PT-13 “Introduction to 2 Peter”

 

EVENING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 9/19/2025 8:08 PM

My Worship Time                                                               Focus: PT-13 “Introduction to 2 Peter”

OCCASION

            “Peter wrote his first epistle to comfort and instruct believers who were facing the external threat of persecution.  Peter in this letter addresses the even more deadly threat of false teachers who would arise within the church.  The apostle warned believers to be on the alert against their deceiving lies.  Its vivid and incisive depiction of heretics and apostates is comparable only to Jude’s.

            “Peter did not identify specific heresy.  As noted above, it lacked the hallmarks of second-century Gnosticism.  Whoever these heretics were, they were like many others who have denied Christ (2:1); twisted the Scriptures, including Paul’s writings (3:15-16); followed instead the ‘cleverly devised tales’ (1:16) of ‘destructive heresies’ (2:1); mocked the second coming of Christ (3:4) and the coming judgment (3:5-7); practiced immorality (2:2, 13-14, 19); despised authority; despised authority (2:10); were arrogant and vial (2:18); and sought material gain (2:3, 14).  Second Peter serves not only as a much-needed rebuke of the false teachers of every age.  Because wickedness of life flows from heretical doctrine, Peter focused more on their godless behavior than on the specific teachings they propagated.  In the words of the Lord Jesus Christ,

You will know them by their fruits.  Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they?  So ever good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit.  A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce a good fruit.  Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  So then, you will know them by their fruits (Matt. 7:`6-20).

 

OUTLINE

Salutation (1:1-2)

I.                 Avoiding False Teaching by Understanding Scripture (1:3-11)

A.    It is Sustained by God’s Power (1:3-4)

B.    It is Confirmed by Christian Graces (1:5-7

C.    It Results in Abundant Reward (1:8-11)

 

II.               Avoiding False Teaching by Understanding the Scriptures (1:12-21)

A.    They are Confirmed by Apostolic Witness (1:12-18)

B.    They Are Inspired by the Holy Spirit (1:19-21)

 

III.             Avoiding False Teaching by Understanding False Teachers (2:1-22)

A.    Their Infiltration (2:1-2)

B.    Their Judgment (2:4-10a)

C.    Their Impudence (2:10b-13a)

D.    Their Impurity (2:13b-17)

E.     Their Impact (2:18-22)

 

IV.            Avoiding False Teaching by Understanding the Future (3:1-18)

A.     The Certainty of the Day of the Lord (3:1-10)

B.    The Practical Implications of the Day of the Lord (3:11-18)

            This is finally the end of the introduction to 2 Peter and now we will begin to look at what Peter has written.  I look forward to studying this book and hope that all will learn from what I write in this wonderful little book.

9/19/2025 8:33 PM