2 Peter 1: The wonder of our calling

• v.1,2 Greetings
• v.3-11 Confirming One’s Calling and Election
• v.12-18 The Sureness of his Testimony
• v.19-21 Testimony of Prophetic Scriptures

[Chapter 1 Synopsis: From the very beginning throughout this chapter, Peter keeps on reminding us what it means to be a believer and encourages us to keep on working on these things, things that are truth, things that establish us and keep us.]

v.1,2 Greetings

[Passage Synopsis: Even in his greeting Peter emphasizes who believers are]

v.1 Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who through the righteousness of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours:

v.2 Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

[Note: From Simon Peter to all have received a faith through God’s righteousness via the work of Christ on the Cross, may you all know grace and peace by knowing God.]

v.3-11 Confirming One’s Calling and Election

[Passage Synopsis: He expands of what knowing God has done for us and encourages us to build on these things to be those who impact the world.]

v.3,4 God’s provision for a godly life

v.3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.

v.4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

[Note: God’s power enables us to live godly lives by knowing him, having responded to His call, thus He’s given us wonderful promises of sharing in His nature.]

v.5-8 The effort we make and their effect

v.5-7 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.

v.8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

[Note: So, because of this work to add to your lives goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, friendship and love. If these increase they will make us effective & productive.]

v.9-11 Failures to overcome, and further effort

v.9 But whoever does not have them is near-sighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.

v.10,11 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

[Note: If you don’t work for these you’ve obviously forgotten what you were saved from, so work at confirming who you have been called to be and that will help you stand strong until you are welcomed into heaven.]

v.12-18 The Sureness of his Testimony

[Passage Synopsis: He says he will keep on reminding them of these things, knowing it is no fairy tale, but the truth, having even heard the voice of the Father affirming the Son]

v.12 So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have.

v.13,14 I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me.

v.15 And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things.

v.16 For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.

v.17 He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

v.18 We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.

[Note: I will keep on reminding you of these things, I need to do this because I may not be here much longer. I’ll do all I can to ensure you don’t forget for the faith isn’t made up, for we saw Christ’s glory, we actually heard the Father approve him [Mt 17:5; Mk 9:7; Lk 9:35], yes, we really did hear his voice.]

v.19-21 Testimony of Prophetic Scriptures

[Passage Synopsis: The prophetic scriptures point to these things, words that were inspired by God.]

v.19 We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.

v.20 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things.

v.21 For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

[Note: Of course we also have the prophecies of old that you can entirely trust, and don’t think that any prophecy was man-made but it was God who inspired them.]

For those who may wish to make a study of this chapter, to perhaps think some more about what you have been reading, use the link below: