2nd Peter Series

February 12, 2022

Throughout his 2nd letter, Peter warned his readers about the influence of those he called “false prophets and scoffers”:

• 2 Peter 1:21 - 2:3 - 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. 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. 2 Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. 3 In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up.

• 2 Peter 2:12-15 - But these men blaspheme in matters they do not understand. They are like brute beasts, creatures of instinct, born only to be caught and destroyed, and like beasts they too will perish. 13 They will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done. Their idea of pleasure is to carouse in broad daylight. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their pleasures while they feast with you. 14 With eyes full of adultery, they never stop sinning; they seduce the unstable; they are experts in greed -- an accursed brood! 15 They have left the straightway and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved the wages of wickedness.

• 2 Peter 2:17-19 - These men are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them. 18 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. 19 They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity -- for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.

• 2 Peter 3:2-4 - 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. 3 First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. 4 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."

Which brings us to My Favorite Thing About 2nd PETER ---- Peter’s assertion that in Jesus we have been given everything we need to live godly lives and his call to keep growing in Grace and the Knowledge of Jesus.

Peter begins and ends his letter with the same call:

• 2 Peter 1:3-8 - 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. 4 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. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 8 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.

• 2 Peter 3:18 - But grow in grace and the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ….

Growing in our knowledge of Jesus is vital for two reasons:

• It is necessary if we want to advance in faith, goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and love.

• It is necessary if we want to be protected from the lies, conspiracy theories, and otherwise bad ju-ju coming from those who claim to be of Christ, but who are clearly wolves in sheep’s clothing.

If we think we can rest on our knowledge laurels – that what our knowledge of Jesus was last year is sufficient to see us through this year – we are going to be in for a rude awakening.

Remember what we learned last week. There is a Villain in the story. He is smarter than we are. He is more clever than we are. He works on his craft with relentless enthusiasm and he isn’t going to show up in a way we would expect him to.

• Ellen White {Review and Herald, April 1, 1875} - Satan, clothed in robes of brightness, appearing like an exalted angel, tempted the world's Redeemer without success. But as he comes to man robed as an angel of light, he has better success. He covers his hideous purposes and succeeds too well in deluding the unwary who are not firmly anchored upon eternal truth.