"Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles." (2 Peter 3:1-2)
By the time Peter wrote his second letter, many heresies and errors in belief had infiltrated the church. In order to keep the church strong, Peter clarifies a few core beliefs and reminds his readers of what they had been taught. He insists that God has provided everything we need for life and righteousness (2 Peter 1:3). He reminds us of what righteousness looks like, from faith to self-control to godliness to love (2 Peter 1:5-7). Peter tells believers that they need to remember all of this, as it can easily be forgotten (2 Peter 1:13). Peter also reminds his readers that everything he taught them was based on his eyewitness experience; it is no fable. And beyond that, everything that happened to Jesus was foretold in the Prophets.
Peter then warns of false teachers who would spread heresy and slander against the Lord and His work. God knows who is blameless and who is lawless, and He will protect Godly men and "reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgement" (2 Peter 2:9). While false teachers promise liberty to their followers, in fact they themselves are captives to sin and have nothing to offer. Finally, Peter speaks of the hope of the Lord's coming. Some Christians are growing impatient as they wait for Jesus to return because they expected His arrival within a generation of His advent. Therefore some scoffers denied that He would ever come. Peter therefore writes, "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9). Though God is patient - and we should be grateful He is! - when Christ returns, He will arrive suddenly. Because of this, Peter counsels us to live blamelessly while we look for Jesus' Second Coming.
Peter then warns of false teachers who would spread heresy and slander against the Lord and His work. God knows who is blameless and who is lawless, and He will protect Godly men and "reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgement" (2 Peter 2:9). While false teachers promise liberty to their followers, in fact they themselves are captives to sin and have nothing to offer. Finally, Peter speaks of the hope of the Lord's coming. Some Christians are growing impatient as they wait for Jesus to return because they expected His arrival within a generation of His advent. Therefore some scoffers denied that He would ever come. Peter therefore writes, "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9). Though God is patient - and we should be grateful He is! - when Christ returns, He will arrive suddenly. Because of this, Peter counsels us to live blamelessly while we look for Jesus' Second Coming.
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