Peter's Assurance
2 Peter 1.10-21
If our life gives no evidence of growth in faith, courage, knowledge, self-control, patience, godliness, love of the brethren, and love for the unsaved, we are bound to wonder if we really have been born again.
While it is true that Christ has done everything necessary to save us and keep us saved, it requires an effort on our part to make our call and election sure: the security of the believer is indeed sure, but his own assurance can be shaken if his new life isn't meaningful. By making progress in these things we will never fall, because we shall have certainty in our hearts that we are children of God. It is the person who lacks assurance of his standing who is most liable to fall into sin, for he lacks a solid foundation to sustain him.
Peter knew that he was going to die as the Lord had told him, so he looked forward not to the rapture of the church, as we do, but to the coming of Christ to establish His Kingdom upon this earth. He knew that shortly he must put off his tabernacle, that is, his body: a wonderful way to speak of death. He would then move into the Lord's presence, and looked forward to the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, when He will return to earth to rule with His saints (Revelation 19.11-16). The believer will have a greater part to play when he enters this kingdom, if he works hard to develop these qualities in his life here.
Although we may know all these important things, it is necessary that we should be constantly reminded of them, lest we settle down and rest on our achievements, becoming spiritually handicapped. Peter was determined to remind us of them, literally to keep on stirring us up, even after he had left this life.
Peter refers to his forthcoming death, by which he would glorify God (John 21:18-19). This passage in this letter is considered by many to be one of the most important sections in the entire Word of God. It is, as it were, Peter's "deathbed statement". The Word of God attaches some importance to "deathbed statements", for example, Jacob's (Genesis 49), Moses' (Deuteronomy 33), Joshua's (Joshua 24:15), David's (1 Chronicles 29:1), the Lord's Upper Room Discourse (John 14-17), Paul's (2 Timothy 4:6-8).
Incidentally, nothing definite is known about Peter's death, but it is almost certain that he lived to a later date than the reign of Nero, and John's Gospel suggests that Peter's sufferings were those of old age and restraint upon his liberty (John 21:18). Legends were concocted about it in the second century AD, which have become the traditions in some institutions.
When Simon Peter said, "shortly I must put off my tent", he was referring, of course, to his body. Paul also used that expression, adding that when this happens, "we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens" (2 Corinthians 5:1). Paul also says, "We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord." (2 Corinthians 5:8). That is the way both Peter and Paul speak of death.
Our little tent we live in "goes to sleep", but our soul never dies and therefore is never raised from the dead: the word resurrection refers only to the body. In verse 15 Peter used the word "exodus" for death, which means "departure": he would just be moving out of his tent, putting it off as if it were a garment.
In the expectancy of his approaching departure, Peter wanted to leave certain things in writing for us to remember. And he first emphasises the authenticity of the Word of God.
The Bible is not a pious pack of lies, or a collection of morally uplifting fairy stories, or a religious myth. The Bible is historical and factual. If there is a veil over our eyes, it is not because we are mentally blind, but it is because we do not want to give up our sins. If we are indeed sincere and want to give up our sins, God will make His Word very real to us.
Referring to the transfiguration of Jesus Christ, at which he was present, Simon Peter testifies that he saw His power and coming (Matthew 17). He didn't make it up. The transfiguration of Jesus Christ was a miniature picture of the Kingdom. Two Old Testament saints, Moses, representing the Law, and Elijah representing the prophets, appeared there to discuss Christ's "exodus": His passing from this world into the presence of the Father. The three disciples present, Peter, James and John, represented His church: it was not yet in existence, but these three disciples would constitute its beginning, as apostles.
They were witnesses of the life, death, resurrection and ascension of the Lord Jesus, as recorded in the first five books of the New Testament. They saw His power - miracles, or signs to prove who He was - and the signs made in His name at the beginning of the church, and they also speak of His future second coming. In all these things the Lord fulfilled prophecies of the Old Testament and constantly referred to it, making it clear that what is written there is also true, for example: Noah (Luke 17), Jonah (Matthew 12), Lot and his wife (Luke 17), Daniel (Matthew 24), Moses and the burning bush (Mark 12).
The reference to the "holy mountain" in verse 18, as whenever "holy" or "sanctified" are applied to things, simply means set apart for the use of God, or rendered sacred by the divine presence.
The Old Testament contains, to a large extent, prophecies, and the fact that so many were fulfilled in the time of the Lord Jesus is a proof of inspiration. The predictions were uttered so long before the events transpired that no merely human sagacity or foresight could have anticipated them, and they are so detailed, minute and specific, as to exclude the possibility that they were mere fortunate guesses. They were fulfilled by the elements, and by men who were ignorant of them, or who utterly disbelieved them, or who struggled with frantic desperation to avoid their fulfilment. It is certain, therefore, that the Scriptures which contain them were written by holy men of God who spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.
God was able to transmit His complete will and word through the men who wrote Scripture, and this is what makes it a miraculous Book. It deals with human life, in all its reality, yet it is God speaking to man in a language that is understandable to him. The Word of God is better than seeing and hearing: it is a light, a lamp, a source of light, like the sun in the sky.
The prophecies of the Old Testament were like a lamp shining in the darkness until the day dawns and the morning star rises in our hearts: Jesus Christ (Revelation 22:16). With the New Testament they now become clear and understandable, the perfect divine light, giving us the knowledge of Christ and forming His character (the Morning Star) in those who receive Him.
The Word of God is the sword going throughout the world enlightening men and drawing them away from the world system and putting them into the arms of God. What a picture we have here!
This is the first thing we are to know. The word knowing is a knowledge that comes, not only from the Word of God, not only from facts that can be ascertained elsewhere, but these are things which we can be certain of by the Holy Spirit's making them real to us. There is power in the Word of God.
No Bible prophecy - which includes teaching - was the prophet's own personal understanding of what he was writing. In fact, they were frequently quite curious about its meaning. The prophets didn't start the prophecy themselves, by the will of man, but they spoke from God, at His initiative.
Peter is not here warning against personal interpretation of prophecy but against the folly of upstart prophets with no impulse from God. Even a prophet as unfaithful and corrupt as Balaam had to say the exact words which God gave him, when he prophesied against Israel and the Messiah (Numbers 22.25-38; 23.12,16,26; 24.2-18).
Since the prophecies concerning the first coming of the Messiah were so accurately met in the Lord's life, we can now be more assured of the certain fulfilment of the abundant prophecies concerning His second coming.
R David Jones
10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble;
11 for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
12 For this reason I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present truth.
13 Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you,
14 knowing that shortly I must put off my tent, just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me.
15 Moreover I will be careful to ensure that you always have a reminder of these things after my decease.
16 For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty.
17 For He received from God the Father honour and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
18 And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.
19 And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts;
20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation,
21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.
Second letter of Peter, chapter 1, verses 10 to 21