2 Peter 1:12 - 2 Peter 2:2

When I thought that my past sins were forgiven, but my present and future sins were new offenses to God that He would hold against me when I sinned, the epistles were confusing and somewhat condemning and left me afraid that God would punish me for future sins I might commit.  With that mentality, there is no way that the teaching of grace could be turned into lewdness or an excuse to sin and run wild.  Yet that is exactly the issue that many epistles address.  Now that I know that the sins of my entire lifetime are forgiven, the epistles are opening up and make sense.  This is what makes me think that the first Christians understood clearly that the sins of our entire lifetime are already paid for.  Now that is an idea that could be twisted into an excuse to sin and run wild, because all of our sins are already paid for.  Paul declares the gospel he preached in 1 Corinthians 15:1-8.  "that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures..."  When Jesus died 2000 years ago, any sin we would ever commit was a future sin.  All sins are paid for, past, present, and future.
So why all the teaching on holiness in the epistles?  It is so that our lives may be orderly and peaceful and that we might experience the joy of holy living and avoid the pain of sinning, and so that people might see Jesus in us. I continue to stress this for those who might just read one blog and not all of the rest.

2 Peter 1:12-15  "For this reason I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present truth.  Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you, knowing that shortly I must put off my tent, just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me.  Moreover I will be careful to ensure that you always have a reminder of these things after my decease."  Peter has exhorted the believers to walk in holiness in this first chapter.  This epistle will be a reminder for them to continue to walk in holiness.  Our sins are forgiven by God through His grace alone, not through any of our good works.  Our good works benefit us and those around us.  This is the present truth of the New Testament.

2 Peter 1:16-21 "For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty.  For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."  And we heard this voice which came from heaven, when we were with Him on the holy mountain.  And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed, as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts: knowing this first, that no prophecy of scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit."

The King James version opens this passage up.  Verse 19 "We have a more sure word of prophecy."  Also, read Matthew 17.  Peter is saying that they saw Jesus shining as the sun on the mount of Transfiguration with their physical eyes.  They heard the voice from heaven with the physical ears.  Peter says that the prophecy of scripture or the Word of God is even more sure than what we see with our physical senses such as sight or hearing.  We should pay heed to the Word of God until it shines as the sun at the dawning of the day, until Jesus is revealed in our hearts.  We must know that the scripture did not arise from any personal inspiration of a man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.  Peter is contrasting the origin of the scriptures with the false teaching that arises from the lusts of men in 2 Peter chapter 2.  This chapter used to condemn me when I believed that only my past sins were forgiven, because that left me with a sin consciousness.  As we shall see, 2 Peter 2 is addressing false teachers who turned the grace of God into lewdness or a license to sin.

2 Peter 2:1-2 "But there were false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction.  And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed." 

The first Christians were declaring the gospel, that Jesus paid for the sins of everyone.  We are to trust this Good News and receive His life and be born again.  They must have clearly understood this meant the sins of their entire lifetime are forgiven, whereas most of us were taught differently.  False teachers twisted the way of truth, which is the grace of God.  They began to deny the truth of the gospel, saying that we don't need to accept the Lord or be born again.  It is interesting that Peter says that Jesus even bought them, or paid for the sins of these false teachers also. The false teachers were saying "Where is the promise of His coming?" In other words, Jesus isn't coming back, so you should just enjoy the pleasures and lusts of the flesh.  All sins are paid for anyway.  Peter says that many Christians would follow this destructive teaching, and because of these Christians sinning and running wild, the teaching of grace would be blasphemed or evil spoken of.
Sin causes pain and destruction in our lives, even though God is not counting our sins against us because Jesus bore our penalty.  Also, no one can see the love of God in us if we live our lives in selfishness.   

Let this be clear.  Before God, we are justified by faith in His grace, shown to us in Jesus paying the penalty for the sins of our entire lifetime, past, present and even future sins.  We are justified before men by our good works and holy living.  It benefits us and those around us. 

Keith Oliver