And so I come to the end of this book. My very literal translation of the final two verses of this passage would be as follows:
“Therefore, you, beloved, knowing [these things] beforehand, beware that you do not fall of your own stability, being led away by the error of the lawless, but keep on growing in [the] grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him [be] the glory both now and into [the] eternal day. Amen.”
There are two identical statements in the book, in 1:20 and 3:3. Both say “continually knowing this first …” In 1:20, we must “continually know this first” that “No prophecy of Scripture is of its own interpretation but …” while in 3:3, we must “continually know this first” that mockers will come mocking, asking ‘Where is this Coming He promised?” and following their own desires.
In both cases what is in question are God’s promises. We must believe God’s promises and act on them. Mockers mock at God’s promises and follow their own desires. That is the antithesis of the entire book.
Another way this is expressed is that false teachers and those who follow them ignore God’s promises to their own destruction (2:1a,b,3;3:16) and thus become part of the final destruction of the entire material universe (3:6,7,10,12).
Alongside this, the passage warns us that believers are in danger of imbibing the same error, of “being led away by the error of the lawless” – of failing to remember and act on God’s promises. Peter warned us in 1:9 that we are quite capable of being “blind, near-sighted and forgetting the purification of our old sins” and this comes from failing to be diligent to provide along with our faith virtue, self-mastery, etc. (1:5-7), which in the current passage equals failing to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” Also in the current passage, failing to grow causes believers to “fall from their own stability.” Believing God’s promises and acting on them makes us “stable.” Disregard (whether deliberate or slothful) of God’s promises leaves us sinking like Peter on the waves.
So, rather, believers, “knowing all this” are to “look forward to the Day of the Lord” (believe God’s promise) and thus be diligent to be found by Him “spotless and blameless” (3:14). God gave us His “very great and precious promises” that we might “participate in the Divine nature” and “escape the corruption in the world through desires” (1:4). That is another way to express our “stability” – to “participate in the Divine nature” and “escape the corruption in the world through desires.” To not “beware,” to “be led away” by the error of the lawless, is to lose sight of God’s promises, to fail to act on them, to fail to be diligent to grow in grace, and thus be left to follow only our desires, to participate not in the Divine nature but instead the corruption and thus destruction of this world.
All of this keeps leading us back to His admonitions in chapter 1 to “remember” those “very great and precious promises” and “be diligent to provide with our faith virtue …”
So what do we do with all of this? To “remember” His “very great and precious promises” first of all requires us to give earnest heed to the Scriptures. I must be constantly reading and studying the Scriptures that His promises might “ride herd on my heart” (Deut 6:4). But I need to do more than just read and study. I have to be diligent to be thinking through those Scriptures – to be asking how they should apply in my life. I need desperately to see my life through God’s eyes. What is really “right” and what is “wrong?” What am I thinking? Why do I do the things I do? Am I making my choices in light of His promises? Or am I forgetting them and instead making my choices based simply on my own desires? I need God’s Word to cast His light on these questions and help me be honest, to not be “blind” and instead to see the truth about myself. And then I must act on that knowledge. From back in 1:5-7 I do that by:
For this very reason, make every effort to furnish along with your faith manly resolve; and with manly resolve, knowledge; 6and with knowledge, self-mastery; and with self-mastery, endurance; and with endurance, godliness; 7and with godliness, brotherly kindness; and with brotherly kindness, love.
Once again, what does this mean? For me, the fact is I am facing what to me (like everyone else) are very fiery trials even as I type. There are many things right now weighing heavily (crushing to be precise) on my heart. I feel the pain. I feel the fears. I feel they’re crushing the very life out of me. I’m deciding on some course to follow. What will I do? How will I deal with those things? “Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, and I, I chose …” “I chose …” I chose what?
I chose what? Is that not the very question? Every moment of every day I stand at the two roads and I choose. Again and again and again. Choose what?
Choose to see it and believe God’s promises and act accordingly? To choose to provide with my faith manly valor, …” Or choose instead to follow some self-devised plan to somehow “escape” or “conquer”?
Ahhhh (or “ow”), God help me as I face these trials – at this very minute – to cling to Your promises. I don’t want to sink in the waves. I don’t want to suffer the destruction of this world’s rottenness. I want to participate in Your nature – to love, to live truth. God help me not to “jump ship” on You. Help me not to choose the path of my own self designs. Help me to choose the path that is lit by Your promises. Whether they make sense or not. No matter how much I fear. God help me. Help me. Help me.
That is the conclusion of the matter.
If I succeed, and I guess whether I do or do not, like the book closes: “to Him be the glory both now and into the eternal day. Amen.” What more can I say? Without Him, I am nothing. Without Him, I’ll surely fail. God give me the victory of love and truth. Today. In these trials. In this pain. You will have Your Day. May I somehow be to Your glory then. May I somehow be to Your glory now.
“…to Him be the glory both now and into the eternal day. Amen.”
God help us.
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