2 Peter 1:12-21

2 Peter 1:12-21

Peter has called for disciples to live holy and productive lives in verses 1-11. He has also called for them to live clear-sighted and make sure they live out their calling. But he doesn't issue this call out of thin air. He gives us in this passage a solid foundation for this high standard. The foundation is not a vague, generalized, or subjective opinion but something solid enough that one can stake their life on it. Peter is aware that his life on Earth will soon end, and so with what time he has left, he wants to make a priority out of giving his readers this solid foundation.

The world's religions at that time were filled with goofy and carefully plotted myths. For example, one goddess was said to have been born out of her father's forehead. The Christian faith is both supernatural and yet entirely reasonable. Peter refers to what happened on the Mount of Transfiguration, of which he was an eyewitness. He saw it happen, he heard the voice; it was no myth, no story passed on to him. Rather, it was objective proof, a reality he personally lived through. The Christian faith is firmly based on reality. But our faith is not built on Peter's experience. In verse 19, Peter says we have something even more sure: the prophetic word. The word translated “more sure” or “more certain” comes from the meaning of something you can walk on. It is something that will bear the weight. This is no rotten limb over a creek; it is a solid, thick stone slab. Do not miss the point. Peter is not asking us to place our faith in his incredible experience at the Transfiguration. Rather, our confidence is in the solid prophetic word: Scripture. Peter tells us that we would do well to pay attention to scripture until the coming of Christ. We live in a dark and murky world, and in this world Scripture serves us as a light. But Peter doesn't end there; he goes on to tell us how we are to treat scripture. Scripture is not given so we can use it as we see fit. One of the worst questions that can be asked at Bible study is, “What does this mean to you?” There is only one meaning to any passage of scripture: that which was in the mind of the Holy Spirit when He inspired those words. We may have personal or individual applications, but we can never have personal or individual meanings. This is critical to understand because Peter is about to address the issue of false teaching.

“Lord, let my life conform to Your word. AMEN"