillars of Character
‘And beside this, giving all 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.’ Full chapter _____________ 2 Peter 1 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to … Continued
Seven Strands for Safety and Certainty
Related Resources Comfort for Tried Believers Are you troubled, and are you inclined to despair? Take counsel; these storms are not beyond what believers in Jesus can bear. Is not the Lord himself with you as your captain, and is not the Holy Ghost with you as your guide, and have you not a … Continued