Day 9- Knowledge is Power
I’ve read 2 Peter several times
now, and I’ve been dwelling on it for a while
today. It’s only three short chapters, but it’s
packed full of reminders, warnings and hope.
After my first glance over, I had a
hard time understanding a lot of it, as usual. Initially
I was only going to read the first chapter, maybe
the second, but for some reason I just kept on reading.
I’m using my little travel Bible today, so it
didn’t have the same breaks as my study Bible.
As I kept reading, I started to understand more what
Peter was talking about because one idea led right
into the next and gave the thought before more meaning
and context. When I came to the very end of 2 Peter
(which didn’t take long at all), I found what
I needed to help me through the whole book.
In chapter 3 verses 16-18, Peter reiterates
what Paul has also said in some of his letters to
believers. He says that some things we read in the
Bible are hard to understand, and “untaught
and unstable people” will twist the words around.
Peter is warning us that these people are out there,
so knowing this we need to guard ourselves against
people who will twist the words of scripture around
in error and lead us astray. This is why we need to
be in God’s Word ourselves, growing in the grace
and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Those last few verses really sum up
his whole letter, and it helped me go back and reread
the letter with a better understanding of the message
Peter is giving. In chapter 1 Peter is reminding us
as Christians that we need to add to our faith in
Christ the characteristics of Christ (virtue, knowledge,
self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness
and love). The reason he is reminding us is because
if we are lacking in these characteristics, it’s
like we are forgetting we have been cleansed from
our old sins; we become shortsighted, even blinded,
to the grace God has shown us in Jesus. He goes on
to assure believers that the power and grace of Christ
isn’t some made-up fairytale, but that it actually
happened. Peter and the disciples were eyewitnesses
that can confirm the truth.
In chapter 2 Peter warns against false
teachers and deceptions. To me this chapter just really
emphasizes the first chapter more, that we need to
grow in our knowledge and characteristics of Christ.
The more we walk and understand God’s word,
the less-likely we are to be ensnared by someone tempting
us or twisting the truth around to mislead us.
The last chapter really just sums up
the letter reminding us to know God’s Word because
people will challenge us on it, saying it’s
untrue. But Peter confirms here again not only that
God’s Word is true, but that it is more powerful
than we can imagine. And that our great, awesome and
powerful God cares for us so much: (v. 9) “The
Lord is not slack concerning His promise… but
is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should
perish but that all should come to repentance.”
Then Peter again encourages us to continue growing
in our knowledge of God’s Word so we won’t
be led astray.
God,
Thank You for encouraging me to read and reread and
reread again this letter from Peter. It just really
confirms for me that I’m taking the right steps,
studying Your Word consistently and asking You for
understanding. I started doing this because I wanted
a better relationship with You. I was tired of claiming
You were number one in my life, but then putting You
way down at the bottom of my to do list. I had plenty
of excuses why I wasn’t reading consistently,
but not a single reason. You are the Creator of the
universe, Author and Finisher of my faith, and Savior
of my life. I don’t want to just stick You at
the top of my priority list, I want You to be the
whole list! Everything else I do needs to revolve
around You, Lord. Forgive me that it’s taken
me so long to get to this point, but thank You Lord
for bringing me to this point. And Lord, please don’t
let this be a passing phase. Let this longing and
desire to know You only increase with each and every
day. In the name of my Savior, Jesus, Amen.
