2 Peter: Faith In A Skeptical World Sample

(focuses especially on vv. 8–9)

Some people in our churches will take Peter’s advice and earnestly cultivate the traits he mentioned in verses 5–7. Others in our churches will give little attention to them and pursue them not. Peter urges us with both incentive and warning to be those who do cultivate these traits – goodness, knowledge, self- control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love (vv. 5–7). 

The incentive is a compelling one. If these qualities are ours in increasing measure (literally ‘abounding’), regardless of the nature of our ministry opportunities, we cannot help but be fruitful for Christ (v. 8). Under God, these traits prevent us from suffering two regrettable conditions – the first is being ‘unproductive’ (or ‘idle’, ‘inactive’ or ‘ineffective’); and the second is being sadly ‘unfruitful’ (ESV). Peter is implying that while all Christians have ‘knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ’ (v. 8), it will be those who earnestly seek in their lives what God instructs them to seek who become active and fruitful in His service. Again, God provides all we need for life and godliness, and now urges us to join Him in that very pursuit. If you would love to have a productive life for Christ, then God is showing you here precisely how to go about it! 

But the warning against spurning these traits is also confronting (v. 9). To paraphrase Peter, he might ask us, ‘Can’t you see what’s right under your nose? Are you blind? Have you forgotten the magnitude of your forgiveness?’ If the traits above are the appropriate response to God’s gift of forgiveness, then to resist those traits is not only inappropriate, but is showing a hideous contempt for our gracious Saviour who cleansed us (v. 9). 

It would be like an expensive gift given from a father to his child, somewhat acknowledged but left in its packaging and put into storage. No sinner who truly perceives God’s gift of forgiveness goes unchanged. If you are apathetic in your desire for Christian growth (as so many of us are), rather than simply ‘try harder’, why not take a break to look back and to look ahead. Look back to the cross as Jesus bears your sin. And look ahead to the end of your life – when it can be said at your funeral that you lived an active and productive life in His service. 

 

Reflection

Do you spend some time each day looking back and looking forward? How could you develop this habit so that your spiritual eyesight remains sharp?