Starting II Peter -- It's a wonderful life!

Ah, Peter!
We've studied him from several angles, now.
We've looked at his start, as an impulsive, burly fisherman who blurted out anything that jumped into his head (kinda familiar to me, that's a problem of mine, too), and who was at times overconfident -- and then paid for that with embarrassment and shame. We've seen Jesus heal his heart and his shame by giving him three chances to affirm his love for Christ, there beside the seashore. We've seen Peter as a breathless, excited, and eloquent orator in Luke's book of Acts. We've learned a lot from his first letter to the scattered Christians, that we now call "I Peter." We've also looked at him from the viewpoint of his mom-in-law, when we studied her. You can click here to go see that study, if you like.

There have been discussions among many learned and educated men and women, debating the authorship of the book that we call "II Peter." It was one of the last books to be included in the Bible, due to those discussions, and many debates have followed through the years. It was regarded by some as being in the same category as the Epistle of Barnabas, and a work by Clement. Why did people have these misgivings?

In the first sentence of the book, it is described as being from Peter. Some would point to that and say, "See, told ya so." But others are wary, and say it was Peter dictating to a secretary, or a secretary writing it after Peter's death. Still others think that a reference to Peter means it is someone else writing, and they want everyone to accept it as Peter's work.
Oy vey.
Some scholars say that another writer (other than Peter) would have required a very delicate touch to insert the similarities in tone, word choice, and life experiences that we find in II Peter.
Wanna know what I think?
And it doesn't mean that you have to think like me. (Grin)
I think it was Peter who wrote it.
And I think the Spirit made certain it was included.
And that there are wonderful things we can learn from it!
So, whaddya say?
Let's dive in!

Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ,To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours:2 Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. (II Peter 1:1-2)

Oh, what a wonderful life we have!
Do you remember the movie by that name? The cable tv channels play it repeatedly in the Christmas season -- "It's a Wonderful Life" starred Jimmy Stewart as George Bailey. George had spent most of his life giving up his own dreams in order to help others achieve theirs. There he is, in the tiny town of Bedford Falls, and he's contemplating suicide on Christmas Eve. "His" angel, Clarence, shows him all of the lives he has touched, and how things would have been if he'd never been there to shape and impact people's lives, and the way the community lives and thinks. At the end of the movie, George joyfully realizes that he is truly blessed!

Sometimes we forget just how blessed we are as the children of God.

And,“I will be a Father to you,    and you will be my sons and daughters,
says the Lord Almighty.” (II Corinthians 6:18)

Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. (John 1:12-13)

God has given us mercy, grace, love, and salvation -- and we don't deserve any of it! And we can never repay Him for all that He has done for us; He chose to do it, and poured out His love on us.

What a wonderful life! This week's study will be an introduction to our focus book for the next little while. We'll camp in II Peter and really study, and I hope you will be blessed.