"After forty days Noah opened a window he had made in the ark and sent out a raven, and it kept flying back and forth until the water had dried up from the earth. Then he sent out a dove to see if the water had receded from the surface of the ground. But the dove could find nowhere to perch because there was water over all the surface of the earth; so it returned to Noah in the ark. He reached out his hand and took the dove and brought it back to himself in the ark. He waited seven more days and again sent out the dove from the ark. When the dove returned to him in the evening, there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf! Then Noah knew that the water had receded from the earth."~Genesis 8:6-11

Friday, February 8, 2013

2 Peter


This is the second letter written by Peter, the apostle of Jesus (1:1, 3:1) to the believers in the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia (1 Peter 1:1).  This letter was written just before Peter’s death (1:14) in 67AD.  He is prompted to write to them because the churches are being infected with false teachers who are bringing destructive heresies (2:1) and leading people astray (2:14).  He instructs them to grow up in faith and truth (1:5-6,12) so that they can recognize the false teachings and not listen to them.  He assures them that the day of the Lord will come along with judgment (3:7).

"For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, 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. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins."~2 Peter 1:5-9

OBSERVATION
Who?
Whoever lacks the qualities of virtue knowledge self-control steadfastness godliness brotherly affection and love
What of them?
They are so near-sighted they are blind, having forgotten that they were cleansed from their former sins.

INTERPRETATION
What is Peter saying?
If the original reader understands the grace and mercy that God has had on him in the forgiveness of his sins, then he should automatically respond by living out these qualities.  If he does not respond this way, then he clearly doesn’t understand what has been done for him.

TIMELESS TRUTH
The forgiveness of our sins should automatically lead us to live fruitful lives of self-control, godliness, and love. 

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