If I could poster-ize a section of Scripture, enlarge it and put it on my wall, I would do so with 1:3-11. It’s certainly worth memorizing. It’s just a phenomenal section.
Peter moves on in verses 12-15, explaining why he is writing this letter. And in many respects, it’s the same reason I write. I’m writing to remind, to refresh memories, so that when I’m gone, people will still have a record.
The rest of chapter one includes Peter’s confirmation of the sureness of the Word. He begins chapter 2 with the sureness / guarantee that there are false prophets and they will be destroyed. Peter continues in chapter 3 discussing the coming judgment, as seen in the Day of the Lord. We know from the prophets that this is not a pretty day: Joel & Zephaniah.
To close this out, I’ll mention two things briefly:
- I like 3:11-12. It’s not that I’m excited to see this world burn. It’s that in light of the coming judgment, we ought to live holy and godly lives. Our conversation should be upright. Our actions should be fitting of our title as Christ’s followers.
- I like the way Peter ends his letter because it’s the only way we’ll make progress in living holy and godly lives. He ends, “Grow in the grace and in the knowledge of our Lord, our Savior, Jesus the Christ.”
Omer Redden 