Bible Study 2Peter 1 Growth that Never Fail

The Last Exhortation from Peter - The Secret of Success
Members requested that we finish 1Pet and 2Pet together. Hence, I am back to a study of 2 Peter. 2 Peter is the parting letter of Peter (like 2 Timothy of Paul). In 2Pe 1:14, Peter shared that Christ had told him his time on earth is up soon and hence he wanted to leave us with a message that will establish us in the truth. He used v12-v15 to tell his desire showing the importance of his message. We can be assured also that God will tell us when is our time.


To Us - Believers that Shared the Same Precious Faith
The letter was addressed to us (unlike 1Pet, which was to a particular region). How do we know? Those who shared in the faith of righteousness of God by our Savior Jesus Christ our Lord.


What do we need? Intimacy & Knowledge of Jesus & Father
We need to know experimentally and intimately the knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord. From experiencing our Father God and Jesus Christ, we receive the grace (power) and the peace (confidence and not panic, joy and not worry, a sound mind to make right decisions).

Know Our Calling & Our Empowerment
We are called by Jesus to glory and virtue (v3). He who called us also empowered us by

1. Given ALL things that pertain to life and godliness v3.
2. Given the great promise of taking on DIVINE nature, freed from corruption and lust v4. 

As Paul said in 2 Cor 5:17, we are a new creation, old things had passed away. We are first transformed with new nature and then given the power (all things of life and godliness) to work out from the Christ within to glory of Christ without. Peter used promise showing that our partaking of Divine nature is yet to be completed and will be completed fully one day. Paul in Eph tells us that we sealed with the Holy Spirit as a guarantee first.

The Secret of Never-Fail Success - DO THESE THINGS
The then is the key to Peter swan song -
We are to be diligent in doing the following 8 things.

1. faith
2. virtue
3. knowledge - wisdom
4. temperance - self-control - moderateness - balanced
5. patience - steadfastness - perseverance
6. godliness - god-likeness - reverence of God - the presence of God
7. brotherly kindness - love for one another (brother added to differentiate from the love of between husband and wife)
8. charity - true love - unconditional and more than overcoming.

It begins with our faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. But don't stop there at the base level, move up, with the development of Character, the virtue, the qualities of Jesus Christ. Add greater knowledge and experience of Jesus Christ (Eph 3:16-20). That will bring us up to temperance - some version translated by self-control. With that add on top patience and perseverance. Then we can grow up further to be like God, a reverence and presence of God. Then we can move closer to others with true-love God expressed first as kindness and later more than overcoming kind of love.

see Key Words of the Bible and The Meaning of "More than Conquerors"
and True Love For Successful Marriage.

The Benefits for Such Living

1. Make us fruitful v8.
2. Not blind or short-sighted v9. This is the way to overcome sin. Focus on growth in virtue and godliness in the knowledge of our Lord.
3. Shall never fail v10
4. Assurance of our calling and election v10.
5. Enter into the Abundance of the everlasting kingdom of Christ v11. i.e. building up treasures in heaven.

This is for REAL - It is of God and Peter was a witness
Peter cited his supernatural encountered with Jesus and God in the mount of transfiguration to assure us that the teaching and prophecy were for real.v19.
The teaching and prophecy of God are not of man but of God through the Holy Spirit v20,2. Its purpose is to be a light to guide us to grow in Christ that we may see and others may see the Christ, the day star that arises, in our heart. People see the glory of God through us.

Questions for Discussion & Application

1. What is our calling?
2. How are we able to live up to the calling?
3. What are the steps of growth taught by Peter?
4. How do you know it is the right one?

See the discussion on Bible Study 2Peter Chapter 1 Discussion.