"OVERVIEW OF 2 PETER"
Notes
Transcript
Background info –
Author – Peter
Date – 64 - AD
Audience – Jewish Believers –
1 Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ:
Theme – “Personal Character and counterfeit Christianity”
Key Verse - 2 Peter 1:20-21 and 2 Peter 3:9-11 -
20 But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, 21 for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.
9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up. 11 Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,
Key Chapter - 1
Talk thru the Bible Keys to Second Peter
The Scripture clearest in defining the relationship between God and man on the issue of inspiration is contained in chapter 1, verses 19–21. Three distinct principles surface: (1) that the interpretation of Scriptures is not limited to a favored elect but is open for all who “rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15); (2) that the divinely inspired prophet did not initiate the Scripture himself; and (3) that the Holy Ghost (not the emotion or circumstances of the moment) moved holy men.
Key People - A False Teacher; Peter; Addressees of Peter
Key Things - Dog; Vomit
3 Chapters
61 Verses
1,098 words
Remember a couple of weeks ago we studied the book of 1 Peter. We saw how 1 Peter deals with problems from the outside, (Christians are suffering for their faith) this evening we are going to see how 2 Peter deals with problems that are within the church.
By the grace of God we will see how the theme “Personal character and counterfeit Christianity” is evident throughout the book.
Peter provides us with three specific areas that we must possess knowledge in, in order to grow in personal character as well as being able to refute counterfeit Christianity.
Knowledge = general awareness or possession of mind –
1. Knowledge about the Christians life – 1
1. Knowledge about the Christians life – 1
God provided all we need for life – 1:3-4
3 seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. 4 For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.
Divine – Spoken of the only true God
Power – supernatural power
i. Life – “Devoted to God”
ii. Godliness – “reverence, or piety towards God”
The point is that God has provided all that believers will ever need in this life in order to live a life devoted to God.
Believers must have an active faith – 1:5-9
5 Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, 6 and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, 7 and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins.
Supplement – “Addition” (NASB uses the word applying – to bring in besides)
Virtue – “Morally good, good quality”
Does this mean that you and I must live a morally good life in order to be saved?
Who is Peter writing to? – Jewish Believers –
Peter is saying that you cannot have a dead faith –
Faith – virtue – morally good, good quality
Virtue – knowledge – things are lawful and unlawful
Knowledge – self-control – masters his desires and passions
Self-control – steadfastness – endurance, perseverance
Steadfastness – godliness – respect, reverence
Godliness – brotherly affection – love which Christians cherish for each other
Brotherly affection – love – brotherly love
Note – The first five qualities deal with our personal relationship with God. The last two deal with our relationship to fellow believers –
Peter wants these Jewish believers to understand a couple of specific things about the Christian life –
God has provided all that we need
Believers are to have an active faith
If you know Christ as your Lord and Savior you need to have knowledge about the Christian life –
As believers in Christ our knowledge of the Christian life must move into action –
Our lives ought to demonstrate two things –
The fact that God has provided all that we need.
We are living out our faith in Christ.
2. Knowledge about false prophets – 2
2. Knowledge about false prophets – 2
1 But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. 2 Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; 3 and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.
Peter wants the Jewish believers to have an awareness of the false prophets –
There are two groups of people mentioned. Who are they?
False Prophets – one who acts like a divinely inspired prophet -
False teachers – their claim is wrong and their teaching is erroneous. (Incorrect) The reject Christ as overall
What do we learn about these people in these verses?
They are among the people
Secretly bring in heresies
Secretly – quietly
Heresies – religious group that accepts false teaching
Destructive – consists of eternal misery in hell
Deny the Master who has bought them
Deny – Reject
Master – Sovereign Lord
1 Cor. 6:20 – Christ bought us
Bringing swift destruction upon themselves
Swift – quick
Destruction – consists of eternal misery in hell
Many will follow their sensuality – vs. 2
Sensuality - Unbridled lust
Truth will be blasphemed
Blaspheme – revile, speak reproachfully
Exploit you with false words – vs. 3
Exploit – use a person or thing for gain
The condemnation (Judgment) was determined long ago. God is going to deal with the false prophets.
Peter uses phrases to describe what is going to happen to the false prophets –
Condemnation (the punishment for which you are sentenced) is not Idle – delay
Destruction (misery in hell) is not asleep – delay
The point that Peter is making is that you believers must be aware of the false prophets and their teaching.
So the question is how does this apply to us?
Believers must be aware of the false teachings that are in our world
Believers must know the word of God in order to refute false teachings
3. Knowledge about Christ’s return – 3
3. Knowledge about Christ’s return – 3
10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up. 11 Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! 13 But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.
Peter wants the Jewish believers to be aware of Christ return –
Like a thief in the night – unexpected time
Living in light of eternity
Living our lives in holiness and godliness
Conclusion – 3:18 –
18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
Grow in Grace
Grow in Knowledge
SO WHAT?
The question is how do we grow in the Grace and Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ?
We do that by taking the knowledge that we have about the Christian life, false prophets, and Christ return and put them into practice in our everyday lives!!