Master’s Prayer Network

A — A Precious Faith Received Through Christ’s Righteousness

Comments: The apostle Peter wrote that he was a servant of Christ, and we may relate to him because we are also servants of Christ, no matter what our standing had been in the world, before we were called in the Lord to freely serve him. Romans 6:22 “But now, being made free from sin, and having become servants of God, you have your fruit of sanctification, and the result of eternal life.” As readers now of his letter centuries later, Peter includes us, in the fellowship embodied in his phrase “have obtained a like precious faith with us.” The Greek word translated here as “obtained” carries the sense of receiving something without having earned it. What a thought to ponder that the faith in Christ received by each Christian is a faith equally precious to that of Peter who was chosen by the Lord as an apostle, and who was together with Jesus in his earthly ministry for over three years. Paul wrote that faith is not a product of the wisdom of men but of the power of God. 1 Corinthians 2:5 “that your faith wouldn’t stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.”

B — The Promise to Partake of the Divine Nature

Comments: By his own glory and power God and our Savior Jesus Christ has called believers, and granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of our Savior. Therefore we have very precious promises that are exceedingly great, through which we may become partakers of the divine nature. Peter is making distinction between the divine nature, and that which we receive at our natural birth. Jesus set forth the doctrine of the necessity of that new birth when he spoke to Nicodemus. John 3:3 “Most certainly, I tell you, unless one is born anew, he can’t see the Kingdom of God.” Paul wrote of the new life we receive that triumphed over our old nature. Ephesians 2:4–5 “But God, being rich in mercy, for his great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ.”

C — Make Your Calling and Election Sure

Comments: Peter directs the Christian to be diligent rather than casual, in developing a demonstration of faith in the Lord, by having a pattern of living characterized by moral excellence, knowledge, self-control, patience, godliness, brotherly affection, and love. These qualities comprise a list involving various degrees of personal growth, and the sharing of our lives by interaction with others. The increase of these things will keep the Christian from being idle or unfruitful to what should be the life changing knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus warned us to be aware that what we treasure captures our heart, so we must not go after things of this present world as our treasure. Matthew 6:21 “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Peter’s warning is firmly stated as he tells Christians that he who lacks the qualities that he has written about is spiritually blind, seeing only the things valued by the world system. Those who fail to set their affections on the lasting things, have forgotten the cleansing from their old sin. Therefore, Christians must continue to strive for these qualities that are signs that their calling and election is sure. By them the Christian will not stumble, but will be richly supplied with the entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. James agreed with Peter that Christians need to actively demonstrate that they have not forgotten that Jesus has cleansed them from their old sin. James 2:26 “For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, even so faith apart from works is dead.”

D — Remember These Things After My Departure

Comments: Peter knows that his time to inhabit his physical body will pass, but those who remain will benefit from his letter that contains the teaching he shared as a chosen apostle of Christ while he lived with them. The apostle Paul had confidence of receiving a crown of righteousness from the Lord when the departure from his body would take place, and he encouraged other believers with their hope for the same. 2 Timothy 4 “6 For I am already being offered, and the time of my departure has come. 7 I have fought the good fight. I have finished the course. I have kept the faith. 8 From now on, there is stored up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day; and not to me only, but also to all those who have loved his appearing.” Paul also encouraged the believers at Corinth with a statement of confident hope in the Lord. 2 Corinthians 5:8 “We are courageous, I say, and are willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be at home with the Lord.”

E — Eyewitnesses of Christ’s Majesty

Comments: The words Peter and the other apostles of Christ have written about Jesus in their letters represent actual events that they witnessed, and/or teaching directly from the Lord. They are not fables developed out of human cunning. Though the truth can be imitated in false teaching by the imaginations of man, the apostles wrote through the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Peter, James, and John saw the transfiguration of Jesus on the mountain and they heard the voice of God telling them that Jesus is the Son of God. That event is recorded in Mark 9:2–9. The apostle John used very basic language to describe his direct contact with Jesus Christ, the eternal God. 1 John 1:1–3. Paul directed Timothy and warned him about those who would come behind the apostles with teachings that would not represent the true word of God. 2 Timothy 4:3 “For the time will come when they will not listen to the sound doctrine, but, having itching ears, will heap up for themselves teachers after their own lusts.”

F — No Prophecy Ever Came by the Will of Man

Comments: The apostles continued the record of the sure and reliable word of prophecy, because it is not of their own interpretation. The Holy Spirit has directed all the writers of scripture to speak and write, because no prophecy is by the will of man. Therefore the scriptures are reliable to light the pathway for our course through life all the way to the point when the day star, Christ our Lord, fully arises to shine in our heart. Before Israel came out of the wilderness, the LORD promised that true prophets would receive the word of the Lord from him. Numbers 12:6 “If there is a prophet among you, I Yahweh will make myself known to him in a vision. I will speak with him in a dream.” Paul states that the message the apostles shared is the word of God. 1 Thessalonians 2:13 “when you received from us the word of the message of God, you accepted it not as the word of men, but, as it is in truth, the word of God, which also works in you who believe.” Hebrews 13:9 “Don’t be carried away by various and strange teachings, for it is good that the heart be established by grace.” Peter will go on to develop his discussion of false teachers in the next chapter of this letter.