Peter has come a long way since that night he denied even knowing Jesus. Now an established leader in the growing international movement called the Church, he has proven a faithful and consistent disciple of Christ for many years. But that morning on the beach has never been too far from his mind: ‘When you are old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go’. Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God (John 21:18-19). That death is now immanent (II Peter 1:14). But Peter has changed much. Once his willingness to die had been about proving himself greater than the other disciples. Faith in Christ had still been about his own glory. But now he has learned the way of Christ. Now, as he faces death, it will be about the glory of God… which includes a deep concern for the Church he is leaving behind. Such is the transformative power of his persistent faith in Christ - or better: the Christ in whom he has persistent faith. And that precious faith is shared by us all (1:1). Peter has grown into the righteousness bestowed upon him by his God… another reason he is so acutely aware of the preciousneess of the Church!

Peter’s concern for the good of the Church has already found expression in a previous Epistle. First Peter focuses on external threats that might cause Christians to stumble, and the Church to lose her vocation. In this second letter, the Apostle turns his attention to internal threats. It’s as if, while the Body of Christ remains the Church militant it contains a number of viruses that lurk in its spiritual physiology. Any of them could become active and deadly at any moment. Peter’s letter looks to strengthen the Church’s immune system, pre-empting any such outbreak.

The first ‘virus’ that Peter identifies is a malevolent apathy. Simply settling down, plateauing, cruising as a Christian. That may not sound particularly malign, but Peter dreads it infecting the congregations he has pastored over the years. A Christian that is not striving, actively pursuing maturity, ‘craving pure spiritual milk so that by it they may grow up [their] salvation’ (I Pet.2:2), a Christian who has settled down, satisfied with the progress they have made, content with their experience of Christ, at ease with their involvement in the life and mission of the Church - such a Christian is in grave spiritual danger.

Questions:

How would you recognise a Christian who has plateaued in thier faith? Why do you think it is spiritually dangerous to do so?

How does ‘settling down’ in the Christian life, and no longer striving spiritual maturity contradict God’s vision for our life (1:3)?

What does Peter mean when he talks about 'participating ‘in the divine nature’ (1:4)? How do His ‘great’ and ’precious’ promises enable us to enjoy that particiaption?

Read vv.5-7. Is Peter suggesting there is an order to the way spiritual and moral virtue develops in our life and character? How would that change your approach to Christian development?

How would you help someone who was stagnating to re-start their spiritaul growth, so that they were possessing ‘these qualities in increasing measure’ (1:8)?

What would an ‘ineffective and unproductive’ Christian look like (1:8)? Are things really as binary as Peter is suggsting in verse 8?

How could you help somone to remember what it means ot have been cleansed from past sins (1:9)?

Why do so many Christians struggle with the ideas of ‘calling’ and election’, when they are so clearly taught in the Bible?

Do Christians receive different kinds of welcome into the eternal kingdom?