Peter’s two epistles are written to scattered and suffering Saints. In his first epistle he sought to encourage them amidst suffering and slander from the pagans. In this second epistle, Peter writes to warn them about false teachers who seek to deceive and destroy them. In this final chapter of his last recorded written word, Peter gives his last will and testament, a few final exhortations given false teachers’ growing danger. First, in 1 Peter 3:1-7, Peter exhorts believers to be mindful of the Scriptures and the scoffers. Second, in 1 Peter 3:8-13, Peter exhorts believers to be not ignorant about the doctrines of God and the End Times. In 1 Peter 3:14-16, Peter exhorts believers to be diligent to grow in holiness and godliness and be diligent in handling the Scriptures.
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As Peter draws his second epistle to a close, he focuses on the Second Coming of Christ. The doctrine of Christ’s return was under attack by the Antinomians Gnostics. These scoffers’ denial of His return was critical to their immorality and impurity. If Christ does not return, then there is no coming judgment, and they are free to live as they please.
Peter urged his readers to not only be mindful of these scoffers but to be mindful of the Scriptures. The Scriptures are critical in guarding believers against false teaching. So to his exhortation to be mindful, Peter now exhorts his reads to be not ignorant of two great truths -- the doctrines of God and the End Times. These two great doctrines were under attack by the false teachers. The question regarding the promise of the Second Coming is an attack on the End Times doctrine. This doctrine is known as Eschatology. The question is also an attack on the doctrine of God, known as Theology Proper. The prophecies of Christ’s Second Coming are promises made by God, Who guarantees their fulfillment. By questioning the completion of these promises, the false teachers made God out to be a liar. As well, they claimed that God was uninvolved in His creation. Such a view is known as deism. So in 2 Peter 3:8-13, Peter exhorts believers to be not ignorant of two great truths!
In chapter three, Peter converges on a specific example of false teachers — a denial of Christ’s return to judge the world. Because they reveled in lawlessness and pursued lustful desires, they denied any doctrine which would hold them accountable for their actions. In their mind, if Christ does not return, there will be no judgment upon them. Therefore, as a shepherd, Peter urges his sheep to be mindful — mindful of the Scripture and mindful of the scoffers.
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