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Notes on 2 Peter 1
(2 Pet 1:1 KJV) Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ,
to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God
and our Saviour Jesus Christ: If these verses does not show us the victory over sin that comes through the righteousness of Jesus Christ then I don't know what does. Notice that in verse 1 Peter speaks of two yet they are one in unity. He speaks of God and the Savior, Jesus Christ. He is talking about the righteousness of both God and Jesus Christ. The apostle Peter is speaking here and is addressing this epistle to those who have obtained precious faith through this righteousness of God and Jesus Christ. So we see here that this epistle is addressed to believers. He wishes the readers grace and peace in abundance through the knowledge of God and the knowledge of salvation through Jesus Christ. Through this knowledge each of us can be partakers of His divine nature. We have now escaped the pollution and corruption that was in sin and have become partakers of His divine nature. Divine nature comes when we have the knowledge of God and become a new creature in Christ Jesus. With these promises, why would we even contemplate going back under our old sinful nature again. We have been made free from the old nature. We have been made free from sin. We are still capable of sin because our ability to choose still exists or else we would become puppets. When we yield ourselves to the power of God through faith in Him totally we can overcome. There is no way the natural man can overcome alone, this comes by faith and trust in the power of the Lord. He (Jesus) overcame and we can overcome be continually yielding and trusting in Him daily. It is a constant fellowship. We are not saved once a long time ago and then just sit around and wait until He comes. No. We can have constant fellowship and walk with the Lord on a daily basis. It is up to us to choose to follow or to go our own way. Like the preacher once said, "We are as close to God as we want to be." God does not go against our will and force us to seek His presence. He sends the Holy Spirit to draw us but it is up to us to respond to the invitation of the Spirit of God. When we yield to the calling of God we can began to be partaker of His divine nature. Remember the two commandments Jesus gave. Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, soul, mind and strength and love they neighbor as thyself. In our own flesh and will this is impossible. We need God's Spirit within us to be able to keep those commandments. If you have a grudge against someone, the best way to overcome that is to begin praying for that someone. Ask God to give you a compassion and love for those that is normally hard to love. Ask Him for the pure divine love that comes from Him and is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. This love is not the same as what the world calls love. God's love is unselfish, it does not envy, it is longsuffering, it overlooks faults but not sins, it corrects in meekness not "holier than thou," it does not gloat, it is not proud, it does not boast, it is not excessive to the point where you love that person more than God (idolatry). The true love that comes from God stays at the level it is supposed to. God first, neighbor second, and self last. This is impossible in the flesh. This is a commandment that is only possible by the power of the Holy Spirit and His abiding within us who believe. There are many people who talk of love and claim love but if the love pushes God out, embraces a sinful lifestyle, becomes idolatrous, causes adultery, fornication or lust, this is not the love that comes from God. There is a difference. God's love is gentle, kind yet it tells the truth and is firm. Look at Jesus as an example. Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn thee," but He also said, "Go and sin no more." Jesus died on the cross in order to save even the worst sinner imaginable but He also took a whip and drove out the money-changers from the temple. We need to search out what true love is and quit excepting the world's definition as love. Whether we like to say it or not, love does not accept a person like they are. Would you want to accept a person who is an alcoholic like he was and love him like that and accept him totally like he is with no hope. Love would seek to change the alcoholic into a person who is free. Love will desire that the alcoholic is made whole, delivered, and free from the alcohol. Yes, we love the alcoholic but we don't want him or her to stay that way. In reality, we are not accepting him like he or she is. The key is faith. We need to remind ourselves over and over again, Jesus Christ has power to change lives. Jesus Christ can save the lost, Jesus Christ delivers from sin (of any kind), Jesus Christ heals the sick, Jesus Christ casts out the demons, Jesus Christ makes us whole. "According to our faith be it unto us." If we do not believe the alcoholic can be free from alcohol then they probably will not be unless they get around someone else who believes. It is unbelief that keeps us in bondage. (2 Pet 1:5 KJV) And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith
virtue; and to virtue knowledge; Everything starts out with faith in the Lord to save us from sin and faith that He is who He says He is. To that faith is added virtue. Virtue is excellence. After virtue is knowledge, the knowledge of God and His promises to us. After knowledge is temperance - self control. This brings forth patience- cheerful, hopeful, endurance. After patience comes godliness - holiness. Then comes brotherly kindness, and then comes charity which is love. When we have these traits we become fruitful and abound. If we find ourselves lacking these things then we have forgotten that we were once purged from sin. This is further proof that Jesus came not just to forgive sins but to take them away. If we are struggling with sin, have we repented of sin, have we believed in the work of Christ to take away our sins, are we trusting in Him for our salvation, are we yielding to Him and His will instead of ours? In other words, are we holding back something and not letting it go. We cannot overcome sin unless we desire to overcome. If we come to Jesus for deliverance and still desire to have the sin, we cannot be delivered from it. He is not going to deliver us against our will. We can't be forgiven of sin if we don't recognize our sin as sin. We have to acknowledge our sin and desire to be free from it. I will note here that I am not talking of past sins that have already been covered by the blood of Jesus eons ago and Satan is constantly nagging to us and bringing it to our remembrance. This is gone. Jesus doesn't not remember it and why should we. The past is gone when we bring it to Jesus and become born again. We are not to go back under that old fear again. I'm talking about sin today. If we still desire the wrong things, hate someone, if we are still under the bondage of alcohol or desire a neighbor's wife or husband. This should not be. We can overcome this by faith in the power of God to deliver. We must not yield to the lie that "I am only human and I am what I am." We are a new creature in Christ Jesus. The Jesus who saved us once is still here to deliver us from sin and give us the power of the Holy Spirit to abide with us continually. We are free and no longer under the bondage of sin. I don't like the term, " I'm a sinner saved by grace." The truth is that we should be, "I was once a sinner but now I am saved by grace." Sinners are not going to inherit eternal life. Let us become new creatures in Christ Jesus. Jesus Christ makes us free from sin. If He makes us free from sin then we are not sinners any longer. (2 Pet 1:10 KJV) Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: Verse ten is the key, make sure of your calling and election. This is something we do. Search our hearts and make sure those virtues listed above are abiding in us and we are trusting in God to perfect our faith daily. This is something we allow the Holy Spirit to do in our lives as we yield to His will. (2 Pet 1:11 KJV) For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. This is our goal (2 Pet 1:12 KJV) Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in
remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth. Peter is talking about the tabernacle of his body. As long as he walks on the earth in his present state he will stir up the remembrance of those who will listen. He is actually still doing that even though he has shed his old tabernacle and his soul and spirit resides with Jesus now. By leaving behind this epistle, he is still continuing to bring the word of God to our remembrance. (2 Pet 1:14 KJV) Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle,
even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath showed me. Peter knew by the warning of Jesus that he would die a martyr's death. Legend says that Peter was crucified but he did not feel worthy to be crucified like Jesus so he requested that he could be crucified upside down. (2 Pet 1:16 KJV) For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. He assures us that his words and eyewitness accounts of the gospel are true and not cunning fables to deceive. Let us pray for pastors and teachers to always teach the word and not substitute funny stories, fables, feel good sermons or entertainment. (2 Pet 1:17 KJV) For he received from God the Father honor and glory,
when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in
whom I am well pleased. Peter, James and John witnessed the transfiguration on the Mount. They saw Jesus in His glory. They heard the voice from heaven saying, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." (2 Pet 1:19 KJV) We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: One of the take heed warnings in the scripture. Take heed means not only listen but act upon the words heard. The gospel must not be taken lightly and haphazardly. (2 Pet 1:20 KJV) Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture
is of any private interpretation. No prophecy of the scripture is by man but comes from God. The Holy Ghost caused men to speak the words of God and some to write the words of God.
Note on 2 Peter 2
(2 Pet 2:1 KJV) But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. On one hand we have to beware of false prophets and false doctrines and on the other hand we must not be suspicious of every brother and sister in Christ who may disagree with us in some point and call them a false prophet. To keep from doing that our emphasis should be on the doctrine and not the person. Judge every doctrine taught by the written word that our Lord saw fit to supply us with. In the day and age when false doctrine has increased, notice also that the ability to read and write has also increased so that we do not have to be ignorant of the word. A century ago people may have been able to claim ignorance but not so today. We at least here in the United States cannot say that we have no ability to study and read the word. The bible is taught everywhere and is even given away by certain groups. Let us take advantage of the freedom to study and word and glean from its wealthy treasures every day. False prophets arise and even deny the Lord. Some do not go that far but deny the Lord's right to interfere with their life. The whole attitude of the 90's was choice. "I have a right to choose. No one has the right to tell me what to do, even God." So much as twenty years ago, I have never heard as much criticism of God as I do today. There is less a fear of God even among Christian circles. No one recognizes a God of judgment anymore. Yet the bible clearly speaks of the fear of God and a day of judgment. On other hand some have preached God as nothing but judgment and not a personal, real, living God who loves and has mercy to save, heal and forgive. How do we know the truth and how do we keep from being deceived? By constant study of the Word He has provided. Many gave their lives to translate and provide this word in our own language. Let's take advantage of it. (2 Pet 2:2 KJV) And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. The way of truth and the gospel is evil spoken of by the world if those that claim to preach the gospel are not really people who know God but just use the word and preach false doctrine. When we claim the name of Christ and do not live Godly we bring reproach upon that name. If we use the name of Christ to propagate a false doctrine we also bring reproach upon the name of Christ. We must not take these holy things lightly. Jesus Christ paid a big price for our salvation, we must seek to walk in the truth and live according to godliness. As soon as you name the name of Christ, others will notice everything you do and say more than they did before. We actually become walking bibles and representatives of Jesus Christ. (2 Pet 2:3 KJV) And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. Covetousness has been a snare to many. Some use the gospel for personal gain and make merchandise of people who believe. Their god is their greed and their own desires. They are not bringing people to Jesus Christ but desire to take advantage of people or draw people after themselves. They may act religious to make people think they are sincere. If you are a prayed up person who knows the word, you will know the difference between those who genuinely love God and want people to be saved from those who exalt self and want people to follow man and desire to profit materially. (2 Pet 2:4 KJV) For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; The angels that sinned was not spared so why do we think that we will not be judged if we Knowingly continue in sin and do not repent? (2 Pet 2:5 KJV) And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; Only eight people from the Old World before the flood was spared. The ungodly were judged. Why do you even suppose that God will not bring judgment now? (2 Pet 2:6 KJV) And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; Sodom and Gomorrah was turned to ashes for our example. Let us not take the word of God lightly. (2 Pet 2:7 KJV) And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: God will deliver those who believe and are grieved with sin. 8: (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing,
vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) Notice that it says here that the Lord knows how to deliver the godly. This does not promise deliverance to the ungodly. Yes God loves us but He is also a God that has to judge the disobedient and the person who reject Him and His word. Imagine what kind of law we would have if we have laws written in our
government against murder, theft and other crimes and our law kept forgiving people
without the people making any kind of change or repentance. Pretty soon we would have
lawlessness. A country cannot survive without enforcing the law of the land. Some try to find an alternative reason for our existence and insist on rejecting God and believing we evolved by some accident of nature. Go look at the mountains of West Virginia in the fall and say there is no God, look at the ocean and its vastness and say there is no God. See a baby delivered and held in its mother's arms and say there is no God. Only a fool cannot see the creator just about everywhere on this planet. He is more than just an impersonal force that has no place in the lives of individuals. He is a real, living, personal God who wants to live inside our hearts for eternity. He is a real, living God who will allow us to visibly see Him when our bodies are changed to eternal bodies so that we can see Him in His glory and splendor. He is real folks. He is real. We do not have to wait to see Him physically before we can know who God is. That is what the new birth is. We can get to know God now through faith in His Son Jesus Christ. (2 Pet 2:10 KJV) But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. Here is something to beware of: The signs of ungodliness is uncleanness, rebellion against government, wanting our own selfish ways, speaking evil of God or His Son, Jesus Christ. They are not afraid to speak evil of those who preach the gospel. When someone asks me what I think of a certain preacher, I cringe inside. Who am I to give an opinion of a preacher? We can warn against false doctrine but we must be very careful not to be an accuser of the brethren and tear down the ministry of those preaching the gospel. (2 Pet 2:11 KJV) Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord. We should really acknowledge the respect and fear of God here. Angels do not bring accusation against even the wicked . Yet we are so quick to criticize and bad mouth leaders of the country or of churches. In the USA at least we have the right to vote. We should spend time instead in the presence of God praying always for our leaders and not bring railing accusations against them. How much more good would be accomplished? If they are people that will not repent, lets sincerely pray them out of office. It can be done. The power of prayer is marvelous. That prayer must be in faith. God will hear. If He does not remove them from office then He must have a purpose in them being there. This does not mean that we allow leaders to break the law. If the law is broken then we do things accordingly to the law that removes them from office. There is a correct way this is done without name calling, backbiting, gossip and evil speaking. Remember Jesus as an example. He cast out moneychangers and upbraided the Pharisees but still you didn't see Jesus backbiting and gossiping. If we search our hearts, we can see the difference. (2 Pet 2:12 KJV) But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken
and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish
in their own corruption; We must be careful not to be partakers in these evil things. Be slow to anger, think before speaking, don't be quick to judge and find fault, correct in meekness and be willing to give the benefit of the doubt. Treat others as we would want to be treated ourselves yet in the spirit of love. Yet we must be careful not put a stamp of approval on sin. There is a way to overcome by the power of the Holy Spirit. This should cause us to grieve over sin but be compassionate to the ones caught in sin and desire to save them. The message of the gospel is salvation and deliverance not to destroy sin by destroying the sinner. Our job is to allow the Holy Spirit to use us to save, heal and restore not to kill, steal and destroy. This is done by the shedding of the love of God abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. Again Jesus is the example. He did not agree with sin but reproved it. Yet He gave power over sin and had compassion. (2 Pet 2:14 KJV) Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children: You see how holiness is to be part of our lives. There is clearly warning against sin all through the bible. We cannot say we are covered automatically by grace and expect to continue in sin. We are to be the exact opposite to having eyes full of adultery. The reason we have so much trouble in the flesh is that we are not truly repenting and forsaking our old ways. If God is truly upon the throne of our hearts then we will not desire the old nature to reign supreme in our lives, we will desire the Holy Spirit to reign supreme in our lives. (2 Pet 2:15 KJV) Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray,
following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;
Balaam is the example of who we should not follow. He was a prophet of God and one that God spoke directly to. A king hired Balaam to curse the children of Israel. At first Balaam refused to do that fearing God but later he figured out a way for God Himself to curse Israel by seducing Israel into fornication. Why did Balaam do this? He coveted the money that the king was going to reward him with. He loved the riches more than the souls of the Israelites. He loved material gain more than obedience to God. Was it worth it? No Balaam doesn't have those riches today. (2 Pet 2:17 KJV) These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever. A person who is carried away with sin is compared to clouds without water reserved for chains of darkness. We don't have to be bound with these chains, we can be free by faith in our Lord Jesus. Jesus gives us power over these things. Faith in Jesus is what saves. We receive what we believe Him for. (2 Pet 2:18 KJV) For when they speak great swelling words of vanity,
they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean
escaped from them who live in error. Sin is not liberty like some teach. It is not freedom. It is misery, bondage and unhappiness. To be free from sin is liberty, to serve the Lord with gladness is happiness. Yes we are free to do what we want but the "Want" is changed. Praise God. (2 Pet 2:20 KJV) For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the
world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled
therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. This is proof that a person who was once saved can backslide and be lost. I didn't say this, Peter did. It is possible to become again entangled in the sin we were forgiven and delivered from. We always have a power to choose. Let us choose to seek the Lord and not become return to the mire and muck that we were delivered from. Open our eyes Lord that we can see. Deliver us from evil. Abide with us continually. Amen
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