Jesus is full of the glory Peter witnessed at the transfiguration. But even more significantly, He is the one who chose the way of suffering on the way to that glory. He is the one whose cross preceded His crown.
Peter wanted his readers to grow in faith and in confidence in their calling, and he left them a last will and testament in this epistle to plead with them to live for what really matters.
The best antidote for heretical teachings and spiritual counterfeits is a firm grasp of biblical truth and growth in the personal knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Where do we find truth, and how does if affect us? The book of 2 Peter affirms the truth of the Word of God and shows how God has given us all the resources for righteousness that we need in Christ.
The apparent delay of Christ’s return is due to His patience with sinful humanity. He desires more and more people to come to a saving knowledge of Christ before He comes in judgment. Therefore, Peter exhorts us to live each day in light of that coming Day and to grow in our knowledge of Jesus Christ.
The proper response to this danger of false teaching is to grow up into maturity in Christ. Like Jesus, Peter warns that false teachers will be known by their fruit. The sensual lives they lead show they do not really take the teachings of Jesus to heart. The best way, then, to avoid the dangers of false teaching, is to grow in an experiential knowledge of Jesus. When we increase in godliness, blamelessness, and steadfastness, we demonstrate by the fruit of our lives that we belong to Christ.
Where can we find a proper perspective? We must begin with God.
If our value was based on size, we would be of hardly any worth at all compared to the sun, moon, and stars. But God has made us in His image and chosen to rescue us from our sin and restore our relationship with Him. This is what gives us worth.
How is our life like a tree? As the root goes deeper, so fruit grows upward. Likewise, as Christ as declared us righteous, we begin to bear his fruit outwardly.
The Spirit of God is going to surprise us. We must learn how to discern whether something is from the Spirit or whether it is a false teaching.
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