Please forgive this rough draft format, as these are my raw study notes on the epistle of 2 Peter. I feel a great sense of urgency to publish them because I’m not sure how much time we have left on this big, blue marble. Thank you for reading them. I pray that God blesses and encourages you through this material. I’m not sure of the condition of the world at the time of this publication. But at the time of its writing, early summer 2010, things are still looking pretty bleak with the economy and unemployment, BP is taking a lot of heat over the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, and hurricane Alex looms off the coast of the United States. Are these the first stages of birth pains? The last? God only knows. And He is very busy these days. Seek His wisdom. Encourage each other. Pray. Jesus is coming to deliver His people and judge the wicked…Stacey
Take a few minutes to pray and savor chapter 2 of 2 Peter. Then return here and ponder the thoughts, answer the questions, and be sure to leave comments about your own revelations…
2:1-3 – know the Word so you won’t be fooled.
2:1 –There will be false teachers among believers. Be on the lookout for the introduction of destructive heresies, including denial of the sovereign Lord.
2:2 – Many will follow these false teachers and damage the reputation of Christians.
2:3 – These false teachers will exploit Christians with fictional accounts.
2:4-9 – If God leveled punishment upon the ungodly, He certainly knows how to rescue godly men from trials.
What trials do you need to be rescued from? Get on your knees and ask Him to rescue you and keep asking until something happens. Personally, I take a lot of comfort from this passage right now.
2:10 – Beware of the pull of the corrupt desire of the sinful nature. It leads to horrible behavior and arrogance. Why do you think Peter mentions that, these men aren’t afraid to slander celestial beings?
2:11 – Peter tells us that angels are stronger and more powerful than humans. Do you think this indicates that they might have reason (or right) to make accusations against humans? Yet they do not slander humans in the Lord’s presence. What does this tell you about angels? What does this tell you about how we should behave?
2:12 – Be careful what you say.
2:13-14 – Sinful people who reject Christ as Savior will be paid back for the harm they have done. What do you learn from these verses about how to identify such people? Make a list. Don’t follow their example.
2:15-16 – This verse implies that they were once on the straight path and wandered off.
Look up verses about Balaam son of Beor. What do you learn about him? What does his example teach you?
2:16 – see Numbers 22:21-38.
2:17 – What is the significance of a spring without water? What comes to mind when you imagine “mists driven by a storm”? What do you think is meant by blackest darkness being reserved for them? Have you ever been in blackest darkness? Describe it.
2:18-19 – Make another list of characteristics to be on the lookout for. Do you see any of these behaviors in yourself? Pray and ask God to deliver you from it and change your heart.
2:20 – This verse tells me that those who come to know Jesus Christ can become entangled in the world again and end up worse off than they originally were.
2:21 – It would have been better for these people to never have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and turned away. Why do you think Peter says this?
2:22 – See Proverbs 26:11. What is the universal truth behind these proverbs that Peter quotes? What lesson can you take away from this teaching? How will you apply it?
• Second Peter illustrates several life lessons and warnings for Christians. What is God teaching you in this chapter of scripture? How will you apply it to your life this week?
• What attributes of God do you see in this book?
• What verse of scripture seemed to be God speaking directly to you? What is He teaching you in these verses? How does He want you to respond?
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