2 Peter

Below you'll find my notes from 2nd Peter in the form of summary and applications:

SUMMARY

Peter is, perhaps, the most famous of ‘the Twelve’ disciples. He had his fair share (And then some!) of ups and downs while following Jesus, but he became a great leader in the early church.

As he wrote this letter, Christ had revealed to him that his time on earth was short. Peter wanted to share with fellow followers of Jesus some important truths to remember and focus on.

The particular motivation for this letter, though was the presence of false teachers. Peter directly addresses the problems with these false teachers in chapter 2, but even the chapters surrounding it are there to correct their falsehoods.

Peter stressed that acceptance of Christan truth will lead to moral transformation (The false teachers, apparently, were de-emphasizing the importance of good behavior). New teachings must be measured against previous revelation (Scripture --> Jesus).

There were also doubts arising about the 2^nd Coming. Why was it taking so long? But Peter assured them that the delay was due to the Lord’s desire for more people to be saved. In the meantime, Christians should focus on living holy and godly lives. 

APPLICATIONS

1.      We have access to everything we need to live a holy life. To say that we can overcome our depravity is not man-centered religion, it is recognition of the power of God’s grace.

2.      The doctrine of election has confused a lot of people. First and foremost, Christ is the elect one. The body of Christ, then, is corporately elect. We, as individuals, participate in election so long as we are part of that body (‘in Christ’).

3.      As human beings, we are prone to wander away from what is most important. The Scriptures are one of God’s greatest tools for bringing us back to our ‘center’ (Jesus Christ).

4.      Peter included a strong condemnation of false teachers who denied the Lordship of Christ and gave people license to sin. Their heresy would result in their destruction.

5.      The reason God has delayed judgment (and Christ’s return) is because God wants more people to be saved. We ought to respond to the delay by living holy lives (by doing so, we can actually speed His coming!). 

ADDITIONAL NOTES

2 Peter 1:12-2:22 Study Notes

Intro: Remember to Remember, v. 12-15

The Gospel is REAL History (v. 16)

          Witness #1 (The Father, v. 17)

          Witness #2 (The Apostles, v. 18)

          Witness #3 (The Scriptures, v. 19)

The Scriptures are a REAL resource

          Like a Torch in a dark world, v. 19

          Only needed until Christ’s return, v. 19

          God breathed, v. 20-21

“We hold that the Bible stands beneath us, giving us a foundation… that it encircles us, making boundaries for our speculation… it resides within us, confirming the true understanding of God and self… and it ultimately stands over us, judging us according to the mind of God.” (Jerry Walls)

False Teachers are a REAL threat (chapter 2)

         

How to Spot Them…

-They deny Jesus _______ (v. 1)

-Greed (v. 3, 14-15)

-Arrogance (v. 10, 18)

-Carnality (v. 10, 12, 14, 19)

-Empty Promises (v. 18-19)

-Destroyed @ Judgment (v. 1, 3-9, 12-13, 20-22)                                              

2 Peter 3 Study Notes

Why People Deny the 2^nd Coming…

1.    They don’t want to change their lifestyle

2.    It’s taking a long time

3.    They forget that history is His Story

4.    They forget the warning shots

5.    They forget that God is a God of justice

Why the 2^nd Coming hasn’t happened yet

1.    The Lord is waiting for more quantity

2.    The Lord is waiting for more quality