“Moreover I will be careful to ensure that you always have a reminder of these things after my decease.”
Moreover
Peter repeats himself for emphasis. Despite Peter’s approaching death, he will leave a legacy that cannot be destroyed – the book of Second Peter.
I will be careful to ensure
“Be careful” means to be eager. “Careful” carries the idea of striving earnestly, to bend every effort to do one’s best. We have had this word twice in this chapter already (2 Pe 1:5,10). Peter will leave no stone unturned until these believers come to grips with truths about eternity.
Many people have a lot of enthusiasm but are excited in a vacuum. Peter’s confidence comes from God’s Word, not from hype. He gained his drive from the content of biblical truth.
2 Ti 2:15, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
that you always
“Always” refers to a series of occasions. On any occasion you read Second Peter, you will know apostolic teaching (the New Testament). Once you get this truth, you will not want to be without it. We need the Bible on any occasion where the need may arise.
have a reminder of these things
The idea of “have” indicates possessing the capacity to do something. “Have” means to have and hold, implying lasting possession. Here, Asia Minor Christians and all successive generations of Christians will have an ongoing capability to remember apostolic teaching. Peter’s goal is to establish autonomous Christians, not independent from God but autonomous from depending on any given leader.
“Reminder” carries the idea of recalling information from memory, but without necessarily implying that we have forgotten what we know. It takes the idea to think about again (1 Th 2:9; He 13:7; 2 Pe 3:2). The content of which Peter reminds his readers is the contents of this entire book of Second Peter so they can think about it again and again. Here we are, 2000 years after the writing of this book, and we are still reminded of “these things.” As one of the eight or nine writers of the New Testament, Peter’s letters are two of the New Testament’s twenty-seven books.
Peter wants to guarantee that his readers will “always” remember what he taught. That guarantee comes from the Holy Spirit, who enabled him to write Scripture (1 and 2 Peter). Our guarantee of remembering Peter’s teaching comes from the written legacy of these two books. Thus, First and Second Peter are permanent reminders of apostolic teaching.
PRINCIPLE:
Our only accurate source of information about eternity comes from the Bible.
APPLICATION:
We cannot overemphasize the importance of the Bible for declaring doctrines of eternity. We cannot know anything accurate about death apart from the Bible. Everyone must die (He 9:27). The only way we can prepare for death and eternity is to accept forgiveness from God through Christ’s death for our sins written in Scripture. Are you willing to believe God’s Word? If we die without Christ, we will be worse off. I plead with you, flee from the wrath to come.
