2Peter 1:15 - Preaching from the Grave

2Peter 1:15

15 And I will see to it that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things.

Not only is Peter happy to keep on pounding into the saints the truths of the gospel, but he has gone to pains to see that the importance of these things is written down so that, even after he is dead, he will be harping on them from the very grave. In the face of this, how can we blow off a study time with the Lord and think nothing of it?

Will we learn the lesson? There is more in the Bible than we can possibly comprehend in eternity, let alone a single lifetime. The deep truths of God are contained in there and He has covered them with earth so that a person must mine for them. Each successive layer of earth reveals its own ore, but there is always another layer. God is infinite and His Word is eternal. We have a great treasure and we so often treat it with disdain. We will be held to account, because what we make of the Word written is closely tied to what we make of the Living Word.

Peter has the shepherd’s heart that Christ not only gave to him, but also nurtured in him and charged him with using diligently. That is part of the reason why Peter wants to keep on repeating the same doctrines, even from the grave. We should look for a shepherd like this. We should encourage that in a pastor. Biblical truth often has immediate application to our lives - but more often it is stored in our hearts so that we may be kept pure, and so that it can be brought to our remembrance in the needful hour by the Holy Spirit.

There is no other way to be sanctified than by the Spirit, through the Word (the Son), unto the Father - just as the proper way to pray is unto the Father, through the Son, by the Spirit. Would you know the Father? You must come through the Word by the Spirit. Christ is known through revelation of God and God’s revelation is in the Bible - all of it. Not some of it - all of it. And the revelation of Christ is the ministry of the Holy Spirit. It’s useless to be praying for a closer fellowship with the Lord so long as you have the written Word in your hands, but will not read it. The Holy Spirit may not reveal Christ in the Word to you as and when you would want, but He will not reveal Christ at all unless there is a thirst in you to know Him through the means already provided and ordained.

Does this mean that God never reveals Christ any other way? No of course not! God cannot be put in a box. But don’t make the mistake of the extreme Charismatics and all but ignore sound doctrine for the sake of a revelation that is "validated" by feelings and experiences, rather than truth. That is the way to error - the word of the LORD will be to them precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little; that they may go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken. {Isaiah 28:13} It is the means by which some creep into houses and lead away silly women, led away by various impulses. {2Timothy 3:6} The same context speaks of those opposing the truth.

The way to be safe is to test everything, holding fast to that which is good - and the means by which everything is tested is the Truth, which is the Word of God. Peter repeated and repeated things for this purpose.