Peter introduces himself as Simeon, the Jewish form of his birth-name. He is writing to Gentiles and uses language to bridge the two cultures ("Grace" and "Peace"). He even speaks of them as being of “equal standing” (isotimos).
The purpose of the letter is included toward the end of this week's passage:
. . . since I know that the putting off of my body will be soon, as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me. And I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things.
Before his life is over he wants to give them something from which they can remember the important things.
In today's passage that important thing is the two-sided coin of election and evangelism.
He reminds them that they were providentially elected to receive the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:3-4). And because of that work of God in us, we are to participate as well. We are told to "make" (pareispherō). Please note the similarity to the title given the Holy Spirit in John 14:16 of "Helper" (paraklētos). Just as the Holy Spirit comes alongside us, we also must participate.
The work ahead is to add a series of qualities to our character starting with the very internal "faith" and finishing with the very external "love":
For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue,[a] and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.
We are told that because of God's gift we should move from the internal to the external so that we will not be "unfruitful" (2 Peter 1:8). Fruit is always external. Fruit is always external. Fruit is always external.
Our election should always produce evangelism. Anyone who does not evangelize is described as ". . . so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed . . . ". They fall and become unproductive (2 Peter 1:9-10).
Those around us need the Christ to be cleansed and they can't do it alone. They need someone to tell them. Three men brought me to faith:
- Gordan Randall, my Sunday school teacher, made sure I had a Bible that I could read. Back in the day when only the King James version was used, he bought me a Good News Bible.
- Harry Krein, my science teacher, who showed me God in nature.
- Coulson Dayton, a Long Island policeman, with a passion for kids sat with us by a campfire at a campsite on Long Lake and explained to us the Gospel.
They loved me.
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