The Epistles The Epistles &&

The Practical Christian LifeThe Practical Christian Life

Class 5

The General Epistles

© John Stevenson, 2008

The Second Epistle of Peter

Prophets True & False

Past

Chapter 1

Present Future

Chapter 2 Chapter 3

Holy Living

False TeachersFirst

Coming of the Lord

Second Coming of the Lord

Holy Living

1st Peter

External enemies

2nd Peter

Internal enemies

Persecution False Prophecy

Grace and peace be multiplied to you

2 Peter 1:2-3 2 Peter 1:2-3

in the knowledge

of God

and

of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness

through the true knowledge

of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.

epignosij“Over-Knowledge”

For by these 2 Peter 1:4 2 Peter 1:4

of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.

He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises

For by these 2 Peter 1:4 2 Peter 1:4 He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises

in order that

by them you might become partakers of the divine nature,

having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.

Therefore

I shall always be ready to remind you of these things

even though you already know them,

andhave been established in the truth which is present with you.

And I consider it right

knowing that the laying aside of my earthly dwelling is imminent, as also our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me.

as long as I am in this earthly dwelling, to stir you up by way of reminder,

2 Peter 1:12-14 2 Peter 1:12-14

For we did not follow cleverly devised tales

2 Peter 1:16-18 2 Peter 1:16-18

when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ

but

we were eyewitnesses of His majesty.

For when He received honor and glory from God the Father, such an utterance as this was made to Him by the Majestic Glory,

"This is My beloved Son with whom I am well-pleased "--

and we ourselves heard this utterance made from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.

And so we have the prophetic word made more sure 2 Peter 2 Peter

1:19-21 1:19-21 to which

But know this first of all

you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts.

that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation,

for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human willbutmen moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

Past

Chapter 1

Present Future

Chapter 2 Chapter 3

Holy Living

False TeachersFirst

Coming of the Lord

But know this first of all

that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation,

for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human willbutmen moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

2 Peter 2 Peter 1:20 – 2:1 1:20 – 2:1

Butfalse prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you…

will secretly introduce destructive heresies

2 Peter 2:1 2 Peter 2:1

Butfalse prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you…

who

even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves.

if He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction by reducing them to ashes, having made them an example to those who would live ungodly thereafter…

did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly;

For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment;

2 Peter 2 Peter 2:4-6 2:4-6

and

and

the Lord knows how

if He rescued righteous Lot, oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men

2 Peter 2 Peter 2:7-9 2:7-9

and

(for by what he saw and heard that righteous man, while living among them, felt his righteous soul tormented day after day with their lawless deeds),

then

to rescue the godly from temptation

to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment,

and

the Lord knows how

then

to rescue the godly from temptation

to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment,

and

2 Peter 2 Peter 2:9-11 2:9-11

especially those who indulge the flesh in its corrupt desires and despise authority.

and

Daring, self-willed, they do not tremble when they revile angelic majesties, 11 whereas angels who are greater in might and power do not bring a reviling judgment against them before the Lord.

For if 2 Peter 2 Peter 2:20-212:20-21after they have escaped the

defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ

they are again entangled in them and are overcome

the last state has become worse for them than the first.

then

For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment delivered to them.

2 Peter 2 Peter 2:222:22

It has happened to them according to the true proverb

and

"A sow, after washing,

"A dog

returns to its own vomit,"

returns to wallowing in the mire."

How should we handle How should we handle false teaching in the false teaching in the

church today?church today?

Past

Chapter 1

Present Future

Chapter 2 Chapter 3

Holy Living

False TeachersFirst

Coming of the Lord

Second Coming of the Lord

Holy Living

2 Peter 2 Peter 3:1-23:1-2

This is now, beloved, the second letter I am writing to you

in whichI am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder

that

you should remember the words spoken beforehand

by

the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken by your apostles.

the holy prophets

and

2 Peter 2 Peter 3:3-43:3-4

Know this first of all

that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, 4 and saying,

"Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation."

2 Peter 2 Peter 3:8-93:8-9

But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved,

that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

The Lord is …

not slow about His promise, as some count slowness

is patient toward you

not wishing for any to perish

for all to come to repentance.

but

but

2 Peter 2 Peter 3:103:10But the day of the Lord will

come like a thief

the earth and its works will be burned up.

in which

the elements will be destroyed with intense heat,

the heavens will pass away with a roarand

and

2 Peter 2 Peter 3:11-123:11-12

Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way,

what sort of people ought you to be

looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God

on account of which

inholy conduct and godliness,

the heavens will be destroyed by burningandthe elements will melt with intense heat!

2 Peter 2 Peter 3:14-163:14-16

Therefore, beloved

and

since you look for these things,

regard the patience of our Lord to be salvation

be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless,

just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you,

as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.

2 Peter 2 Peter 3:17-183:17-18

You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand

be on your guard

lestbeing carried away by the error of unprincipled men, you fall from your own steadfastness,

but

grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

To Him be the glory

both now

and to the day of eternity. Amen.

The First Epistle of John

Walking in the Light

The is a Book of ContrastsThe is a Book of Contrasts

• Light versus Darkness

• Truth versus Error

• Love versus Hatred

• Christians versus the World

The Rise of Gnosticism• From the Greek word gnosis (“knowledge”).

• It would arise in the 2nd century, but its seeds were already evident.

• The physical is bad; the spirit is good.

• Views of Jesus.– Docetism: Christ only seemed to be human.– Cerenthianism: The Divine Christ entered

Jesus at His baptism and departed prior to His death.

• Salvation through knowledge.

Your walk in the light will be evidenced…In how you walk and in what you say

In how you obey

In how you live

In how you love

In how you believe

11stst JOHN JOHNWALKING IN THE LIGHTWALKING IN THE LIGHT

Chapter 1 Chpt 2 Chpt 3 Chpt 4 Chpt 5

The Second Epistle of John

Truth Versus Error

2nd JohnTruth Vs. Error

Introduction

1:1-3 1:4-6 1:7-11 1:12-13

• The Elder• To the chosen lady and her children

• Whom I love in truth; and not only I, but also all who know the truth, 2 for

the sake of the truth which abides in us and will be with us forever

2nd JohnTruth Vs. Error

Introduction Walk in Truth

1:1-3 1:4-6 1:7-11 1:12-13

• I was glad to find some of your children walking in the truth• Just as we have received the

commandment that we had from the beginning

• That we love one another

2nd JohnTruth Vs. Error

Introduction Walk in Truth

Warning against Error

1:1-3 1:4-6 1:7-11 1:12-13

• Many deceivers

• Antichrist

• Abide in the teaching

• Don’t receive those who do not hold to this teaching

2nd JohnTruth Vs. Error

Introduction Walk in Truth

Warning against Error

Conclusion

1:1-3 1:4-6 1:7-11 1:12-13

The Third Epistle of John

Walking in Truth

3rd JohnWalking in Truth

Commendation for Walking in

the truth

1:1-8 1:9-11 1:13-141:12

• The Elder• To the beloved Gaius• The brethren came and bore witness to

your truth• They bear witness to your love before the church

3rd JohnWalking in Truth

Commendation for Walking in

the truth

Negative example of Diotrephes

1:1-8 1:9-11 1:13-141:12

• He loves to be the first• He does not accept what we say

• He does not receive the brethren

3rd JohnWalking in Truth

Commendation for Walking in

the truth

Negative example of Diotrephes

1:1-8 1:9-11 1:13-14

Positive example of Demetrius

1:12

He received a good testimony from…

• Everyone

• The truth itself

3rd JohnWalking in Truth

Commendation for Walking in

the truth

Negative example of Diotrephes

Conclusion

1:1-8 1:9-11 1:13-14

Positive example of Demetrius

1:12

The Epistle of The Epistle of JudeJude

The Danger of

Deception

JudeThe Danger of Deception

Occasion for Writing

Judgment of the Ungodly

Closing Doxology

1:1-4 1:5-19 1:24-25

Exhortation to the Godly

1:20-23

To you who are kept in Christ

• Past• Present• Future

To Him who is able

to keep you

Excel Instructor & Course Excel Instructor & Course EvaluationEvaluation

Course: Epistles & Practical Christian Life

Instructor: Dr. John Stevenson