Outline of II Peter

Introduction, 1:1-2.

The journey of faith, 1:3-4
1. Building on the faith, 1:5-8
2. A warning and an assurance, 1:9-11

The foundation of faith
1. The testimony of the apostles, 1:12-18
2. The testimony of the prophets, 1:19-21

The challenges to faith
1. False teachers harming the community, 2:1-3
2. Judgment falls upon those who have rebelled, 2:4-10
3. Characteristics of false teachers, 2:10-22

The conclusion of faith
1. The Day of the Lord, 3:1-10
2. How we ought to live, 3:11-18

II Peter 3:11-18

Jesus is coming back. The world as we know it will be changed. So how do we live as we await this?

2 Peter 3:11-18 ...

Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells. So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.

You ought to live holy and godly lives ...

It can't be said enough: theology without a changed life is meaningless.

Ideas should have consequences. If we believe that God cares about how we live our lives, then we better live our lives differently! Likewise, if we believe life is pointless, then an ethic of eat, drink and be merry makes sense... have a blast while you last. Ideas have consequences.

But some people might think, well, if Jesus is going to come back and fix everything, then why should we bother trying to fix anything?

Indeed, God doesn't "need" us to do anything. He could do anything He wants with a snap of His fingers. He could say it is so and it is so.

Yet, God has us participate with Him in the transformation of a broken world and reconciliation of human beings with each other and with their God whom they have ignored and resisted.

And so, we have a responsibility. We should ... make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.

We need to seek Him with our whole being for help.

So we need to stand firm in God drawing close to Him in humility asking that we think clearly and not be swayed. We need to strive to do what is right. Sometimes, our emotions are drawn to do what is right. We feel in our gut compassion and so our hands move to hug someone hurting. Sometimes, our minds can see that something will be beneficial so we write a check to an organization that helps get clean water wells built in a developing country saving lives. Sometimes, we do what is right because it is what God says we ought to do. For example, God says we should reconcile with one another. We don't feel like it. Our head says its too hard. But we need to do it because it is simply the right thing to do.

Be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ...

We live in a world where there is a struggle. The "spirit of the age" includes a "do it if it feels good" approach which we must resist. The intellectuals of this world attack the idea of believing in God and trusting the wisdom contained in a dusty old book like Bible. Yet, thinking more carefully and clearly, their evidence falls somewhat short of the confident claims they assert.

Lord Jesus, you came to save us by walking on this earth, dwelling among us, dying on the Cross and rising from the dead. And you will return to finish the work! God until you return, help me to live for you. Craft within me more humility so that I will seek you. Transform my whole being by stirring my heart, convincing my mind and strengthening my will to live holy and do good and be your hands and feet in this world. Amen.

II Peter 3:1-10

2 Peter 3:1-10 ...

Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking.

My immediate reaction was to think that Peter is referring to 1 Peter. But some commentators think that the subject matter and probable audience of 1 Peter and 2 Peter was so different that this line in 2 Peter referred to some other letter which has been lost to history.

This does raise the question of whether or not there are "lost letters" that should be in the Bible. Of course, that is unanswerable! What we can say is that there were a lot of other writings that did survive but in much smaller numbers than the texts that made it into the Christian Bible, the New Testament. The books of the so called Christian Apocrypha is numerous but they gained little to no consideration for inclusion into the New Testament because they were not widely accepted by the church, had questionable apostolic authorship and/or had content that was inconsistent with normative Christianity. More about the significance of apostolic authorship below.

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.

There was a body of text that Judaism held up as Scripture: the Torah (5 books of Moses), the Prophets and the Writings. And it is clear from the NT letters that the Apostles believed they had a mandate from Jesus much as the Prophets of the OT had a mandate from God. Thus, the Apostles believed they provided authoritative teaching verbally (when they preached) and in written text for the communities of faith.

First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, "Where is this 'coming' he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation."

One teaching that Jesus gave was that he would return.

But when?

As time past, people began to wonder, when is this going to happen? Why the delay?

Thus, the Apostle Peter responded ...

But they deliberately forget that long ago by God's word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water. By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

The delay was due to God's patience and desire to provide time for humanity to repent - to turn around from choosing the way of the self to the way of God.

Dennis Prager the other day on the radio was saying the difference between people with a Judeo-Christian worldview and the secular worldview is identifying the source of the problems in the world. The secularist says the problem is society while the Judeo-Christian worldview says individual selfishness is the problem.

Thus, God's desire is for us to turn away from self and toward God for restoration. And so God waits ... but eventually ...

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.

Lord, thank you that you came to dwell among us. Thank you that you desire to restore us to yourself. We believe you will return one day to complete the restoration and to bring justice. Help me to keep my eyes on you while the world ignores you. Help me to have a gracious and persistent love for the people who don't call you Lord. Amen.

II Peter 2:10-22

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http://web.d261.k12.id.us/Teachers/jacobsen/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=17&Itemid=29

Rodney King was not the best messenger but his plea, "Can we all get along?" has some value. Tolerance has its place in a civil society, yet, we do need to be discerning in our lives. Unfortunately, there are people we have to watch out for. Parents should want their kids to choose their friends carefully. One has to be careful of strangers lurking at schoolyards. Those running a business have to hire their employees carefully. Sincerity isn't enough because people can be sincerely wrong. One can sincerely believe one has a $1,000,000 in the bank but when that check for the mortgage bounces because there was really only $100 in the account, all the sincerity in the world isn't enough.

And, sadly, in addition to the sincerely mistaken, there are people who are actively seeking their advantage to the harm of others.

And so what we have here in 2 Peter 2:10-22 are some very hard words to those who would take advantage of the unsuspecting.

Things to watch out for:

1 - People who talk big and brash.
There is confidence. And there is something that crosses the line. It almost certainly will include looseness with the truth.

Bold and arrogant, these men are not afraid to slander celestial beings; yet even angels, although they are stronger and more powerful, do not bring slanderous accusations against such beings in the presence of the Lord. But these men blaspheme in matters they do not understand.

2 - People who leave a trail of broken people in their wake.
We often see nature as a beautiful thing and in many ways it is. But the reality is that there is a bloody side to nature: the predators eat the prey. However, our calling as human beings, should not allow us to destroy lives in the pursuit of our goals. Ends and means matter to us and this is what should separate us from the animals where the ends of survival is the prime directive.

They are like brute beasts, creatures of instinct, born only to be caught and destroyed, and like beasts they too will perish. They will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done.

3- People who seek pleasure.
There is joy and happiness in the Christian life. However, we all know there is a line that gets crossed and reading the verse below is clearly crossing it.

Their idea of pleasure is to carouse in broad daylight. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their pleasures while they feast with you.

4 - People who seek to control others.
Jesus calls us to a life of service not to lord it over people or manipulate them to get what we want.

With eyes full of adultery, they never stop sinning; they seduce the unstable;

5 - People who seek after money.

they are experts in greed - an accursed brood! They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved the wages of wickedness. But he was rebuked for his wrongdoing by a donkey - a beast without speech - who spoke with a man's voice and restrained the prophet's madness.

6 - People who drain the life out of others
Christ is the way, the truth and the life. Christians, Jesus followers, should be pointing the way to God, telling the truth and doing things that bring life to others. The false teachers act for their own benefit, use words to gain advantage and destroy and damage the lives of others.

These men are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them. For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of sinful human nature, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error. They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity - for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.

In the last analysis, those who are wolves in sheep's clothing will get justice.

If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them. Of them the proverbs are true: "A dog returns to its vomit," and, "A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud."

Harsh words, eh?

Can we accept a reality where the evil escape punishment and no one has a harsh word to say?

Or do we accept harsh words to warn and contend against people who mislead others and destroy lives in the name of God?

Lord, have mercy. Give me wisdom and discernment to see what really is. Not to be too quick to judge but yet not afraid to stand up for truth and righteousness. Guard me from hypocrisy. Infuse me with humility. But do not allow humility to be a reason for inaction. Do not allow my imperfections be an excuse for silence in the face of sin. May there be people who show me "tough love" and help me to offer the same to those you bring into my life. Amen.

II Peter 2:4-10

image source: http://images.fanpop.com/images/image_uploads/lightening-unbelievable-535780_1024_768.jpg

Previously, Peter had stated that false teachers were in the midst of the community. In 2 Peter 2:4-10, Peter recited times in the past when judgment fell upon those who opposed truth and righteousness.

Example number one - the angels who rebelled.

For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment

We know of humanity's fall from Genesis. However, there is also the fall of the angels which is much less described. Peter stated this theological reality here without any elaboration assuming the understanding of the reader.

What are the indications we have from the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures of the fall of the angels?

Revelation 12 painted a picture of a cosmic battle that has taken place and continues to take place. Most vividly, "Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him."

Less clear is whether Isaiah 14:12-15 and Ezekiel 28:11-19 described the fall of Satan due to pride. The primary meaning of the passages would be applied to the king of Babylon and the king of Tyre respectively. However, some interpreters have also assigned a second meaning to these passages as describing the fall of Satan and would link these passages with Luke 10:18. For a discussion of this idea see this article.

In any case, God judged the angels that rebelled.

Example number two - the world in Noah's day

if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others

Go here to read the beginning of the famous Noah and the Flood story.

Example number three - the wickedness of the people in the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.

if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly

To see the beginning of this story, go here.

and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)

The judgment of God is described here along with the rescue of Lot and the cautionary tale of what happened to Lot's wife.

if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for the day of judgment, while continuing their punishment. This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the sinful nature and despise authority.

Yet, amidst the judgment, God found a way to rescue the faithful. Peter wanted to assure the community from the history of God's dealings with humanity two truths: (1) judgment will strike down those false teachers who run contrary to what God wants and (2) God will rescue them.

Lord, give us discernment. We don't have perfect clarity on these matters. However, when we see something contrary to your truth and your ways, help us not to be fooled. Give us boldness and graciousness to stand against it wisely, to gently correct when it is a misunderstanding and to vigorously resist when it is clear those in error seek to misled. Lord, have mercy! Amen.

II Peter 2:1-3

image source: http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap071126.html

The next part of II Peter dove into the problem of false teachers. It goes on for quite a few verses so let's take them a bit at a time.

2 Peter 2:1-3 ...

But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them - bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.

How does one spot a false teacher?

There appears to be two areas they err: ideology and behavior.

What are their ideological mistakes?

Heresies are ideas that conflict with the established norm. Thus, if one claims to be a Christian, there are certain beliefs that are part of that claim, in particular beliefs about Jesus the Christ. These false teachers "denied the Sovereign Lord (Christ) who bought them!" If they didn't get the central thing right, they were definitely off to a bad start. Since Peter used the plural for heresy, there was probably other things they had incorrect. But, obviously, if the central teaching of Christianity, who Christ is, was off-line, they were false teachers.

Nothing has changed in a couple thousand years: people today have all sort of ideas about who Jesus was and is. In some cases, they don't claim to be Christians and so at least there is clarity. But, of course, the dangerous ones are those who claim to be Christians yet have odd ideas of who Jesus was and is.

Aside from ideology, there is behavior. What gave them away in 2 Peter's time?

"Shameful ways" ... "Bring disrepute" ... "Greed" ... "Exploitation" ...

Can some of these phrases be used to describe some of the scandals of religious leaders today?

Sadly, many examples can be found for each one of these.

The church is far from perfect. And so what makes an authentic Jesus folllwing community different than a group led by a false teacher?

Hopefully, we turn our shame into confession of sins and eventual reconciliation.

Hopefully, we do our best to make restitution to those we have hurt rather than continue to bring disrepute by covering up sins.

Hopefully, we are characterized by giving of our resources not gathering them in greed.

Hopefully, we are marked by a attitude of being a servant of others and not an exploiter of others.

Lord, help us, as the church who follows the living Lord Jesus, the Christ, be all this and thus true to who you want us to be. Amen.

II Peter 1:12-21

image source: http://www.markmallett.com/blog/?p=537

Previously, Peter discussed the journey of faith his readers were on. Now, he went on to discuss the truthfulness of that faith.

I once heard Greg Koukl say, "The heart cannot believe for very long what the mind rejects."

Faith isn't (and shouldn't be) believing something one knows to be false. Rather faith is trust in something we have some indication to be true and trust in someone whom we have some basis to consider reliable.

And so the Apostle Peter dived into the foundation of faith and the truthfulness of it.

So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things. We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For 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." We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.

Peter leaned upon his eyewitness testimony.

For instance, Peter recalled when Jesus told Peter about the manner of Peter's death.

This passage also specifically called upon the indelible images of the Transfiguration when for a brief moment, he, James and John got a glimpse of Jesus' glory like how Moses got a hint of God's glory up in Mt. Sinai. Peter, in a bit of self-deprecating humor, referred to his life as a tent which recalled his remark at the Transfiguration of wanting to build shelters for Jesus, Moses and Elijah.

There was a body of eyewitness testimony about the life of Jesus. Certainly, the teachings of Jesus were eagerly preserved. But also, episodes of His power and glory were part of that body of testimony. Jesus was much more than a good teacher.

And on top of the testimony about Jesus, Peter called upon the prophets of old ...

And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, 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. Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

The message of God came to humanity through the Prophets. The message of God came to us through Jesus. And indeed, the Prophets pointed to Jesus. The Christian faith holds to a unity of ideas about God and life from the Hebrew Scriptures into the New Testament.

The Scriptures contain what God wants us to know... men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. It wasn't dictation. The writers weren't robots. In their personality, with strength and weaknesses, God worked through them to get His message out.

And so, in the Scriptures, there are direct teachings of what is good and right and true but also life stories that are far short of God's standards. Yet, even those things are meant for us to gain understanding of how life is to be lived.

Lord, thank you for intervening. You have spoken through the prophets. You went even so far as to send Jesus. And now, you have preserved your message by providing Scripture. And you have asked us, flawed and weak people who call you Lord, to carry your message to the world in the way we live our lives. Lord, help me to be live it out and be bold and ready to point people to you. Amen.

II Peter 1:3-11

image source: http://forestry.about.com/b/2009/11/21/collect-and-plant-an-acorn-today-grow-an-oak-tree-for-the-future.htm

Continuing on in 2 Peter ...

His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

I usually try to link to some image that I think connects to the text at hand. We all have biological life, hence the plant image above. However, is there more to life than just biological existence?

Indeed, Saint Peter talks of godliness and participating in the divine nature.

God doesn't merely exist but has character. Likewise, we don't merely exist but have the potential to take after God's character or to take after "the corruption in the world caused by evil desires."

Are we left on our own to fend for ourselves?

We are provided promises and power from God!

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 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.

Thus, we start with faith. Another word I like is trust. When we trust someone, we will do what they recommend. When we trust the pilot of the airplane, we give over our safety to the pilot. Thus, we start with trust in God.

On top of that:
goodness
When we speak of someone is good, what do we mean? I think of a person that seeks the well being of another. Someone who strives to do what is right.

knowledge
There is "book learning" but isn't there more to knowledge than that? There is also a sense of clarity of seeing things as they really are.

self-control
The ability to recognize the impulses we have and to deal with them. We have impulses to that aren't good and self-control is the ability to refuse them. We have impulses that are appropriate but must be regulated, i.e. too much of a good thing becomes bad.

perseverance
The ability to wait. The ability to plow ahead even if positive reinforcement isn't present.

godliness
What are the characteristics of God? Are we striving for those characteristics? What does God value? Do we hold the same values?

brother kindness
The picture in my head of this is meeting another person's need. We are family and we help each other out. We are part of the human family and we help each other out.

love
There is probably no better description of love than 1 Corinthians 13. Love is patient, love is kind ... It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres ...

Also, check out Eugene Petersen's interpretation of these virtues.

But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

There is a tension between God's part and our part in this journey. Without God reaching toward us through Jesus, we have no hope. Now that God has done this, we respond and we strive. But as mentioned at the top of the passage, even in our responding, we need to rely on God's promises and power in our lives, thus the final destination is sure ... a welcome into the eternal kingdom!

Lord, give me power to live for you. Help me call upon your promises for wisdom and strength. Please transform my mind from its tendencies toward selfishness and discouragement. Amen.

II Peter 1:1-2

image source: http://www.mystudios.com/art/bar/rembrandt/rembrandt-apostle-kneeling.html

Moving ahead now to 2 Peter.

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: grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

What is my identity?

Simon Peter described himself as a servant.

That is certainly one of the top virtues emphasized by Jesus.

Mark 9:35, Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all."

Peter also recognized that he did have a particular role as one of the original 12 and thus rightly claimed the title of Apostle.

Yet, in the very next breath, he diminished that distinction by saying that the faith of his readers was just as precious as his and his fellow apostles.

The reason: that faith was made possible by "the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ."

On top of the faith, grace and peace comes along because his readers know God and Jesus.

Christianity isn't just a collection of intellectual ideas, it is transformative of lives and a relationship with God.

In I Peter, this was emphasized in the context of the suffering that the believers faced. In II Peter, we will be seeing a different challenge that believers then and now, face.

Lord, it is all grace. Without what Jesus did, I'm lost. Without your preserving the faith and the faithful through the generations, I would not have heard of the message of Jesus. May more people in our cold-hearted and warring world come to know you and thus experience peace and grace. Strengthen those who follow you in difficult places. Amen.