A REVIEW AND PERSONAL TESTIMONY FROM PETER

A review and personal testimony from Peter

Peter writes I do not desire you to be negligent of these that I told you; however, he acknowledges that you already know these biblical truths but he wanted them engaging in these practices present tense. I can not even count the number of Christians that got redeemed through the shed blood of Jesus Christ past tense but really do not want to live for the Lamb of God who died for their sins. Remember Peter reminds his listeners in 2nd Peter 1:4 ... "Having escaped the corruption that in the world through lust." Peter then says as long as I am living I want to stir you up in remembrance on the narrow path to heaven in my earthly body.

The apostle Peter knew that shortly he must put off this tabernacle or die. He remembered Jesus Christ personally told Peter when He (Jesus) was living that Peter would be crucified. I have this feeling inside of me that the main reason Peter denied Jesus Christ three times is because he was afraid of being crucified. He saw with his own eyes many painful long winded executions and knew they were horrible. Then after Peter repented to the Son of God Jesus Christ told him you will be crucified but not until your ministry is finished. God had a plan for the life of Peter and used him to the fullest. In verse fifteen Peter says when I die I desire you to remember these precious biblical truths.

The apostle makes it very clear that we have not followed after cunningly devised fables. Some people want to believe in fairy tails. Jesus Christ came with power and Peter was one of the eyewitnesses of His majesty. Jesus Christ received from God the Father honor and glory. In fact the Father said when His Son Jesus Christ was in His earthly body, "This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." Then Peter goes on to write this voice which came from heaven we heard when we were with Him in the holy mount. Let me quote the original passage so you can read the text and perhaps make reference to it if need be in this particular study of the Bible.

(12) "Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth. (13) Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance; (14) Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Je'sus Christ hath showed me. (15) Moreover I will endeavor that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance. (16) For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Je'sus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. (17) For He received from God the Father honor and glory, when there came such a voice to Him from the excellent glory, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. (18) And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with Him in the holy mount." 2nd Peter 1: 12 - 18.

Peter was at the point when this apostle was not going to be negligent with his faith in Jesus Christ but exemplarily diligent with his fellowship in His Savior and Lord and ready to serve people and be with them in spirit. We know that Peter was not just ministering to Christians but he really cared about them because in verse fifteen he told them he was concerned for their spiritual well being even after he would die physically.

If we know a spiritual principle we should never forget the precept but practice it by being a doer of the word of God. To improve our knowledge is usually to renew our knowledge. Remember what we were taught and put it into practice. If we are established in the truth of the Bible we will not be shaken by every wind of doctrine. Peter was talking about present truth which is the kind of knowledge that we need for everyday living. We need teaching and exhortation while we are in this body. A minister needs to bring to remembrance what we formerly heard but we as believers in Christ should desire to remind ourselves of the Bible because our spirit needs this for our hearts.

Peter was obviously earnest but what we need to understand is the body is the tabernacle of the soul. In essence Peter is saying our tabernacle must be put off because we are not going to be in our body to much longer. The soul is way more important than our body. Peter understood he was going to die so he engaged in the practice of serving God stronger than he ever ministered in his entire life.

The things that this apostle writes about are not idle tales or a vain purpose but undoubted truth and vast concern for our lives. The gospel is not a cunningly devised fable because these biblical truths needed to be reviewed for our spirit. We do not have a precept unless the Holy Spirit gives it to us in our minds and spirit. This is good because we need to know of the power of Jesus Christ.

Peter writes about His first coming but the Son of God is also coming a second time in the rapture of the church. Are we living for Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit for the glory of God the Father? The King of Kings and Lord of Lords will also return in the second advent to judge the world.

When Jesus Christ walked the earth of course their were skeptics that did not believe He was the Son of God. In verses seventeen and eighteen Peter is writing about a very specific event that happened while Jesus Christ was on earth in His flesh. Peter and the two sons of Zebedee were eyewitness of His divine majesty (this is a reference to 2nd Peter 1: 16 when the Bible says ... "Were eyewitness of His majesty) to when He was transfigured before them. Besides the visible glory there was an audible voice from heaven. God the Father said this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased and clearly this was the best voice that ever came from heaven to earth.

In verse seventeen the apostle Peter writes about the excellent glory. This is referring to the voice of God the Father. This voice was heard and understood by Peter, James and John. They not only heard the sound but understood the sense because it is God who opens up the ears and understandings of His people to receive what they are concerned to know. God did not just desire them to hear but understand because they believed the truth of His Son Jesus Christ. It is obvious that Peter, James and John felt the power of the voice from heaven. Wow what a testimony and eye witness that the apostle Peter for all practical purposes tells the whole world. I have given my testimony but I did not walk with Jesus Christ physically. Peter actually walked with Jesus Christ and saw with his own eyes everything that the gospels writes about to the world.

If Peter was willing to die for Jesus Christ I am very interested in listening to this man. After Peter walked with Jesus Christ, saw Him die on a cross, raise from the dead on the third day and ascend to heaven he was dedicated to serve God for the rest of his lifetime. He even increased his service to the Lord when he knew he was going to die. How did he have so much devotion and passion for Jesus Christ? This is an example of the power of the gospel. If you want the same God Peter had in him and is currently worshiping and serving in heaven now may be a good time to accept Jesus Christ in your heart as your personal Savior and Lord by repenting of all your sins and inviting the Son of God into your life. I hope and pray that you just made that all important eternal decision. 

In keeping with what Peter is writing about read the Bible and review with yourself and other Christians what you learned because our spirit needs this even though we may academically know the biblical principles. We should also look at the devotion in Peter for Jesus Christ and follow his good example. When Jesus Christ is our all we will continue to abide in Him and obey His precepts.

God bless you,

Bob D.