Daily Thought

The prospect of his fast-approaching death by crucifixion could have made Peter inward looking, but it had the opposite effect. It spurred him on to be diligent in meeting his responsibilities towards his fellow believers, v. 12; therefore, he took up his pen to bring to their remembrance truth that they already knew, vv. 12, 13, 15. It will be beneficial for us to remind ourselves of these same truths in our meditation today.

Firstly, we ‘have obtained like precious faith’, v. 1, i. e., it is of equal value in the sight of God to that of any other saint, including the apostles. We did not obtain it through any merit of our own, but ‘through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ (not two persons, but one)’, v. 1.

Secondly, this faith is accompanied by divine power, i. e., God gives us all that we need for ‘life and godliness’, v. 3. There is nothing incomplete about our salvation, because it rests on ‘him that hath called us to glory and virtue’, v. 3, i. e., Jesus Christ.

Thirdly, God has ‘given unto us great and precious promises’ in His word, v. 4. We must embrace them and live in the light of them. The end product of these promises is that we have become recipients of a new nature, i. e., the divine nature, and have fled from the corrupting influence of the world, v. 4.

Fourthly, such great blessings call for a response from us. Our faith must be active if we are to grow spiritually. We must make every effort to add into our faith virtue, knowledge, temperance (self-control), patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and charity (love), vv. 5-7. It is only as we do so that we will live fruitful lives, confirm to ourselves the truth of our election and calling by God, and ensure an abundant entrance into ‘the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ’, vv. 8-11.

Fifthly, we need to be constantly reminded of the importance of the scriptures. They are a light that shines in a dark place until the day when Christ returns to dispel the darkness, v. 19. Peter, unlike us, had been an eyewitness of the coming glory, vv. 16-18; nevertheless, we have ‘a more sure word of prophecy’ in the scriptures. They are absolutely reliable, because the writers were ‘moved(borne along)by the Holy Ghost’,v. 21.