Steadfast Day 1: 2 Peter 1:1-2

Read 2 Peter 1:1-2.

Ponder

Like 1 Peter, scholars disagree on the date and authorship of 2 Peter, with some even questioning Peter wrote the letter—even though the writer identified himself as Peter in verse 1. While there are linguistic differences between 1 and 2 Peter, with 2 Peter taking on a Greek-influenced tone, many scholars believe the letter was written shortly before Peter’s death and probably sent to the same Gentile believers in Asia Minor as 1 Peter. 

While it’s easy to get mired in scholars’ opinions about 2 Peter, let’s put ourselves in the place of the letter’s initial recipients to better understand it in context. These were Gentiles who had become Christians and were living in Roman provinces scattered across modern-day Turkey. Living for Christ in a world that didn’t revere him was already hard, and now the persecution was growing and becoming more organized, even sponsored and promoted by the government. 

And to make matters worse, false teachers were popping up within the church itself, leading young Christians astray with heresies and causing them to doubt their faith. People were walking away from the church—from Christ—to follow false gospels that would only lead to destruction. The threat to the church wasn’t just external; it was also internal. 

For these early believers, it must have felt like the world was falling apart at the seams. Could the church withstand the pressures of discrimination and persecution that pressed against it from the outside and the heresy that threatened to tear it to shreds from the inside? 

This is the setting in which 2 Peter opens, and the purpose that fueled Peter’s passion in writing. From his introduction, we can glean some important truths that will help us better understand the rest of his missive:

• Who: “This is Peter,” the apostle writes in verse 1, understanding that the matter at hand was so important he didn’t need to waste much time in introductions. He goes on to identify himself as both a “slave of Christ” and an apostle. It’s a description that denotes his submission to Christ’s authority over his life and his particular role as one of those called and appointed by Christ to serve the church. 

• What: Faith. Peter stresses that he is writing to recipients who share the “same precious faith” (NLT) or “a faith equal to ours” (CSB). These believers don’t have some sort of inferior faith or relationship with God, but through Christ, share in the same faith as those who walked with him during his earthly ministry. 

• How: Given through the righteousness of Christ. Our faith isn’t something we create within ourselves. It isn’t something we inherit from our parents or grandparents. It is a gift from God that fuels and fans the flame of our desire to live in obedience. Through his sinless life and sacrifice, Jesus imparts his righteousness to us. We cannot earn it or achieve it on our own. 

• Why: So that grace and peace could be multiplied to you as you grow in knowledge of God and Jesus. To grow in knowledge of Christ, you have to spend time with him and other believers and study Scripture. A deepening relationship with Jesus doesn’t just happen, it takes effort and intention. 

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Journal

Pray as you read over 2 Peter 1:1-2 again. Ask yourself: 

• Do I consider my faith to be precious, something I should fight to protect and nurture? Why or why not? 

• How important is doctrine and theology to me? Do I take the time to study the Bible to learn what God has revealed to us through Jesus, Scripture and the Spirit so that I can recognize false teaching? Would I know the truth from a lie? 

• How am I striving to grow in knowledge of God and Jesus? What specific steps will I take this week to do so?