SCRIPTURE BY JANICE HALL
In our scripture lesson text, Peter was speaking and encouraging persecuted Christians, to live out the purpose of their lives in Christ. Peter urges the Christians to make an effort to add” specific “ Christlike qualities with the faith they already possessed to their lives, to be fully equipped. In Ephesians 4: 17-32, Paul gives a practical explanation, on how to live out a Christian life. He gives the contrast between a life of sin or the life thriving in the power of Christ. In this passage, Christians are called on to “put away” sins such as malice, slander, commotion, bitterness, and to be ye kind.
We see in 1 John 2:28-3:15, John speaks of “ abiding” and the behavior of the Christian upon Christ return. The Christian believer are to live and demonstrate godly behavior, to show the influence of Christ in their lives. Believers are to be in anticipation of Christ’s return at any moment. We are to have confidence in our salvation and relationship with Him, looking forward to Christ’s coming. “ Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”( 1 Thessalonians 4:18 )
As the author continues in 1 John 3, the focus is on God’s love, how love results in the believer, becoming a child of God, and being called a “ child of God”.
SYNOPSIS BY RAUFU SPAGNOLETTA
The epistle of 2 Peter is a letter warning Jewish-Christians about false teachers and to exhort them to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Peter’s frequent reference to “knowledge” combat a form of Gnosticism (after gnosis, the Greek word for “knowledge” or “insight”). To further define, this is an esoteric religion of philosophy which taught in addition to believing in Christ one must also receive the Gnostic knowledge as the way to God. This false teaching was leading to apostasy in the early church. Peter’s message is “true knowledge is an experience of God and Christ and results in transformation and the basis for that knowledge is the Scriptures.”
When our lesson opens Peter is reminding his readers, God’s divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness. Grace is God’s divine power working through the Holy Spirit. God’s exceeding and precious promises has enabled us to be partakers of His divine nature and escape the corruption and lust of the world. In response to the power and promises from God, Peter charged his readers to put forth diligence to become fruitful and productive disciples. “Add to your initial faith, virtue (moral excellence), knowledge (practical wisdom to discern good from evil), temperance (self-control), patience (endurance), godliness (devotion to God in fellowship and service), brotherly kindness ( brotherly love), and charity (love; the identifying mark of every true disciple).”
According to the author, three key signs will suggest that spiritual growth is taking place: there will be fruit or progress (vs. 8); there will be vision (vs. 9); there will be a sense of assurance about our salvation (vss.10-11). When Peter wrote these words he knew his death was imminent (vs.14), therefore, it was imperative for him to constantly remind his readers to stand firm in the Scriptural truth they had been taught and live godly lives. Peter’s deliberate appeal to this young church was not to stray from Christ’s clear teaching.
PRACTICAL APPLICATION BY CHARLENE BROWN
One thing I love about the books of l Peter and ll Peter is that they were written to encourage suffering believers to live authentic Christian lives with an emphasis on the importance of the scriptures as a reference to guide and preserve our faith. If we step back in the letter to ll Peter 1:1 we see the mention of obtaining precious faith through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. For we all have been given a measure of faith and not one of us has been given more than the other. Romans 12:3 makes this very clear. We should all measure ourselves to live humble lives and use the resources God has given us by way of access through faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ. We need to apply what He has provided, this is the access to the blessings of godliness.
The Apostle Peter places a strong emphasis on practical Christian living. The letter reminds us to put first things first with a strong emphasis on having a true knowledge of God while maintaining Christian virtues and characteristics in the midst of a world that offers everything contrary to Godly living. In verse 3 Peter identifies the source of our ability to live Godly is none other than knowing Jesus Christ. He provides us with everything we need for life and godliness.
It is because of God’s generous provision and resources that we are required to build on our foundation of faith. Faith in Christ is the reason that we are able to have perseverance and sufficiency because we can be secure and certain in our maturity, our growth and everything necessary to live a sustained life through His power. We maintain godliness by living a life that reveres the Lord, a life that is obedient, a life that is repentive and a life that is loyal to Him. God is calling us to an intimacy with Him where we will know beyond a shadow of a doubt Who He is, What He has done and What He can do for those who love Him and desire to know Him better.
