3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.
2 Peter
Warning against Heresy
Peter is concerned about 2 primary dangers. The first comes from false teachers. The danger of the second is failure to live those holy lives which accord with belief in Christ. This book is very helpful for understanding heresy and knowing how to deal with false teaching.
Chapter 1:1-11. Productive Lives
1 Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours:
2 Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
Confirming One’s Calling and Election
3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8 For 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. 9 But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.
10 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Godly living. The “promises we have been given” is a reference to salvation. It was long promised in the OT and has now been given to us. In this age of fulfilled promise, the new birth has become a reality. We have “been born again… through the living and enduring word of God”. Peter’s thought is that we are no longer mere mortals.
Through new birth, God has planted his own life in us, and thus we share his nature. Christ in us is the power through whom we escape the corruption int he world caused by evil desires. This is how we are enabled to live godly lives.
Faith, goodness (virtue), knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and love — When these qualities are growing and expanding in our lives, they keep us from being “ineffective and unproductive” Christians. Lack of them indicates shutting our eyes to the meaning of redemption.
Peter urges, “make your calling and election sure.” His point is that a holy life is a guarantee; it demonstrates to us and to others that God has called us to himself. How great an encouragement it is to know that a “rich welcome” awaits us when we enter Jesus’ coming kingdom!
Chapter 1:12-21. God’s Sure Word
Prophecy of Scripture
12 So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. 13 I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, 14 because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. 15 And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things.16 For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 He received honor 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.” 18 We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.
19 We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 20 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. 21 For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.