2 Peter: Faith In A Skeptical World Exemplo

(focuses especially on v. 15)

Still speaking to the ‘beloved’ (v. 14, ESV), Peter refers now to the writings of another ‘beloved’ – the Apostle Paul, who had also written to them. The affection with which Peter refers to Paul and to these believers, whose faith is as precious as his own (1:1), leads us to feel very much part of this family of faith. 

There is little doubt that Peter includes them when he refers to ‘our Lord’ in verse 15. That Jesus was Peter’s Lord was clear from the Gospel accounts, but the continuity between what was true for Peter and what is true for us is very encouraging. Jesus is ‘our Lord’. Peter refers to Christians as his ‘beloved’ people. Paul, who wrote to them with God-given wisdom, is called ‘our beloved brother’ (v. 15, ESV). The Christian is very much in – with Peter, with Paul, with Father, Son and Spirit. Christians are in this together, and together we are His and He is ours. The bonds are wonderfully tight. 

As children bound to God and to each other we are to remember what both Peter and Paul had laboured to make known on God’s behalf for our sake – that ‘our Lord’s patience means salvation’ (v. 15). While the Christian’s cry is ‘Maranatha’ or ‘Come, Lord Jesus’ (Rev. 22:20), it is because God is supremely patient that He has not yet acted to judge and renew. When we wonder why God allows tyrants and terrorists to continue, or why He allows cancer and natural disasters to inflict suffering on their victims, the word that we are led to is ‘patience’. God’s patience leads Him to restrain His hand until the fullness of His purposes for the world are completed in Christ Jesus, who continues leading His people to repent and believe (see, for example, 2 Pet. 3:9; Eph. 1:10). 

In Australia we use the expression, ‘make hay while the sun shines’. Likewise, so long as God has not yet destroyed our sinful world and punished it of its wrong, we have opportunities to set forth the message of His grace. That the world does not deserve God’s patience, nor His salvation, is precisely the point of our message. Christ died to save sinners – sinners then and sinners now. As long as God patiently, graciously causes the sun to rise on the evil and good alike, it is our privilege to echo the gospel of salvation as we have learned from Jesus, Paul, and here too, Peter. We are to ‘count the patience of our Lord as salvation’ (v. 15, ESV). 

Reflection

Sometimes we and those close to us suffer terribly in this broken world. How good are you at recognising the ills of the world as signs of God's patience? Does God's patience with such a world have a debilitating effect upon you, or an invigorating effect?