… and you will do well to pay attention to it …
Summary: Peter gives us another opportunity to review his instructions in verses 5-8.
Early in his second letter, Peter offers us an excellent checklist of things we can and should do to strengthen our knowledge of Jesus Christ. He writes:
“For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 1: 5-8)
Each item listed in this passage comes from what Peter calls the “prophetic message.”
Goodness (a.k.a. – virtue) is doing what is morally right in God’s eyes. The prophetic message says, “… love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.” (Leviticus 19:18)
There is a kind of knowledge that leads to sin. It is the knowledge of evil that mankind acquired in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:16-17). Goodness requires that we avoid knowledge of evil and focus on knowing God (Deuteronomy 6:5, Matthew 22:37).
The result of doing what is morally right in God’s eyes and gaining knowledge of God’s will is increasing our self-control over our selfish and destructive impulses (Proverbs 16:32).
Perseverance continues in the face of … anything. Perseverance does not require immediate gratification. Perseverance does not lose heart (James 1:3). Perseverance understands that God’s timeline is very different from our own (Psalm 90:4).
After all of these things; doing what is right, gaining knowledge, increasing in self-control, and persevering, it might be tempting to think more highly of ourselves than we should. This should not be (Romans 12:3). The antidote is godliness, a reverence and humility before God that sees God as everything and submits all to Him (Hebrews 5:7).
Having humbled ourselves before God we are finally ready for the last two teachings: Mutual affection and love. This is nothing less than the summation of the entire prophetic message:
“Jesus replied: ‘“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.’” (Matthew 22:37-40)
As Peter says, “you will do well to pay attention to it.”
Application: Read God’s Word every day. Talk about it, meditate on it, do what it says. (Joshua 1:8)
Food for Thought: Explain how Jesus’ statement about all the Law and the Prophets applies (or not) to the New Testament.
Loving God and our neighbor fulfills the intent of the OT commands. Jesus simplified the intent of the Law and prophets into one statement. The OT points to our need. The NT reveals how Christ met our need in the gospel and how we can live our faith through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Thank you, Rich.
Well said!
The law of the OT leads us to the NT. From stone to flesh from out side to inside. No longer a law that is written on stone but on the hearts and minds. Like a tutor leading us to the NT.
Mr. T,
Very well said! I love the comparison of the law that is written on stone, and the law that is written on the heart.
Thank you!