Page 59 - General Epistles (James through Jude) Textbook

What to do to Actually Live Godly (2 Pet. 1:5-11).
Because of what God the Father and God the Son did for them (and us) to have access to God’s and
Jesus’ gift of salvation, they needed to make every effort to add to their faith goodness. Goodness
means moral excellence. That is, Peter’s audience needed to be upright morally. They needed to shun
anything that would dent their name before God. To goodness, they were required to make every effort
to add knowledge. It is through their knowledge of God that they became part of God’s family. In the
same way, it is through their knowledge that they would be able to discern God’s will, hence, live
accordingly. To knowledge, after much effort, they needed to add self-control. This was needed for
them to be able to protect themselves from doing anything that would displease God. To self-control,
they needed to make every effort to add perseverance. Perseverance would keep them trusting in God
even in pain caused by their belief in God or as a result of not belonging to this fallen world (or caused
by whatever reason).

After much effort, they were required to add godliness. Godliness was needed for them to please God.
To godliness, having applied every effort, they needed to add mutual affection. Mutual affection would
allow them to embrace everyone regardless of who they are, how they look, and what they have. To
Mutual affection, after applying every effort, they needed to add love. Love is needed for the reflection
of their knowledge of Him (God) who is Himself the correct, perfect, and incomparable definition of
love.

Notice that these would not come without making every effort. This entails that there are tangible
resistances to Christians’ growth to Christlikeness. If we falter (possibly get tired or give up), we may
remain ineffective and unproductive in our knowledge of God and nearsighted and blind. That is,
forgetting that we have been cleansed from our sins. Remember, God had already given us everything
we need to live godly. We have no excuse for not being effective and productive. Constant addition (or
exercise) of those virtues would confirm that they were called and elected. As a result, 1) they would not
stumble. That is, they would not allow themselves to be carried along with the teachings of false
teachers/scoffers that Peter would describe in the next chapter. 2) They would receive a rich welcome
into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Encouragement to Remember Peter’s Admonition (2 Pet. 1:12-21). Peter reminds and promises
them that he would continue reminding them of the things he has taught (as long as he continues to
live) until those things are firmly established in them. He knew that he was going to die soon based on
Jesus’ words from possibly John 21:18-19. First, Peter’s audience should not doubt (even a little bit) the
second coming of Jesus Christ. He was sure that this was going to happen based on his witnessing of
Jesus’ transfiguration (see Matt. 17:1-8; Mark 9:2-8; Luke 9:28-36). John, James, and Peter Himself
witnessed Jesus’ majesty (or glorification) which possibly foreshadowed the future return of Jesus
Christ. This event was not fabricated or cleverly devised, but it truly happened. Not only did Peter
witness Jesus’ glorification which prefigured the future return of Jesus, but the authentic prophets
themselves confirmed to that with their reliable message that truly, Jesus would return. As a result,
Peter’s recipients needed to pay attention to the reliable message and its contents. This entails an
honest, careful, enduring, and joyous study of the Word of God. Attention needed to be payed to
prophetic message because of two reasons. First, that prophetic message was not the prophets’ own
interpretation. Second, the origin of the prophetic message was not human’s will. Third, prophets—
while human—spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. So, the triune God (but not
the human prophets, but through human prophets) confirmed the second coming of Jesus Christ,
therefore, cementing the reliability of prophetic message.

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