… and to mutual affection, love.
Summary: Peter has taken us up the mountain with him, and in today’s passage, he shows us the peak.
Continue reading “2 Peter 1:7b — Top of the Mountain”2 Peter 1:7b — Top of the Mountain
2 Peter 1:7a — A Tale of Two Pyramids
… and to godliness, mutual affection …
Summary: The humanist approach to life is very different that the direction we get from God.
Continue reading “2 Peter 1:7a — A Tale of Two Pyramids”2 Peter 1:6a — Self-Control
… and to knowledge, self-control;
Summary: Without knowledge, we have no reason to use self-control. Without faith, we cannot know what knowledge to believe and use.
Continue reading “2 Peter 1:6a — Self-Control”2 Peter 1:5d — What is Knowledge?
… and to goodness, knowledge …
Summary: Human knowledge is every bit as reliable as humans. Goodness is a reflection of God’s love for us. There is a reason that Peter adds goodness to our faith before knowledge.
Continue reading “2 Peter 1:5d — What is Knowledge?”2 Peter 1:5b — Exercise
… make every effort …
Summary: This simple phrase, “Make every effort,” is translated from a Greek word that requires speed in our response, diligence in our application, and eagerness in our attitude.
Continue reading “2 Peter 1:5b — Exercise”2 Peter 1:5a — Open and Closed
For this very reason …
Summary: This conjunctive phrase connects the reasons for living a godly life to the need to live a godly life.
Continue reading “2 Peter 1:5a — Open and Closed”2 Peter 1:4d (Part 2) — No Place to Hide
… having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
Summary: As we read Peter’s words, it is important to remember that we exist in two forms at once. We are both flesh and spirit.
Continue reading “2 Peter 1:4d (Part 2) — No Place to Hide”2 Peter 1:4c — One With God
… so that through them you may participate in the divine nature …
Summary: How is it possible that we can participate in God’s divine nature? How is it possible that a hundred choral voices can join into one? There is a parallel here that might help us understand this passage.
Continue reading “2 Peter 1:4c — One With God”2 Peter 1:4b — Awkwardness
… he has given us his very great and precious promises …
Summary: Peter is writing us a letter, but he is not a writer. His thoughts might seem a bit disconnected to us two thousand years later. (They might have seemed disconnected to his first readers, too.) Yet, if we give Peter a bit of grace, the meaning of his words shines very brightly.
Continue reading “2 Peter 1:4b — Awkwardness”2 Peter 1:4a — Grass Clippings
Through these …
Summary: Stopping to examine these two words leads to an interesting study in cause and effect. What has Peter talked about so far that enables God to give us his promises?
Continue reading “2 Peter 1:4a — Grass Clippings”