2 Peter: Faith In A Skeptical World Sample

I have been told by an optometrist that it is healthy to give my eyes a break when I am working for hours at my desk. It is healthy to take a look around the room, and even to go outside and look at distant objects. 

Peter continues urging us in these verses to ‘take a look around’ at the landscape God has placed us in. Peter urges us to cast our gaze even further ahead than in the previous verses. We’ve just read his assurance that, with God’s grace (vv. 1–4), and by eagerly pursuing the traits of a Christian (vv. 5–7), we will be privileged to live an active, fruitful life for Christ (vv. 8–9). 

But in verses 10–11 Peter excitedly shares that by persevering on this path, we can also be certain of a ‘rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ’ (v. 11). Life is about to begin at a whole new level, where King Jesus and His perfect ways will characterize our lives forever. We tend to get excited about mere holidays, but what God has in store for us is beyond our hearts to even conceive (1 Cor. 2:9)! 

Our arrival at that great destination is clearly God’s work. Peter refers to our ‘calling and election’ (v. 10). But in the same breath, Peter makes it clear that we are not passive on our way to the eternal kingdom. We actively cooperate in God’s saving work of us, pilgrims whose will it is to walk uprightly; we are to be ‘eager’ (NIV), or ‘diligent’ (ESV), in making our ‘calling and election sure’ (v. 10). How? 

As we ‘do these things’ (v. 10) – that is, by cultivating such fruits of faith as goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, mutual affection, and love (vv. 5–7). God’s calling, empowering (vv. 3–4) and direction (vv. 5–9) are provisions that ensure we ‘will never fall’ (v. 10 ESV). 

Is Peter teaching here salvation by works? No, but our God-empowered works (vv. 3–4) are an essential part of His saving work in us (vv. 5–11). In verse 11 Peter speaks of ‘our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ’, which reminds us of the importance of both faith and obedience. That is, Jesus is not only our Saviour (who is received by faith), but is also our Lord (who demands obedience). To ‘follow Jesus’, both in the disciples’ day and in ours, is to trust and obey Him. 

 

Reflection

As one who trusts and obeys Jesus Christ, do you give much thought to the rich welcome which will await you? Do you let the thought put a smile on your face and a song in your heart?