By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.
In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.
The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1:3-8 NLT
As he experienced the faithfulness of God to him through a turbulent, yet joy-filled and productive life, Peter carefully shepherded the believers. He wrote the second letter that we have in the New Testament while he was imprisoned in Rome. He knew he was on the last leg of his journey, and that execution would likely come very soon. It did – the letter was written sometime between A.D. 63 and 67, and his execution occurred shortly after.
His main concern was equipping them to live as God’s people after his “departure.” You can feel his tender love as he faithfully prepared them. He assured them that God would be faithful to them as He had been to Peter. God has made “great and precious promises” to all of us that every single one of us can build our life and future upon. Peter urged them (and us) to give our full effort to responding to those promises, growing our character and obedience in specific Christ-like ways. This will ensure our relationship with Jesus, our Lord and King, is effective and productive.
Peter had been teaching them for several decades. They knew his life and testimony. They knew God was faithful to him. He had become a faithful self-described “slave and apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ.” This was not new information. His purpose was clear: “I will always remind you about these things – even though you already know them and are standing firm in the truth you have been taught. And it is only right that I should keep on reminding you as long as I live. For our Lord Jesus Christ has shown me that I must soon leave this earthly life, so I will work hard to make sure you always remember these things after I am gone” (2 Peter 1:12-15).
- What an incredible legacy of faithfulness Peter left from God and to God. We are the beneficiaries. God will be just that faithful to you and me. We have everything we need to do it. What is the legacy of faithfulness we will leave? God is for us!