2 Peter 1:2–12 | I WANT TO REMIND YOU OF SOMETHING

This is a teaching outline that I have not taught, but came out of a conversation with Mark Schledorn on 2025-06-11 about him preaching on this text this coming Sunday.

Main Idea:

I just want to remind you of something (v12). I want to remind you of a series of qualities, one building upon the other, by which you will make your calling and election sure, established in the truth that you already have.

(2 Minutes)

Introduction

Simple statement of the main idea.

So, let me get busy reminding you by giving attention to 2 Peter 1:2–12.

PRAY

(5 Minutes)

THE FLOW OF 2 Peter 1:2–12

(Supporting Idea #1 — Let us consider the flow of thought in our passage.)

We need to understand the flow because tucked into the middle of the flow of thought is a series of qualities that I are the substance of the reminder this morning.

(2 Minute)

Flow Part 1 — v3-4 — The Divine Power of God Has Granted Everything

The divine power of God has granted everything we need.

(Just say these, don’t elaborate)

Whose divine power? See v2 (maybe, if there is time)

It’s all from him — divine power

It’s all to him — his own glory and excellence

It’s all by him — his precious nad very great promises

It’s all to our great benefit — you may become partakers, escaping corruption and sinful desire.

(1 Minute)

Flow Part 2 — v5-7 — The Qualities

Here is the substance of the message. These are the “qualities” that I desire to remind you of this morning.

It starts with “for this reason.” Because God has given us everything, we can take on a new way of life marked by these qualities.

(1 Minute)

Flow Part 3 — v8-11 — The Result of Remembering These Qualities

v8 is an “if clause”. If you increase in these qualities (which is my objective for you this morning), there are a series of results.

I’ll come back to these results to end our time this morning.

And to wet your appetite, there is a really cool story behind the scenes here.

(20 Minutes)

THE QUALITIES

I’m going to spend a few moments on each of the qualities listed. Let’s remember that they are each, building upon one another, not simply the product of our effort to adopt a way of living. No, they are the new life to which we have been born again. They are the way of our living hope. The are the opposite of the life of corruption that we have escaped. They are the opposite of the sinful desire that we have been rescued from. They are the life to which we have been rescued—called and elected.

“make every effort” — As much as this new way of life is a gift to us, we are to apply the effort of our whole being—heart, soul, mind and strength—to living this life.

(16 Minutes)

Spend about 2 minutes on each virtue. Just 5-10 sentences each. They each supplement what came before and result in the full flowering of love.

faith

virtue

knowledge

self-control

steadfastness

godliness

brotherly affection

love

(10 Minutes)

THE RESULT OF REMEMBERING

(5 Minutes)

Five Results

v8 - yours and are increasing — We are always growing in these.

v8b - keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful — Notice that is about knowledge. It’s not that these qualities make us useful in the world. It is that these qualities make our knowledge of God fruitful in our own lives.

v9 - whoever lacks these qualities is nearsighted … blind — Instead of a knowledge of God always keeping before you the reality that you are saved by grace (divine power granting life), you’ll forget you’ve been cleansed!

v10 - be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election — This is what it means to work out your salvation

v10b - if you practice these qualities you will never fall — Wait, really? If I do stuff, that’s how I am blessed and kept? It’s not the Lord who blesses and keeps, I bless and keep my self by remembering and growing in these qualities.

(5 Minutes)

HERE IS THE COOL STORY :)

Peter wrote this.

Peter was warned to watch and pray.

Satan demanded to sift Peter.

Jesus Prayed.

Peter Fell.

Jesus Restored Peter.

What grace! But Peter wishes he never would have forgotten, and would instead have practiced these qualities. He wishes he would have stayed awake and prayed. But it is because the calling and election of the Lord, his grace and peace - v2) who, even though he has and will fall, he will also remember and walk again.

(2 Minutes)

APPLICATION

Do you remember you have been saved by grace?

If not, today is the day to believe.

If you have been saved, are you walking in the new way to which you have been given life to live?

Let us together walk in these things, brothers and sisters.