Who's Read II Peter?

Lee Fey · Oct 6, 2004

Alright, this is me trying to start some kind of Bible study-ish program. I'd specifically like to look at II Peter, as I have read that. Does anyone have any highlights they'd like to pull out of that? Any themes, any revelations? I have plenty, but I'd like to see what others do with it first.

mythbuster · Oct 6, 2004

II Peter!

We are partakers of the divine nature!

plmarquette · Oct 7, 2004

2 peter 2.24 by his stripes we were healed ; same as Isaiah 53.1-3 ; Matthew 8.17
the atonement , the substitutionary atonement , the propitiation , the work of the cross , the ministry of Jesus : Isaiah 61.1-3

Lee Fey · Oct 7, 2004

We are only partakers of the divine nature if two requirements are met. One, if God made promises by which we can live by. Fortunately, he did, so that's not a problem. But what's next is that we have to know those promises in order to call on them, and that's under our control. So....get to studying, right?

Oh, and the basic areas that every Christian has to grow under in order to be sure of one's election, or something like that. I was very impressed by the many different ares we should grow in. But, I have a question, does this argue against permanent salvation? I'm sure it can be interpreted a variety of different ways. I mean, I know that no one can take us from God's hand, he's just too strong, too powerful. But would he really hold us against our will? That seems to contradict everything I know about him. I wonder if it means that there is a difference between those of us who backslide, and those of us who really know who he is, and turn our backs on him anyway. I mean, it is still my ability to chose to go against God consciously, isn't it? I am a Child of God, and I celebrate in that, but does that mean that if, with my knowledge of Him and the consequences of not having him, I turn away from him anyway, I have to go to heaven against my wishes? This makes little sense to me.

I do, of course, recognize that anyone to truly understand everything about the truth, and believe it to be true, and reject it anyway must be insane. But is it impossible, I'm not sure, and I'm not sure God's nature is to take us to heaven against our wishes.

mythbuster · Oct 7, 2004

If you have view of "going to heaven" you will never get anywhere with the Lord. The Gospel is not a destination but a person. We have been reconciled to God so much so that he has sown Himself into us.

I Peter 1:23 ASV...having been begotten again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the word of God, which liveth and abideth...

But that little word "begotton" is translated "born again" by Darby, and NIV
We have been born again by an incorruptible seed. For those who are saved, this seed has been sown into us, and we can never be unborn. God is our Father, we have His life and nature.

If we choose not to live by His life but live independently, by our own (soul-life) then the Lord will deal with us at His judgement seat. (II Cor 5:10) Those that live independent of Him and backslide are those that build with wood, grass, and stubble They will be saved, "but so as through fire," and will suffer loss. (I Cor. 3:11-15.)

To live by His life and partake of His nature is just to abide in the vine. Apart from Him we can do nothing. (John 15:5)

vinsight4u · Oct 8, 2004

In Christ Forever · Oct 8, 2004

Jesus right now is longsuffering
then the 7th trumpet will sond
salvation
it will be too late for men to repent
the resurrection of the just
and the rapture of the church

Paul wrote that we are not appointed unto wrath, but salvation. So is the rapture time ahead of the salvation time?
*No.
2 Peter shows us that as long as Jesus is longsuffering - as in willing that none perish, He cannot return as the salvation moment has not yet come.
KJV 2 Peter 3:9
"The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness, but is longsuffering to us ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
So from this we see that as long as the longsuffering time is going on>>>>>>men can still repent and be forgiven for sin.
verse 15
"And account {that} the longsuffering of our Lord {is} salvation......"
1 Thess. 5:9
"For God hath not appointed us to *wrath, *but to obtain *salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ."
* not wrath
but salvation

Paul seemed to think their salvation was soon, as he spoke this to them.
Salvation was to be of the jews, and the way I read it, it was from the apostate jews in that century. They were the ones persecuting them all the time. Just a view I have. Kind of like the salvation of the Hebrews from Pharoah. Pretty awsome what Moses said.
The lost sheep were in bondage to the religious rulers in that day as Jesus here clearly states. God bless.

I don't think the gentiles worshipped the way of Balaam the [son] of Beor

Peter 2:1 But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, [and] bring on themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber. [They are] spots and blemishes, carousing in their own deceptions while they feast with you, 14 having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. [They have] a heart trained in covetous practices, [and are] accursed children. 15 They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the [son] of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;

Matthew 23:1 Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples, 2 saying: "The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. 3 "Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, [that] observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do. 4 "For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay [them] on men's shoulders; but they [themselves] will not move them with one of their fingers.

romans 13:11 And [do] this, knowing the time, that now [it is] high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation [is] nearer than when we [first] believed. 12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.

exodus 14:12 "[Is] this not the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, 'Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians?' For [it would have been] better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness." 13 And Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. 14 "The LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace."

mythbuster · Oct 9, 2004

vinsight4u said:
Paul wrote that we are not appointed unto wrath, but salvation...

Don't confuse the judgement seat of Christ with a loss of salvation. They are not the same at all. Some saints will suffer loss yet still be saved. I Cor 3:15

More great verses in II Peter

Peace br multiplied. 1:2

And we have the prophetic word made more firm, to which you do well to give heed as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 1:19

peace be multiplied, 1:2 easy to remember, 2nd Peter 1:2
Log (peace X peace X peace) = Log (peace ^3) = 3 Log (peace)

vinsight4u · Oct 9, 2004

In Christ Forever · Oct 9, 2004

"And account {that} the longsuffering of our Lord {is} salvation......"
1 Thess. 5:9
"For God hath not appointed us to *wrath, *but to obtain *salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ."
* not wrath
but salvation

Click to expand...

Don't confuse the judgement seat of Christ with a loss of salvation. They are not the same at all. Some saints will suffer loss yet still be saved. I Cor 3:15

More great verses in II Peter

The way it looks, whoever is being "squashed" in the great winepress of the wrath of God has already been tried, judged, convicted, condemned and punished by the white throne judgement, and it is after the harvest of the elect when they are poured out. Just a "view" I have but open to opinions from other brethren. God bless.

THE HARVEST OF THE ELECT IN CHRIST:

reve 14:14 Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat [One] like the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. 15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, "Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe." 16 So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped.

Revelation 11:1 Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood, saying, "Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar,and those who worship there.

THE WRATHS on the "worshippers"[saints are either already dead or safe somewhere in the mountains or other towns]

reve 14:17 Then another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. 18 And another angel came out from the altar, who had power over fire, and he cried with a loud cry to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, "Thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe." 19 So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and threw [it] into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 20 And the winepress was trampled outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress, up to the horses' bridles, for one thousand six hundred furlongs.

ezekiel 9:4 and the LORD said to him, "Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and cry over all the abominations that are done within it." 5 To the others He said in my hearing, "Go after him through the city and kill; do not let your eye spare, nor have any pity.

mythbuster · Oct 9, 2004

vinsight4u said:
Rev. 12 shows the salvation moment comes after the followers of Jesus have loved not their lives unto the death....

Vinsight,
Why not lets start a thread on Rev 12?

MB

More on II Peter,

For no prophecy was ever borne by the will of man, but men spoke from God while being borne by the Holy Spirit. 1:21.

Scripture is men speaking while being borne by the Holy Spirit, II Peter 1:21, memorize that verse!

vinsight4u · Oct 10, 2004

In Christ Forever · Oct 10, 2004

vinsight4u said:
Hi mythbuster

Go ahead and start a topic on Rev. 12. Sounds like a great idea, maybe we should do that with other chapters too!

Valerie

I will be glad to get in on that also!!!!

Luke 23: 28 But Jesus, turning to them, said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 "For indeed the days are coming in which they will say, 'Blessed [are] the barren, wombs that never bore, and breasts which never nursed!' 30 "Then they will begin 'to say to the mountains, "Fall on us!" and to the hills, "Cover us!" '

reve 6:15 and the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich, and the chiefs of thousands, and the mighty, and every servant, and every freeman, hid themselves in the dens, and in the rocks of the mountains, 16 and they say to the mountains and to the rocks, `Fall upon us, and hide us from the face of Him who is sitting upon the throne, and from the anger of the Lamb,' 17 because come did the great day of His anger, and who is able to stand?

mythbuster · Oct 11, 2004

One of my favorites from II Peter is 3:16

We all have memorized John 3:16 so this is what is in II Peter 3:16

As also in all his [Paul's] letters, speaking in them concerning these things, in which some things are hard to understand...

This should give comfort to us who also have had trouble understanding Paul, so did Peter.

Lee Fey · Oct 13, 2004

Speaking of Peter talking about Paul. I've a friend who is not a Christian, and holds little faith in Paul's writings, because he wasn't there for Christ's ministry on Earth, and wasn't directly approved by Christ. Of course, we know that he was, when Christ appeared to him on the road to Damascus, but most non-Christians either disregard that as anything having to do with Christ, or as some kind of lapse in sanity.

But Peter was there. He was there for the entirity of Christ's ministry on Earth, and understood its ins and its outs. He knew the spirit of Christ's teachings. It may have taken him a while to figure it out, not until after Christ rose again, but he figured it out, along with the other disciples. And he calls Paul's writings Scripture, on par with the Torah. That may not say the final word, but it's very interesting from my standpoint.

oworm · Oct 14, 2004

Heres some of my own writings on the early verses of 2 Peter taken from a contribution to my church magazine. Feel free to paraphrase or quote as you see fit for your purposes.

Making ones calling and election sure

2 Peter 1:1-11

Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ,

To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours:: Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.

Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

_____________________________________________________________

How good is your memory? Do you, like me; need to write notes to yourself to remind you of appointments, or groceries that need buying? Or are you one of those people who never forget anything?

Whatever category you fit into, the message of the verses we read is for you and me. Peters main purpose in writing this letter was as a reminder and to refresh the memories of those to whom the letter was written.

He tells us this in vv 12-13

So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body

It doesnt matter how far along the Christian road we are, whether a babe in Christ or a mature believer who is firmly established in the truth. We all need reminding and our memories refreshed and stimulated to growth!!

So what is it that Peter is reminding us of? Two things:

1. Gods provision:

His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises

2. Our responsibility:

So that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason make every effort to add to your faith

Every resource of heaven is available to the Christian for growth and maturity. That is evident from verse 3 His divine power has given us EVERYTHING we need. God hasnt short changed us in his provision for our growth. There is no excuse for lack of growth. We cannot complain to God that we are not growing because he is not providing us with the means. He has already made available all the resources we could ever need!

If we are not growing as Christians it is because we lack the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness

We cannot grow unless we know the one who has called us!

That statement isnt a call to salvation; remember the letter is written to believers so Im not making that statement with the intended purpose of calling unbelievers to faith. Im making it to highlight that if we are not growing then we have shirked our responsibility to participate in the divine nature!

There is no such thing as a passive Christian! God wont cause our growth irrespective or in spite of us. We have to work with Him in our growth process! This is clearly evident from v5: Make every effort to add to your faith..

The oxford English dictionary defines the word EFFORT as: Vigorous or determined attempt and, Strenuous physical or mental exertion.

It is clear then from our reading of our text that faith on its own is inadequate for the Christian. That is not to say that we need faith plus something else for salvation!!! We are not talking here of salvation by works. Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone.

Paul tells us in :

Ephesians 2:8. It is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God

We can add nothing to our salvation. In fact the only contribution we make to our salvation is our sin!!

But Peter is writing to Christians here who have already received salvation. His intention is to remind them that they need to be building upon their faith. Our faith in Christ is the foundation on which we need to build our Christian character!

Lee Fey · Oct 15, 2004

You know what, pertaining to the "recipe for growth" as I call it. I was looking up different words in my concordance, trying to get a feel for their biblical definitions. Unfortunately, at the time, I had very little free time to spend on reading, and so I only got as far as 'goodness'. And looking at the many, many different references, I finally came to a definition that I believe fits with all the different references. Now, disclaimer, I have heard this definition before, but this is when it goes from head to heart, truly hitting home.

Goodness is fulfilling the purpose for which you were given by God.

God is good because he is always doing what he means to do. Things can be good because everything was created by him, and if they perform the function he made them for, then they are good. And we are good only when we are doing what God has intended for us. Unfortunately, we can never be completely good, as we cannot know everything God has for us, and even if we did, we are sinful, and will never do everything God wants us to in this lifetime. And this helps me bring myself one step closer to truly understanding what it is I must do to grow in the Spirit.

LamorakDesGalis · Oct 15, 2004

One of my favorite passages in Scripture is 2 Peter 1:5-9:

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is near-sighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.

The "list" of items is not step-by-step. Rather its spiritual growth in all of them simultaneously, much like a group of people form a chorus for singing and then improve the sound through constant practice.

Lamorak Des Galis

Lee Fey · Oct 15, 2004

That's a wonderful way of putting it. A chorus that all sounds together and continuously gets better when practiced. I see that passage that way too, but unforunately, my mind must define these things one at a time. And that's what I'm falling into, is letting God show me what exactly he wants me to sound together with other things to be a good chorus. Get me? I'm going to be looking at the other words in that passage too, just to get what exactly it is God wants from everyone, including me.

Lee Fey · Oct 19, 2004

There are so many things in II Peter to just rant on and on about. The recipe for growth is one of them. How about the illustration by example Peter went to with the angels, with the flooding, and with Sodom and Gemorah. That was really rather encouraging, and makes you think just what's coming.

Oh, and the fact that our living holy can speed Christ's return?! That's absolutely mind blowing.

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