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Sunday November 24, 2019
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FAITH THAT ESCAPES CORRUPTION
(Growing in knowledge of GOD)
(2 Peter 1)
As the Apostle Peter moved closer to his violent death,
which occurred during the Christian persecutions that were spearheaded by
the Roman emperor Nero, in and around A.D. 68, he pens yet another dynamic
letter to the Jewish Christians who were living in the province of Asia Minor.
This second letter
deals with the anticipated problems that, Peter knew, would crop up and remain
with the people, long after his departure from the evangelistic scene. Here, as
in his first letter, he encourages the believers to continue on in their
spiritual growth, and to always remember that the good news of CHRIST JESUS is
not just some fairy tale, but rather, it is the personification of truth.
Here Peter also
warns them of the false teachers, who would seek to destroy the truth with the
introduction of their own ideas to replace the Church teachings that had been
laid out by JESUS CHRIST, during HIS three years of teaching, healing, and
ministering here on earth.
JESUS CHRIST will
return one day to destroy the disorder that has now permeated this world. That
is why we must be very careful not to become too attached to the world’s
trappings. Peter calls for Christians to stand firm, in the midst of the
pressures from the gravitational pull of the world, which causes us to drift
away from the truth.
Satan’s plan is
to undo all things that GOD has done, and we who are of some age, have already
seen, for many years now, just how that luciferic plan has affected, even our
own nation. This letter by Peter outlines some of the trials, tribulations,
persecutions, and conflicts that the Christian can expect to endure in the
latter days of GOD the CREATOR’s prevailing plan for the world.
Here in 2 Peter 1,
verses 1-11, the apostle suggests two bases for Christian confidence. First, he
suggests that salvation affords us the resources, by which we are able to live
GODly lifestyles. We have already been embodied with “GOD’s Nature” (v.4b),
which are those “communicable attributes” of “life”, “Personality”, “love”, “truth”,
“justice”, “wisdom”, and “holiness”, that make it possible for us to obey,
worship, and have a personal relationship of friendship with a very spiritual
GOD.
As a result of
GOD’s great gift to us, we can then make every effort to use these resources,
or attributes, to develop a mature Christian character over time (vs. 4-9). In
other words;
A life of faith will produce “moral excellence”; Moral
excellence will lead to “knowing GOD better”; Knowing GOD leads to “better
self-control”; Self-control leads to “patient endurance”; Patient endurance leads to “GODliness”; GODliness leads to “love for other Christians”, and
thereby, We will grow to have “genuine love for everyone”, believers
and unbelievers. Secondly, we give confirmation to our call and election, by
GOD the FATHER, when we begin to grow in grace, and the manifestation of HIS
work is seen through us and, in us (Vs. 10-11).
In verses 12-18,
Peter turns our attention to scriptural history, as he recalls the great
“Transfiguration of CHRIST”, which most likely occurred on Mount Harmon (Mark
9:1-7) almost 40 years earlier. It was an event that was witnessed only by
himself, James, and John. Good news always bears repeating and being reminded
of what JESUS CHRIST has done for us, is beneficial good news, that we can all
use.
The point that Peter makes in verses 19-21,
regarding the messages of the ancient prophets, is that, those messages only
served to make him even “more certain” of what they themselves had witnessed on
that mountaintop overlooking the idol gods of Caesarea Philippi that day. We,
as Christians, must pay close attention to what the ancient prophets wrote,
because their words can be a lamp unto our feet, and a light shining in the
darkness of our human existence.
We may never be
able to witness an event of the magnitude of the great “Transfiguration of
CHRIST”, which served to place affirmation of JESUS’ majesty on the hearts of
men, not just in that day, but rather, for all times. And we ourselves must
understand that no prophesy in scripture ever came from the prophets
themselves, but rather, they came from the mind and heart of GOD.
And JESUS, our GOD
and LORD (v.2) used the power of HIS HOLY SPIRIT, just as HE’s always does, to
move HIS messengers to speak to our minds and hearts. I pray that the words of
the Apostle Peter in this passage will touch the heart of someone new to the
faith of pursuing CHRIST JESUS, WHO is the personification of virtue, in this
world. Amen.
A Sunday school lesson by,
Larry D. Alexander
larrydalexanderbiblestudies.blogspot.com
LARRY D. ALEXANDER-
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