As Peter the apostle begins
to wind down his final words in the book of Second Peter, he wrote of
the coming judgment and dissolution of the heavens, its elements, and
the earth. He asked what manner of persons his readers ought to be in
light of these things, and he encouraged them to be diligent that
they “be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless”.
He also desired that they know that because the Lord delays His
judgment does not mean He is slack in His promise but rather desires
many will be saved during that postponement. In chapter three and
verse seventeen Peter gives one final warning to his readers. He
wrote:
You therefore, beloved,
seeing you know these things before, beware lest you also,
being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own
steadfastness.
The
verse begins, “You therefore, beloved, seeing you know these
things before,...” In conclusion-like fashion, Peter
uses the word “therefore” and directs his attention to
those whom he calls “beloved”. Throughout this book we can
almost hear the passion Peter has for those to whom he is writing. He
concludes that they already know the things of which he wrote, and
his reminders serve only to enhance and encourage them as they
consider those things.
The
verse goes on to say, “beware lest you also, being led
away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness.”
Peter employs the word “beware”
which means “guard, keep watch, and keep an eye upon”, and his
warning considers the possibility that his readers may also be
persuaded away from the truth and toward “the error of
the wicked”. The idea is that
they might “stray or wander” from the truth and follow as “one
who breaks through the restraint of law and gratifies his lusts”.
In doing so they would “fall from” or “lose, perish, and
be without effect” their “own steadfastness” which
is their own “firm condition and mind”. No doubt Peter knew the
possibility that those who are steadily strong in the faith had the
possibility of being persuaded otherwise.
If
we think about it for a moment, a warning such as this one comes from
a loving standpoint, and the passion exhibited by the apostle Peter
is like unto a loving father for his children. As we consider this
“father in the faith” like warning of Peter, perhaps we should
examine our own lives to be sure of our steadfastness in the truth.
With the possibility of even those who are steadfast “being
led away with the error of the wicked” consideration
of our current state is a must. May the Lord lead us continually in
our faith and trust in Him, and may we ever live within His truth.
Next
time we will end the book of Second Peter with one last exhortation
from Peter, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow...there is more...
Look
for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From
Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be
Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the
Mount” in all major bookstore sites, www.amazon.com ;
www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore
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