Introduction and Overview of 2nd Peter

I'd like to speak to you this morning as we embark on a new journey together and just basically go through what is

I would say a small introduction and overview of 2nd

Peter. It could be expanded a great deal there's so many factual evidences that we can look at but I don't want to spend too much time on that matter of fact

I tried my utmost to in this message and when I was putting this together in my study time to dig into the

Word of God itself with reference and reference and let the Word of God speak because what

God has to say is while we're here today right we want to hear thus saith the Lord not thus saith man and we'll hear what man has to say but God knows how to silence man let what scripture says that God be true and every man found liar so I'd like to we're going to take this new journey to 2nd

Peter please turn with me to this wonderful epistle 2nd epistle of Peter the 2nd epistle of Peter and to distinguish this epistle from the 1st

Peter it was given the Greek title Petro B Petro B meaning the 2nd of Peter the 2nd of Peter as we embark on this wonderful wonderful privilege together

I'm so looking forward to this and I would like to read to you just the opening salutation from this wonderful book 2nd

Peter from chapter 1 verse 1 and 2 this will not be an exposition on this two verses but just to open this up to kind of give us a guideline of where we're going so here the

Word of the Living God I'm reading from the King James Version this morning and this letter begins with him saying

Simon Peter Simon Peter a servant

I love that 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

Savior Jesus Christ verse 2 grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God that's a key word to the knowledge of God and of Jesus our

Lord may God richly bless his holy word to our hearts this morning as we seek his face let's please bow with me in prayer as we seek our

God together and ask his blessing upon us as we look into his wonderful word our

Father and our great God Lord as we come to before you now our first and great desire as has already been spoken this morning is to worship you in spirit and truth and in the beauty of your holiness and to hallow your holy name to hallow your name and all that we do in our worship before you today

Lord your name is holy your name is majestic we pray

Lord as we humble ourselves before you would ask that you would glorify yourself and that you also we also pray that your beloved son in whom when you will pleased in would be lifted up for if he's lifted up he would draw him in into himself unto you so Lord we're here not just to hear information of the factual evidence

Lord which that there's a place for that but Lord we were basically here to be transformed it's transformation

Lord that we need today Lord I need it my own heart and I know our brothers and sisters needed as well so father we just pray that your blessed

Holy Spirit we pray and wish we so desperately need your help and the glorifying of yourself that we would be holy fully looking unto

Jesus the author and a finish of our faith and Lord in which you are well pleased in Jesus Christ and the only thing that pleases you is faith so Lord we thank you for that and we ask

Lord that again your blessed Holy Spirit will teach us may the Spirit of God Spirit of my teacher be showing the things of Christ to me

Lord give us understanding remove the scales from our eyes that we may see the truth that's in Jesus and we ask this for your glory and for Jesus sake and in his name

I pray amen what a wonderful privilege again we have to embark upon this new transition and this wonderful books only three chapters but it's really packed it's really loaded up we just went through first Peter I think that was we've been through the book of James we've been through the book of first Peter we've really two wonderful books there but this book here is glorious as well so we opened and began together in this wonderful study we're not going to get very far today

I like to tell you give you a warning in this text before us even though it's short matter of fact

Lord willing we revisit this very probably next week

Lord willing but dig a little bit more deeper into the exposition and look into the content of these two verses and go deeper and expand on it a little bit more and but today at least to give you an introduction and an overview a general overview

I'd like to say and are the three chapters of second Peter so we look together and it's authorship

I like to see it look at the authorship the background which will go into the purpose and in closing see why the second

Peter is so important to us and last in conclusion I'd like to apply this to our personal lives and to give some personal application to what is said now to begin with let me mention this

I got this from my insight for living on a chart by Chuck Swindoll I'd like to go ahead and bring this before you

I wish I really had it on board and a chart before you because it really breaks it down beautifully but the introduction here in second

Peter basically in chapter 1 verse 1 and 2 is the first section is broken up and it was called an exhortation to spiritual maturity that is no doubt the theme of this book exhortation he exhorts to spiritual maturity that's the first thing we see it answers the question how can

I grow in grace and the knowledge of Jesus Christ how can I grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ so in chapter 1 we have the warning be pure be pure you see that in verse 4 for the purity that is that is found and then it goes on in verse 5 given all diligence and to you faith virtue in the virtue knowledge then we had the reminder which is in chapter 1 verse 12 and 13 the promise is you will never stumble if you do these things you see that in verse 10 you shall never fall or rather brethren give diligence to make your calling an election sure for if you do these things you shall never fall you shall never stumble the theme is

I've already mentioned this is the theme of the book spiritual maturity as the remedy that is a remedy for false teaching and the right response and light of Christ is second coming key verses is found in chapter 3 verse 17 and 18 we'll look at that in a minute and the

Christ and second Peter is found actually in chapter 1 verse 19 we we have also a sure word of prophecy where until you do well that you take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place until the day dawn and the day star arise in your hearts that is speaking of Jesus Christ our

Lord the second section is pretty much broken up in what is called which second second

Peter chapter 2 did denunciation of false teachers denunciation of false teachers now answers the question what should

I expect what should I expect from so -called prophets well you definitely can't expect truth can you they twist the truth they add to it and they subtract from it the warning is be aware be aware of them and you see this in chapter 2 verse 1 through 3 the reminder is found in chapter 2 verse 21 through 22 and the promise is the

Lord knows how to rescue the righteous the perspective is looking back looking back then you have the third section and second

Peter which is anticipation of Christ's return in chapter 3 which answers the question what sort of people are we to be what sort of people are we to be that's a good question isn't it and he actually answers that and the warning is be diligent be diligent

Peter speaks about diligence a great deal the reminder is in chapter 3 verse 1 and 2 and the promise is we are looking for a new heavens and a new earth where righteousness dwells and the perspective is looking ahead so we see in the perspective of chapter 1 how we are to look look within chapter 2 looking back chapter 3 looking ahead past present future and the present of course is looking within but I like that so with that in mind

I like for us to look at the the authorship the background purpose and see what why second

Peter is important so with that in mind let us begin first of all let's look at the authorship of this epistle a second

Peter well it's very obvious it begins with Simon Peter a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ but that has been challenged by some so -called ancient and modern -day scholars and critics on that that which they challenged

Simon Peter to identify himself as he identifies himself as the author of this letter and actually he later remarks that this is the second letter to the readers you see that in chapter 3 verse 1a says this second epistle beloved

I now write unto you so we know this is his a second epistle he mentions the second but there's a first and we didn't it covers five chapters and we already went through that first letter but there is a second one now this blows my mind how a scholarly person supposedly a theologian would challenge the authorship here and I'm gonna give you the reasons why which is absolutely ridiculous but those reasons are really ripped apart from Scripture itself so this indicates that that Peter is writing to the same believers if you go back and says beloved

I right now right unto you so we we've even though it begins with those that have attained to them to have attained a light precious faith he's also speaking to I believe the same churches in the same group in Asia Minor who were being persecuted for the faith so we had received his first letter since Peter like Paul was put to death by an edict of the wicked

Nero and by the way Nero died in around June of AD 68

AD 68 so it's most likely that since he put out that edict he had more than likely

Peter was in prison in Rome he wrote that in Rome and in the date they give us is between AD 66 to 68 before Nero's death so shortly before his martyrdom in Rome speaking of Peter so in chapter 1 verse 13 through 15 let me read that to you he says this yeah yeah

I think it me as long as I am in this tabernacle that tabernacle speaks of his body the tent the tent the tabernacle to stir you up I love that to stir you up by putting you in remembrance knowing that shortly

I must put off this my tabernacle he knew his martyrdom was coming close so basically he's in prison the edicts upon him he's gonna be put to death very soon he knew this and then he says is even as our

Lord Jesus Christ hath showed me Jesus showed him this so moreover

I will endeavor that you be able after my deceased to have these things always in remembrance to bring these things to you remember it so he writes the second letter and it contains several personal allusions to Peter's personal life it begins with his his name

Simon Peter and there are so many verses and I'd like to show you some of these verses and mentioned that his death which

I briefly mentioned in the verse we just read he was close to his death in verse 14 in chapter 1 which we just read he had just had been told by Jesus not long ago by Christ himself in John 21 18 and 19

Jesus tells him that he would be martyred at an old age and that's when you you remember what he said he said what about John and and Jesus basically well what's that to you you know the words mind your own business

I'm telling you about you Jesus was so to the point but that you can read that in John 20 chapter 21 he tells he predicts his martyrdom so in verse 13 through 15 of chapter 1 the words tent tabernacle this is interesting if you notice in the word deceased and Exodus why are these words important listen very closely every word of God is pure and inspired by the

Holy Spirit these words are used by Luke the writer of Luke in the account of the transfiguration that's found in Luke 9 31 through 33 and one of the most convincing proofs that Peter wrote this epistle is the reference also that's found in chapter 1 verse 16 through 18 which says this for we have not followed cunningly devised fables when we and the we is speaking about the other apostles

John and James we made known unto you the power and the coming of our

Lord Jesus Christ but were eyewitnesses of his majesty we were eyewitnesses apostles of his majesty and he goes on to tell us in verse 17 for he received from God the

Father honor and glory when there came such a voice he never forgot that that voice actually rebuked him this is my beloved son hear ye him and when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory called it the excellent glory this is my beloved son in whom

I'm well pleased verse 18 this voice this voice which came audibly from heaven he says we heard when we were with him in the

Holy Mount I got to thinking about why was that Mount holy because God's presence was on that mountain in a manifest way that's why he calls it the

Holy Mount Jesus was there anywhere Jesus is it's hallowed so that that's why he calls it the

Holy Mountains but the writer Peter was present on that Holy Mount chapter 2 verse 14 through 18 we we find the words such as enticing and allure enticing and allure so why are these two words important to us well let me tell you why reason being they come from the

Greek word de lila ago de lila go probably mispronounced that Greek word but let me give you the meaning of it and you can't you get what he's saying it means to catch with a lure to catch with a lure so they it's they are from a vocabulary of a fisherman

Peter was a fisherman and are thus especially appropriate for Peter that's another convincing evidence that Peter wrote this epistle a final word also that speaks of Peter's authorship is based upon his personal experience is found in chapter 3 verse 17 which says this you therefore beloved seeing you know these things before beware least you also being led away with error of the wicked fall from your own steadfastness now

I want you to notice the word steadfastness this word comes from the same word root word strengthen strengthen and if you remember correctly and from the

Gospel of Luke 22 32 Jesus used this word speaking to Peter personally before he denied him and he says when you have returned to me strengthen your brethren strengthen your brethren and it is also found in the word establish and we saw that in 1st

Peter chapter 5 verse 10 establish you it's the same thing and 2nd

Peter 1 2 also one more final note here 2nd Peter 3 15 in which addresses

Paul he addresses Paul as our dear brother our dear brother that's interesting in it he had a good relationship with the

Apostle Paul and as you well know Paul mentions that he had to confront

Peter to his face because of his hypocrisy yet publicly he did that and a lot of people we really come down hard on Peter on that Lucas look at Paul as the hero well really

Paul the Apostle was absolutely right and it was not because he was right in himself he'd understood the gospel and Peter was struggling with this he compromised and when there's compromise in the gospel even though Peter was the head

Apostle here's the Apostle Paul brings to his attention he rebukes him openly because of his hypocrisy and yet right here he calls him our dear brother now how much respect this head

Apostle had for this wonderful Apostle the

Apostle Paul our dear brother to suggest also that the author was close to Paul Peter that there are some references that point to Peter as the author of 2nd

Peter so now now let me ask the question here as we as I kind of build up to something why do

I bring up these references mainly because again as I've already mentioned there have been ancient and contemporary scholars critics that have rejected

Peter as the author of this letter and they have their reasons and I must ask why and for what reason

I won't tell you why they the way they look at it which is I personally believe wrong but we're going to we're going to kind of break this down a little about I won't spend too much time here but I think this is important and you got to realize there's there's quite a few scholars that reject 2nd

Peter in the book of Jude they considered as dark epistles and the main reason they argue for example that the personal references to Peters life or a literary device used by someone else who wrote under the

Apostles name basically it means it was forged so they're basically saying these these critics these scholars are saying that this letter has been forged by someone else that called himself

Peter now I got something to say about this the letter in order to create the appearance of authenticity

MacArthur in his commentary I'm telling you I wished I had the time to really go in depth on this but you could look it up in your in your time

MacArthur John MacArthur as you well know is a very conservative pastor conservative

I believe he's a conservative theologian and I got a little bit to say what he had to say about he goes into five or six pages on this because of the importance of it and basically brings out the truth and there's so many things that he goes into the ins and outs but I don't want to take that time but I want to give you one quote

I wrote down from his commentary I think it's very important I'm a second

Peter commentary John McCarthy says this quote there are only two possibilities regarding the authorship of second

Peter either it was written by Peter as it claims or it is a pseudo anonymous it is pseudo anonymous and the work of a forger who pretended to be

Peter if the latter is true then the author would have been a hypocrite as well as a liar a deceiver condemning false teachers for being what he himself was and giving severe warning about divine judgment forger ain't gonna do that and then again furthermore if the book was written by a forger

MacArthur says it is difficult to see what the forger's motive was that's so good the authors of pseudonymous works usually attach the name of a prominent person to their writings to give credence to their false teaching that's a good point and then he says this but second

Peter contains no teaching that contradicts the rest of the

New Testament in quote now like I said he goes on into it and like we could have spent this whole hour just looking into the authorship but I believe we need to go on but I am absolutely convinced beloved from the beginning of the church has always rejected forged documents even the scriptures itself speak about this

I looked it up 2nd Thessalonians chapter 2 verse 2 the even the

Apostle Paul warned the Thessalonians not to be quickly shaken listen what he says not to be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter a letter as if from us in other words there was forgery that was going on at that time and then he goes on to say to the effect that the day of the

Lord has come in other words they had erroneous teaching about the day of the Lord of course the false teachers and I really believe this is why the critics is going after this so much they do not want to own up and knowing that the day of the

Lord is what it is and says it is in the scriptures and you notice in 2nd Peter and in the book of Jude speaks much about false teachers and the day of the

Lord the day that Jesus Christ is coming back to judge the living and the quick and the dead so you know that I believe they didn't want to get an escape from that that now also

I want to point out very quickly I don't have time to go in the ins and outs on this but I learned and I didn't know this it's more than likely that Peter borrowed from Jude and if you read 2nd

Peter and Jude together I think this would be great in your devotional time if they go parallel especially chapter 2 chapter 2 goes parallel with Jude so their concerns of us as Apostles and it doesn't it make sense that the concern is an

Apostle is their love for the truth the false teachers were coming in and filtrating the church to corrupt it with its false teachings against the truth to contaminate to infiltrate and I tell you

I'm so thankful as I was reading this letter over and over again I'm so thankful for this man that was a fisherman that God transformed through Jesus Christ even after denying the

Lord and here he is being faithful to his call as a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ isn't it wonderful well let's move on so and even at the early stage of the churches and church history forgers were circulating letters throughout the churches to be from Paul so they could easily spread false doctrine that's what is basically saying so there was forgery going on so but the bottom line is this great truth and you're gonna love this it's so simple the

Holy Spirit of God the Spirit of truth could never inspire forgery the

Spirit of God's not gonna put his breath on that 1st

Peter 1 20 to 21 says this knowing this first that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation for the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the

Holy Ghost this is authentic he was been moved by the

Holy Spirit so I seriously doubt any forger would even pin that truth down therefore even the early church rightly rejected all such words now church rightly rejected all these words even though it took many many years these two books the second epistle of Peter and Jude even took the

Reformers sometime because of some of the critics that was saying what they were saying at the time so they they had to look into it to make sure that it was authentic and it is it is and if 2nd

Peter had been a forgery beloved I'm absolutely convinced that the early church fathers and the

Reformers would have rejected it thus despite the skepticism and the doubts of modern critics from these so -called scholars

I don't think they're real scholars I think they're liberal and and they just by name the best answer to the question of who wrote 2nd

Peter is found in chapter 1 verse 1 a Simon Peter a bond servant and Apostle Jesus Christ that's enough for me so at first Peter deals with the problems of the outside 2nd

Peter deals with the problems from the inside and that's basically the the setting and personally also

I want to say this when when when he opens up Simon Peter a servant and Apostle Jesus Christ that settles it he wrote it so God himself ordained and is authenticated by the

Holy Spirit so Peter writes to warn believers about false teachers who are peddling damaging damnable doctrine and you see in 2nd

Peter this is what it's about so Peter begins his letter his second letter by urging them to keep close watch of their own personal lives that's absolutely critical isn't it next thing is is the background in this of 2nd

Peter the background it's kind of a survey so I'm gonna kind of go through this quickly as I can already on the horizon

Peter sees false teachers who will bring in the church destructive heresies he speaks of that allow loose and licentious lifestyles the second letter of Peter was particularly directed against the

Gnostic and antinomian philosophies the Gnostics and the antinomians those two heresies which the false teachers taught and I'm going to touch on that what is

Gnosticism what is antinomianism it's basically the

Gnostics taught that in addition to believing in Jesus Christ one must also receive the historic knowledge this heresy was repudiated not only by the writers of the

New Testament epistles but also the church fathers who lived in the period after the early church

Gnosticism has been around a while and as you well know Gnosticism basically says it separates matter from thought they basically conclude that matter was evil matter substance is evil a formulated idea that the possession of knowledge was the only requirement for salvation and beloved this is why they did not want to attribute the humanity of Jesus Christ that he was in flesh because they felt that and they believed that flesh substance anything that was matter is absolutely evil so Peter refuted this idea by stressing the fact that they had already received the true knowledge which is in Jesus Christ and by which he came the word was made flesh they witnessed him he handled they handled and they touched and they seen him so second

Peter 116 through 21 basically covers that next is another damnable heresy

Gnosticism is one antinomianism is another one as you well know antinomianism believes that since salvation was by grace alone the requirements of the moral law were irrelevant in other words without the law so they did not believe in what we believe in the moral law of God Paul says the law of course cannot save us it's a schoolmaster it's a tutor to lead us to Jesus Christ right it condemns us but it shows us our sin there's a great reason and a purpose for the law of God it is critical and we don't get enough of this today basically speaks of his holiness as his purity and the standard so they throw that all out

Paul says the law is good and the law is holy but it's only a schoolmaster to lead us to Jesus Christ it shows us our sin but the antinomian is they they believe in throwing out the law altogether it's just this cheap grace basically that's antinomian you see a lot of this today in our day the gospel of Jesus Christ stands alone beloved doesn't it a matter of fact the

Apostle Paul ain't one even warns anybody that tampers with it will be a curse they'd be damned this is strong words

Galatians 1 6 through 10 let me read it bold statement to anyone who would dare tamper with the gospel of Jesus Christ because the gospel is not to be tampered with it's not to be added to and it's not to be subtracted from he says

I marvel I marvel in other words I'm surprised at you that's what he's saying that you are so soon removed from him talking about Jesus Christ that called you into the grace of Christ God unto another gospel another gospel then he says which is not another there's only one true gospel but they're purporting another one but there be some who's to some is he talking about the false teachers some that would trouble you that would pervert the gospel of Christ we see this today that's what false teachers do they pervert the gospel but though we he's speaking about him as an apostle or an angel from heaven this is the seriousness of it folks preach any other gospel unto you let him be accursed let him be damned let him be damned as we said before so say now again he repeats it that's how serious it is if any man preach any other gospel unto you then which you have received let him be accursed and then he says this and I love this statement from Paul for do

I now persuade men or God do I persuade men or God or do

I seek to please men this man was not a man pleaser folks this man was

I he had a single eye and pleasing God and he answers that for if I yet pleased men

I should not be the servant of Christ now let me move on how does the second

Peter begin it begins by Simon Peter a servant bond or bond servant of the oven and an apostle of Jesus Christ so Peter devotes his second chapter of 2nd

Peter to attacking the licentious lifestyles that naturally resulted among those who held this belief

Paul also addressed this philosophy in Romans 6 and denied the accusation that he himself held within this view in Romans chapter 3 verse 8 and brother

Keith brought out a very good point from his defense of his apostleship which he he hated even mentioning himself in it but that's why a lot of times he speaks in the third person he is defending the gospel but he had to defend his apostleship some way or another so that I'm telling you it was relentless and in that day in the early church and doesn't it make sense

Satan was doing everything he can't he could to bombard the church with false teachers because he figured if he can get at the root of it the foundation of it he could destroy it

I'm telling you these apostles had to suffer and defend the faith that was once delivered to the

Saints they had to stand in the truth and that's why I was so critical so the words that they wrote it's all inspired of God from these

Apostles so wonderful aren't you thankful these are preserved for us now the third chapter of 2nd

Peter he reproves them for their skepticism about Christ's return included within the discussion in which he corrects their faulty perception of this event he gives one of the most detailed descriptions of in time events

I believe and all of Scripture it's absolutely awesome I'm gonna read some of it to you but it speaks about the delay of Jesus in which he reproves him of the

Jesus's return we still have this today how people are skeptic they're mockers they're scoffers in the last day saying where's his return well it's very apparent he explains because God is long suffering and patient does not exist within the concept of our time frame let me read it to you 2nd

Peter 3 8 but beloved be not ignorant of this one thing what one thing that one day is with the

Lord as a thousand years and a thousand years is one day according to God he dwells in the eternity he does not necessarily he's not ruled by time he created time he created all that he dwells in eternity our timetable our calendar is a lot different than God's and he's basically saying like a thousand years is one day and and a thousand years is one day in a thousand years one day is a thousand years

I'm sorry I'll get it right in just a few minutes but Peter also tells them that when the day of the

Lord comes it would be accompanied by a total destruction of universe now isn't it interesting the

Gnostics denied what they believed about believed that matter was evil and he really lays it on hard with the truth that everything physical everything material is going to be destroyed it's gonna be burned up and I like the let me insert a parentheses here not with atomic and hydrogen explosions which many false teachers in our day speaks of that the world's going to end up with atom bombs and look

I wouldn't tell you as powerful as those bombs are they're firecrackers to God God himself is going to destroy the earth according to the

Bible God himself is going to destroy it with intense heat and you read in this in chapter 2 he speaks about Sodom and Govar was turned to ashes fire and brimstone came out of heaven my people say well how that's going to happen but God calls fire when

Elijah prayed on the Mount Carmel he prayed he prayed the fire of God to come down and it came down and licked up the whole altar that stones to sacrifice the water and everything it was intense heat and that was a small demonstration of what

God's going to do to this earth in this universe in the end matter of fact let me read it to you 2nd

Peter 3 10 and 12 says 10 through 12 but the day of the Lord you want you want to hear a little bit about the day the

Lord will come as a thief it's gonna come inspectedly the thief doesn't give a telegram say I'm coming to rob you he's going to sneak in he's going to come unexpectedly and that's the way the coming of Jesus the second coming of Jesus is going to be in the night like a thief in the night in which the heaven shall pass away with a great noise it's gonna be a powerful loud noise and the elements listen that the elements what's the elements well you know your chemistry and you know your chemicals atoms and neutrons and protons and electrons and all that or it's going basically disintegrate can

God do that well he created it he can do it hey all the matter in this world it's amazing you look outside you see this world it's gonna be burned up beloved

God is going to literally burn everything up with intense heat it's going to melt and the earth also in the works that are therein shall be burned up the entire universe will be consumed by fire by the fire of God it does not the scripture say that God is a consuming fire it's amazing people deny this but it's this this is going to be how it's going to all in seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved what manner now since this is going to happen he said what manner a person thought you to be in all holy conduct your conversation your your your the way you walk and live in godliness and then he says looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God we're in the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved and the elements shall melt with fervent heat nevertheless what's going to happen afterwards verse 13 of chapter 3 nevertheless we according to his promise notice how many times he says look look for the new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness that's what we're looking for we're for beloved seeing that you look for such things be diligent that you may be founded him in peace without spot and blameless that's powerful now that's just a quick jet tour through 2nd

Peter I just covered some main highlights but let's move on well let me ask the question why is 2nd

Peter so important why is it so important where the churches of Asia Minor we're not just struggling with the persecution on the outside and suffering addressed in Peter's first letter but they also had strife they had dissension within the ranks within the churches and the effort to stem the tide of heresy false teaching among the

Christians Peter emphasized the importance of learning knowledge of the truth this is so critical clinging to a proper knowledge of God the knowledge of the

Holy reminds me of Proverbs 30 verse 3 I neither learned wisdom nor have the knowledge of the

Holy reminded me of a quote by E .W. Tozer in his book actually titled knowledge of the

Holy that did a wonderful job on the attributes of God he said this the decline listen this the decline of the knowledge of the

Holy has brought on our troubles it's brought on our troubles and he says and then he gives a solution a rediscovery of the majesty of God will go a long way toward curing that's a great quote in fact this word knowledge as we go through this book we will see this word knowledge come up time and time again

I might have miscounted it but I counted 15 times in the span of the short three chapters 15 times that word comes up in three chapters knowledge knowledge knowledge and what's he talking about he's not talking intellectual knowledge he's talking about the knowledge of the

Holy he's talking about the knowledge of God the knowledge of God well last not quite last next to last what would be the theme a second

Peter the theme a second Peter well Peter's theme is no doubt a simple one but it's important pursue spiritual maturity pursue spiritual maturity how do we do that through study of the

Word of God our study in the Word of God meditating on the Word of God meditating on the law day and night saturating ourselves beloved in the

Word of God how do we get sanctified through the Word of God how we have knowledge of the truth the Word of God how we know more about who we are the

Word of God God's Word is the foundation it's the remedy for false teaching by the way and it's the proper and the right response to heretics that's how we that's how we defend the faith and we're ready to give an answer for the hope that's in us so in light of Christ's promise second coming and second

Peter chapter 1 verse 3 and verse 16 when false teachers begin to scratch itching ears which we see so often of immature

Christians within the churches and the ranks the body of Christ begins to tear apart to break apart and that's exactly what the false teachers want to do tear us apart and I personally believe this

Satan works harder within the church than outside the church he's going to his desire is to tear the church apart but Jesus says it's invincible he said the gates of hell will not prevail against it give you another quick scripture here go with me to Ephesians listen to what

Paul says about spiritual maturity look at chapter 4 verse 13 through 15 verse 13 through 15

I love this let me back up to verse 12 and he speaks in verse 10 and verse 11 he talks about the gifts that God gives he gave some apostles some prophets some evangelists some pastors and teachers and then he says what for what purpose for the perfecting of the

Saints the perfecting of the Saints there it is for the work of the ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ to edify the body of Christ and then he says this till we all come into the unity of the faith the faith that faith which was once delivered unto the

Saints Jude speaks up and of the knowledge there Paul's even speak about the knowledge of God and the knowledge of the

Son of God his knowledge unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ and notice what he says that we henceforth no more be no more children tossed to and fro carried about with every wind of doctrine by the slate of men and the cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive but speak in truth in love may grow up there it is again grow up and into him and all things which is the head even

Christ so there you have spiritual maturity and let me say this faith and that's foundational our faith in Jesus Christ and his person his works that's what we're all about us what the church is all about is having faith in the person who works of Jesus Christ and Jesus said this a note here in Matthew chapter 5 sermon in the mount verse 13 you are the salt of the earth but if the salt have lost its

Savior where with shall it be salted it is thence for a good for nothing

Wow but to be cast out and to be trodden under foot of men what does that mean well basically and what our

Lord is saying here if salt loses its flavor its saltiness it loses its effectiveness it's not effective and its taste and it becomes tasteless it's worth nothing and it becomes non -effective because salt is both a preservative and a flavor enhancer

I I love salt probably I probably put too much on food but I love its enhancer of how it brings the taste buds to life and it does and no doubt it's a wonderful crystal but no doubt

Jesus used it right here is an example that the way we should be on the decaying world that's decaying away we you are the salt of the earth you're the light of the world but let's look at salt it's used as a preserver a preservative is what

Jesus definitely had in mind here you preserve you are the preservative you take away the

Christians in this world right now what would happen be total destruction right now is the only thing is holding it back is the decay is the salt of the earth the light of the world what

God is doing through his body through his people pure salt that is common in the

Dead Sea I got this from John MacArthur he says this pure salt that is common in the Dead Sea area is contaminated with gypsum and other minerals and may have a flat taste or being ineffective as a preservative in quote so this is what

Jesus is saying you and I are that preservative we are the salt of the earth but if it loses its saltiness it's good for nothing that's a powerful word

Lord help us Peter also encouraged his readers to apply themselves to acquiring true knowledge of God living out the life of faith with all diligence so that they may be found in Jesus Christ in peace spotless and blameless

I love that that's how he ends the letter so if believers did not follow the instructions and righteousness they would be giving their

Christian community over to the heretics so it's so so important now this brings me to the conclusion the conclusion is of our survey and our overview of this wonderful book as we go through how do

I personally apply this truth to my life and my everyday living my everyday living well

I believe that that's a soul searching question and I like as I wrote that down I was saying

Lord search my own heart we're going to revisit this great verse again but it this this is basically found in chapter 3 verse 17 and 18

I already mentioned it to you but for now it's it's the godly instruction in which

Peter began with look at that he begins the same this letter the same way he ends it notice the way he began it and let me read this just very quickly verse 3 through 11 according as his divine power he has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of him that it called us to the glory and virtue whereby are given unto us exceedingly great and precious promises that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust and beside this given all diligence add to your faith virtue and virtue knowledge there's the word knowledge to knowledge temperance

I mean self -control and to temperance patience and to patience godliness to godliness brotherly kindness to brotherly kindness charity and then he says this for if these things be in you and abound they make you that you shall neither be barren or in our unfruitful in the knowledge of our

Lord Jesus Christ there it is again knowledge in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ but he that lacketh these things is blind and cannot see afar off and has forgotten that he is was purged from his old sins we need to remember where we came from wherefore rather brethren give diligence there it is give diligence to make your calling and election sure for if you do these things you shall never fall

I love that now looking at pursuing Christian maturity and deepening knowledge of the truth the

Lord Jesus Christ will lead us to doctrinal sound doctrine and stability in our living because what we believe the way we think will actually be played out in our life no doubt it will come out our view of God whatever how we view

God how we review the truth will eventually come out it will show and it's also a preventive from being led astray

I love that again verse 17 in chapter 3 you therefore beloved so you know that these things before beware least you also being led away led astray with the error of the wicked fall from your own steadfastness that's a warning isn't it we need to be careful not to be lifted up in pride like Paul said he that thinks he stands take heed he fall verse 18 but grow in the grace and the knowledge of our

Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to him be glory now forever and ever amen brothers and sisters in Christ let me say this the recipients of Peter's letter with all that go through trouble difficult times

Paul said this in 2nd Thessalonians 1 6 through 8 seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense with tribulation to them that trouble you and to you who are troubled rest with us remember what he said vengeance is the

Lord and basically the vengeance is coming when Jesus comes back when the

Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels and flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not

God and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and that's basically going to happen you read it in Revelation 19 well through trials trials hit us all right they hit hard trouble hits us all because Job said it every man that's born a woman is born in trouble so we're gonna have troubles we're gonna have trials we're gonna have losses we're gonna have crosses but I want to encourage you to this end these struggles sometimes come from within the church they also come from people that's close within our family right we've been there we know this pain we know and to intuitively that this is true in our personal lives marriage can have strains on it hardships that's when we need to grow and dig harder and press in harder to spiritual growth and get closer to the

Jesus Christ and know all about these wonderful great virtues of forgiveness and everything that he just listed here in chapter 1 relationships within the church within our family beloved two great truths that we must know the first is to guard against any kind of discord from within our families within our churches but first we must

I believe first of all we must have a knowledge of who we are but how do we know that we must have a knowledge of the truth we must have a knowledge of God and that's what he says self -knowledge is important but the most important knowledge is knowledge of the truth how can you have a knowledge of who we are unless we know the truth that's why truth is everything it's everything know the truth love the truth die for the truth speak the truth live the truth it's all about the truth and we must know who

God is who Christ is who the Holy Spirit is and that is our knowledge of God through his holy word the first line of defense against the conflicts that threaten to tear us apart so he says this beware beware be on your guard least you also being led away with error by the other wicked of unprincipled men but grow that there it is the growth is the sanctification we're sanctified through that truth by growing and the grace and the knowledge of our

Lord and Savior Jesus Christ that in that might have that about it means the grace that we're in so what does it mean of the grace to grow in our faith it well basically means take time to be holy take time to guard yourself your minds guard your minds guard your heart how do we do that with the proper knowledge of the truth

I really believe that's knowing this book not just head knowledge but hiding the word in our heart is everything isn't it so that we may not stray so easily to stray away from this so our flesh is so weak isn't it but the spirit is willing that's what

Jesus said so that we may not drift away that we may not strip straight from the path that God has so graciously given let me close with this it's a prayer from Psalm 119 119 and in the closing of this prayer and let this be your prayer let this be my prayer

Psalm 119 verse 169 through 176 listen to the psalmist listen to this psalmist let my cry let my cry come near before thee

O Lord give me understanding according to thy word let my supplication come before thee deliver me according to thy word my lips shall utter praise when thou has taught me thy statutes my tongue shall speak of thy word for all thy commandments are righteousness let thine hand help me for I have chosen thy precepts

I have longed for thy salvation O Lord and thy law is my delight let my soul live and it shall praise thee and let thy judgments help me in verse 176 the last verse of this great mountain peak