12 So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. 13 I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, 14 because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. 15 And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things.
16 For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”[b] 18 We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.
19 We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 20 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. 21 For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
Be Reminded
This time of year is Guy Fawkes Night or Bonfire Night in England. On November 5th we take an effigy of Guy Fawkes and burn him on a fire. We do this each year to remember what happens to traitors who try and blow up parliament and bring down the government. We have a rhyme that goes with the festivities:
Remember, remember the fifth of November
Gunpowder, treason, and plot.
I see no reason why gunpowder, treason
Should ever be forgot
Remembering Guy Fawkes has become suspect to me in recent years. However, remembering things and reminding each other is key to living a godly life. There is a tendency to study things once, check them off and then we think we are done. However, if we do not meditate on the truths that we have, they become superficial and they cease to affect us in the same life-transforming way. I know many people who were established in the truth, but they then attended church less because other things seemed just as important. They dropped off on their Bible study, and ceased to refresh their relationship with Jesus by learning new things about him daily. They fell off in prayer, they were not reminded of what it is like to talk with God daily. No songs or praise came from their lips about God any more. That is the decline that comes in the life of the Christian when one ceases to remind themselves of the truths of scripture and reflect on what they mean for the life of the Christian.
Why would we bother meditating on the Bible and its truths? Unlike what some in society would try and tell us, they are not fairy tales told to keep a nation compliant. People did not compose stories about fairies and goblins in order to bend people to the will of the state. We do well to pay attention to scripture because it is truth communicated by God in order to conform each of us more each day to the image of Jesus. Those who became Christian just to fend off hell, find themselves disinterested in the transformative truth. Those who became Christian s to know Jesus find they lap up each God-inspired word that is written in his book.
Prayer
Father, I forget so easily all that makes life most precious. I invest time in things that are not eternal and I am prone to live like eternity doesn’t exist. Help me to be disciplined to remind myself of who you are and to change my life accordingly. Transform me as I am reminded through scripture of who you truly are.
Questions
- Why does Peter remind people of what they have already been told?
- How is scripture key to remembering?
- At what time in his life is Peter writing this?
- How do you remind yourself best of truths about Jesus?
- Who do you know who needs reminding of the truths they once held dear?
Plymothian 
Peter reminds them again because it is easy to forget. He wants them to be refreshed again. We as humans are forgetful and in times of crisis we can easily forget truth that we need to stand upon. Peter also believes his life is coming to an end soon so he want to remind the people one last time about the truth they are established in and so if they think upon Peters death they can remember the last thing he said to them. His death will be a reminder to the truth in which they are established in. I remind myself through verses that i have memorized or have heard many times over and over.
Peter reminded the people of what they have already been told because he thought it is right to refresh your memory during your time in your physical body, because we will soon put it aside. The Scripture keeps the memories of all that God did for us in the past, as well as His promises for today and the future. Reading the Bible, listening to sermons, fellowshipping with other believers, and rereading my journal is how I best remember the truths about Jesus and all He has done in my life and what He is doing. Personally, I love looking through my old journals, seeing how far Christ has taken me, and how faithful He has been to me… even when I lacked faithfulness.
Peter wants to ensure that they will not leave or forget the truths of God’s word which he had taught them. He is anticipating his imminent death and feels the urgency to exhort them to remain in the truth. The scripture is not simply the work of people to build a religion but rather the expression of reality as it truly is. With so many competing voices (both in and out of the church) it was and is hard to discern truth when on our own. The thing which does not change is who God is and the way to live in relationship with Him as expressed foremost in the scripture. Fellowship with other believers and spending time in His word are how I am best reminded of the truths of Christ.
Reading 2nd Peter 1:12-21 I was struck with some of the urgency and importance of what Peter was conveying in a way I hadn’t been before in my previous readings of this passage. This is his last epistle; he is spending some of the precious time before his crucifixion writing a letter to people he deems very precious, warning them not to forget the truth, stressing to them how crucial it is that they remember God’s word. He wants them to be able to thrive in the faith and remain established after he dies, and so he’s not unfolding any new truth, but seeking to remind them of what they already know, so that they will continue to know it…
We can stop knowing truth. We forget, we back track. Peter makes a very convincing case in verses 16-21, reminding God’s people the reason they should keep themselves sharp on doctrine..because theses words, the content of the Christian faith is from God, it’s His revelation about Himself. He came down all the way from Heaven to personally give Himself to us and to give this Word about Him.. That’s why we should take His word seriously and keep meditating and bugging each other about it..Yesterday it was “Remembrance Day” in Canada. “Lest we forget…”
My pastor has been preaching through Hebrews and there’s some stern warnings in it … Hebrews 2:1, “For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it.”
Drifting away is scary and it does happen! We don’t want to lose our first love!!!