2 Peter

Study 1 – 2 Peter 1:1-11

1. A Christians relationship with God should be something that grows daily. There is no point in our relationship with God where we stop growing in our knowledge of Him. We need to always be seeking ways to understand God in a deeper way. Our attempts to know Him have the benefits of grace, peace, and escape from the destructive forces of living in this world.
   
   
2. Both as a demonstration of our thankfulness for our salvation and our desire to participate in those things that have eternal kingdom value; we are told to be zealous in our efforts to contribute to the fulfillment of God’s will.
   
   
3. The faithful Christian is constantly cultivating his relationship with Christ and is bearing the fruit of that relationship in this life as well as storing up an eternal reward in the everlasting Kingdom of God.
   
   

Study 2 – 2 Peter 1:12-21

1. Peter reminds his readers to keep building up their relationship with Christ and to be totally sold out to Him. Peter is well aware that the time is approaching when the baton will be handed off to the next generation and he wants to make certain that they don’t fumble the exchange. They need to be particularly focused at this crucial point in the history of the Church.
   
   
2. The prophets are to be tested. If what they have said does not stand up to the events that unfold through history then their words have no value. We need to approach modern day prophets with a much more critical eye without cowering  to the notion that we may somehow ‘quench’ the Spirit by questioning the validity of a ‘prophet’s’ statements.
   
   
3. A true prophet does not speak what is on his own heart, but rather, what is on the heart of God. The true prophet does not speak for Himself. He speaks for the Almighty.
   
   

Study 3 – 2 Peter 2

1. The current ‘Christian’ atmosphere is polluted with false teaching. The amount of made up stories and false claims that are created in order to generate greater book sales is appalling. There is a tremendous lack of submission to authority in our present day as everyone feels that they are an authority unto themselves. Our only protection against such false teachers is to be well acquainted with God’s Word. It is only by becoming intimate with the truth that we will easily be able to discern the lie.
   
   

Study 4 – 2 Peter 3:1-10

1. The long delay in the return of Christ was the argument used against His return by the scoffers. The defense against this error was that God was not ‘slow’, but was ‘patient’ because He did not want people to perish. He wanted more people to make it than that which could fit inside of a wooden ark built by the hands of man.
   
   
2. God is going to fulfill His plan and it is going to be on His timetable and will achieve the results that He desires. Nothing that man does will stand in the way of Him fulfilling His mission.
   
   The days of Noah and the day in which we now live is similar in every spiritual way imaginable! Rather than scoff at the fact that the Lord has not yet returned we need to rejoice that His patience means the possibility of more people escaping the certain judgment to come.
   
   
3. The day is ‘slow’ in coming because God takes no pleasure in the destruction of His creation. He desires that all would come to repentance. His patience equals salvation!
   
   

Study 5 --  2 Peter 3:11-18

1. Based on the certainty of Christ’s return we need to make every possible effort to live holy, blameless, and peaceful lives. Every day and every decision needs to be lived out with an eye on Christ’s imminent return. Keeping His return in focus will bring greater clarity to every decision that we make.
   
   
2. The life of a Christian is one in which we should be continually striving to become more like our Savior. We can never stop working on our relationship with Him; and we can never stop working on helping the advancement of His Kingdom on this earth. He is coming back. The only question that remains is will He find us faithful when He returns?