Peter Warns All Believers Against False Teachers Within and Exhorts Us to be Steadfast Volume 11

Peter was Intent to Put Every Believer in Recollection of God's Design for Us Part 1 2 Peter 1:12-13 Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth. Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance; KJV Note: NKJV=New King 👑James Version After the Apostle Peter's great failure (out of fear) of denying our Lord Jesus Christ three times in front of men 🚹and women 🚺, when he turned back to our Lord Jesus, just as our Lord Jesus said to him with these words, "And the Lord said, 'Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.'" (Luke 22:31-32) (NKJV), Peter was forever determined to declare the truth of God's Holy Word anywhere and everywhere. Note: Notice very carefully what our Lord Jesus said to Peter, 'when you have returned to Me' (not if but when) and also notice what our Lord Jesus said to Peter, 'But I have prayed for you'. The reality of our Lord Jesus Christ Himself praying for us should always and at all times strengthen us with so much might in our inner man 👨and inner woman 👩that we should never doubt, draw back, or dilute the Word of God for no one. Peter learned this from his failure and his determination to walk closely in the counsel of God the Holy Spirit alone and to be ever watchful of the devil 👿and his demons, for it was Peter who told us in his first letter ✉ these words of pure wise gold, "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world." (1 Peter 5:8-9) (NKJV). Therefore, Peter was writing these two letters to those early believers and to all of us who believe now and in every generation and era from the penning of his two letters that he wanted us to be 'put always in remembrance of the things that he had written even though we know them and are established in the present truth' (2 Peter 1:12). Why? Because we are very prone to forget these things, but if we have a reference document (these two letters) to go back to time and time again then we would not forget and we would walk in the truth or turn back to the truth if any of us have wandered away from the truth. Peter did not know that God/Jesus would compile all the words of His Prophets like Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah, etc. and even his words into a Holy Book the Bible, but what Peter did know is that the brethren and sisteren needed his words written through him by inspiration of God the Holy Spirit to be forever available to those believers to draw from. Here is what Albert Barnes had to say of 2 Peter 1:12, "Wherefore I will not be negligent - That is, in view of the importance of these things. To put you always in remembrance - To give you the means of having them always in remembrance; to wit, by his writings. Though ye know them - It was of importance for Peter, as it is for ministers of the gospel now, to bring known truths to remembrance. Men are liable to forget them, and they do not exert the influence over them which they ought. It is the office of the ministry not only to impart to a people truths which they did not know before, but a large part of their work is to bring to recollection well-known truths. and to seek that they may exert a proper influence on the life. Amidst the cares, the business, the amusements, and the temptations of the world, even true Christians are prone to forget them; and the ministers of the gospel render them an essential service, even if they should do nothing more than remind them of truths which are well understood, and which they have known before. A pastor, in order to be useful, need not always aim at originality, or deem it necessary always to present truths which have never been heard of before. He renders an essential service to mankind who 'reminds' them of what they know but are prone to forget, and who endeavors to impress plain and familiar truths on the heart and conscience, for these truths are most important for man. And be established in the present truth - That is, the truth which is with you, or which you have received - Robinson's Lexicon on the word πάρειμι pareimi. The Apostle did not doubt that they were now confirmed in the truth as far as it had been made known to them, but he felt that amidst their trials, and especially as they were liable to be drawn away by false teachers, there was need of reminding them of the grounds on which the truths which they had embraced rested, and of adding his own testimony to confirm their Divine origin. Though we may be very firm in our belief of the truth, yet there is a propriety that the grounds of our faith should be stated to us frequently, that they may be always in our remembrance. The mere fact that at present we are firm in the belief of the truth, is no certain evidence that we shall always continue to be; nor because we are thus firm should we deem it improper for our religious teachers to state the grounds on which our faith rests, or to guard us against the arts of those who would attempt to subvert our faith." The Apostle Peter thinks it to be a holy and righteous thing that he always strives to put them/us in remembrance of all these things while he is still alive on the earth 🌎(2 Peter 1:13). Peter begins to realize that he is much older 🧓and if our Lord Jesus does not make His 2nd coming soon, then he would be going to the Lord himself and he must needs to leave a firm volume of truth for those brethren and sisteren to have for future reference. Peter uses the little English phrase 'to stir you up' which is translated by the Greek word diegeirō meaning to wake fully, that is, arouse (literally or figuratively): - arise, awake, raise, stir up. In other words, Peter was determined to wake sleeping believers (spiritually sleeping) out of their slumber with his letters back into the truth of God's Holy Counsel. Paul the Apostle also knew this same fact and reality was needed as a constant reminder for all believers of every era and generation, so he wrote these very words to the Church ⛪@Rome, "And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts." (Romans 13:11-14) (NKJV). Peter is saying the same things in this entire 2nd letter of his warning believers that the time is short and that we must cast off all darkness and walk/live in the light of our Lord Jesus Christ letting His Resurrection Life given to us by Him be prevalent, prominent, and predominate in our daily lives as we sojourn our way home to Him in Heaven. Here is what Dr. John Gill had to say of 2 Peter 1:13, "'And I think it right.' The word marks the solemn estimate which the Apostle takes of his duty. It is a just and righteous work. Danger is abroad, and he has been made one of Christ's shepherds. Many motives prompt him to write his words of counsel and warning. First, his love for them as his brethren, some of them, perhaps, his children in Christ. Like St. Paul, he has them in his heart. Then, he will fulfill to the utmost the charge which the Lord gave him. He is conscious, too, that opportunities for the fulfillment of his trust will soon come to an end. 'As long as I am in this tabernacle,' he says. It is but a frail home, the body; and with St. Peter age was drawing on. He saw that the time of his departure could not be far off, and this left no excuse for remitting his admonitions. He must be urgent so long as he can. 'To stir you up by putting you in remembrance.' The work of the Apostle will be thoroughly done(διεγειρειν), and be of that nature for which the Holy Ghost was promised to himself and his fellows. 'He shall bring to your remembrance all that I said unto you.' Thus (John 14:26) would St. Peter, like St. Paul, impart unto the converts some spiritual gift, that he, with them, may be comforted, strengthened, each by the other's faith. So he proceeds to dwell on that Divine manifestation by which his own belief had been confirmed. And there would be memories of St. Paul's lessons also to call to their minds, and many of these would be awakened by an appeal like this. The falling away of the Galatians had been from a different cause, but the memory of the past would warn, and might strengthen, them all in the future against their new dangers." If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...