Peter Writes His Last Letter Remembering the Transfigurationby emmanuel_higgins
1:142 Peter 1:14
Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me.
Peter knew he would shortly lay aside his present earthly bodily life and dwelling in death, because the Lord Jesus Christ had showed and revealed it to him beforehand. He expected to lay down his earthly life as a martyr for his faith. While still in the body he counted it right to stir up believers by putting them in remembrance of things they already knew, laboring with his remaining time so that after his decease they would always have these truths that support their eternal welfare in remembrance. The verse stands in a chapter full of instruction that strikes the keynote of victory, presenting Jesus Christ as the believer's only hope and complete dependence to whom every trial is to be brought in trust. It is an urgent call to keep advancing by working on the plan of addition, adding daily grace to grace and virtue to virtue while God works on the plan of multiplication, becoming partakers of the divine nature through the knowledge of Christ, holding fast and cooperating with God without giving up, and acting at once upon the light received.
Peter's Approaching Death
The tabernacle is the present earthly bodily life and dwelling in which Peter then lived. To put it off is to lay that body aside in death, laying down the earthly life. Peter knew that he must do this shortly. He knew it because the Lord Jesus Christ had showed and revealed it to him beforehand. He expected to lay down his earthly life as a martyr for his faith. Persecution took his life.
Urgency of Remembrance
Knowing that he must shortly put off his tabernacle, Peter thought it right while still in this tabernacle to stir believers up by putting them in remembrance. What he pressed upon them was not unknown, but things they already knew and were established in, present truth to be kept before the mind. He spoke with full confidence that they would carry out the principles he presented, using his remaining time to keep them before their minds and to help their memories. His labor and endeavor was that after his decease they would have these truths that support their eternal welfare always in remembrance.
Caution and repeating the evidences of the Word must not offend. Believers are fitting for immortality and for the glory to be revealed at the revelation of Jesus Christ, and must be careful at every step not to give offense to Jesus Christ who bought them with the price of His own blood. His nearness to death gives weight to his witness that the apostles had not followed cunningly devised fables in making known the power and coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. They were eyewitnesses of His majesty when He received honor and glory from God the Father and they heard the voice from heaven on the holy mount. That witness points to the more sure word of prophecy to be heeded as a light in a dark place until the day dawn and the daystar arise in the heart, with that voice of heaven still coming today to souls striving for victory over sin.
For everyone now the verse means that angels are present. It means that the Holy Spirit must impress the human heart, and that the impression must be accepted. It means that the heart must understand the principles of eternal life, and that daily work to that point is required.
Growth and Present Duty
The chapter where the verse stands is full of instruction that strikes the keynote of victory, with truth forced impressively upon the mind by the way it is presented. It presents Jesus Christ as the believer's only hope and complete dependence, to whom every little trial and large perplexity is to be brought in trust in Him as Helper, Strength, and sympathizing Friend who is touched with the feeling of infirmities. That dependence is confessed by erecting the family altar in every home, presenting petitions to God morning and evening and bringing the whole family before God in recognition of dependence on Him and the claims of His service. Asking His guidance confesses that Christ is Leader, Captain, and divine Teacher, and brings eternal reality to the view of every member of the family.
Advancement comes by working on the plan of addition, adding daily to the store of the knowledge of God and of Christ and adding grace to grace and virtue to virtue, while God works on the plan of multiplication. Its promises are to be appreciated and its Word of the living God laid hold on as one's own, with the immortal promise of heaven and eternal life to those who do this. The duty is to obey God's commandments as given in His Word and to carry out Christ's teachings in life, since disobedience leaves people unfit to enter God's kingdom and those who claim the city without a right to it will remain outside its gates. Believers are to be divine partakers through the knowledge of Jesus Christ who gave His life to buy them with precious blood, which even the simplest person can take hold of. God will not leave those who stand in Christ to drift with temptation and does nothing without cooperation and will not force anyone to drink of the water of life, but whoever determines to make of himself all God intended and stands complete in Christ can become as precious in God's sight as Daniel, beloved of God, looked upon as an heir of God and joint heir with Jesus Christ to the immortal inheritance.
Seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness enlists heart, mind, soul, and strength and affects the entire character, and following the principles outlined in the chapter secures life insurance while seeking the righteousness of Christ. It makes seekers one with the Saviour and partakers of the divine nature, molding character after the similitude of Christ and growing it into a holy temple for the Lord, so that through them light shines to the church and to the world. The verse belongs to an urgent call to keep growing in grace and to hold fast to what God has given and cooperate with God and never give up the effort to overcome, because the struggle against evil continues throughout life. The promises of God provide light as long as life lasts, even if death comes suddenly. Its truths give comfort and encouragement to all who have obtained like precious faith, are to be read in the churches as an uplifting testimony, and when they fill the heart and mind they give strength to resist every temptation to look on the dark side of circumstances and to talk discouragement.
The first chapter presents the experiences that fit men and women to become efficient workers for God and is to be studied by all who offer themselves for service in giving the last message of mercy to the world. Young people pursuing education, especially when surrounded by contaminating influences, need to study its words more abundantly and practice its precepts, making Christ their all in all rather than giving their minds up almost wholly to study, so that knowing their own weakness they go to God for strength and do not lose all that enriches life. The verse calls for acting at once upon light and evidence received, giving God the service of the whole mind and heart with every capability called for, and for great and earnest work because the world is fast ripening for the closing up of its history. Those truly serving the Lord Jesus will be a holy, sanctified people, communicating the light of truth to all around them not only in their households but outside them to those not in the faith. When pressed with earnest prayer this makes a break upon hearers, bringing many forward for prayers and moving souls long on the point of decision to take their position to keep the Sabbath in decided victory.
Peter knew he would shortly lay aside his present earthly bodily life and dwelling in death, because the Lord Jesus Christ had showed and revealed it to him beforehand. He expected to lay down his earthly life as a martyr for his faith. While still in the body he counted it right to stir up believers by putting them in remembrance of things they already knew, laboring with his remaining time so that after his decease they would always have these truths that support their eternal welfare in remembrance. The verse stands in a chapter full of instruction that strikes the keynote of victory, presenting Jesus Christ as the believer's only hope and complete dependence to whom every trial is to be brought in trust. It is an urgent call to keep advancing by working on the plan of addition, adding daily grace to grace and virtue to virtue while God works on the plan of multiplication, becoming partakers of the divine nature through the knowledge of Christ, holding fast and cooperating with God without giving up, and acting at once upon the light received.
Peter's Approaching Death
The tabernacle is the present earthly bodily life and dwelling in which Peter then lived. To put it off is to lay that body aside in death, laying down the earthly life. Peter knew that he must do this shortly. He knew it because the Lord Jesus Christ had showed and revealed it to him beforehand. He expected to lay down his earthly life as a martyr for his faith. Persecution took his life.
Urgency of Remembrance
Knowing that he must shortly put off his tabernacle, Peter thought it right while still in this tabernacle to stir believers up by putting them in remembrance. What he pressed upon them was not unknown, but things they already knew and were established in, present truth to be kept before the mind. He spoke with full confidence that they would carry out the principles he presented, using his remaining time to keep them before their minds and to help their memories. His labor and endeavor was that after his decease they would have these truths that support their eternal welfare always in remembrance.
Caution and repeating the evidences of the Word must not offend. Believers are fitting for immortality and for the glory to be revealed at the revelation of Jesus Christ, and must be careful at every step not to give offense to Jesus Christ who bought them with the price of His own blood. His nearness to death gives weight to his witness that the apostles had not followed cunningly devised fables in making known the power and coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. They were eyewitnesses of His majesty when He received honor and glory from God the Father and they heard the voice from heaven on the holy mount. That witness points to the more sure word of prophecy to be heeded as a light in a dark place until the day dawn and the daystar arise in the heart, with that voice of heaven still coming today to souls striving for victory over sin.
For everyone now the verse means that angels are present. It means that the Holy Spirit must impress the human heart, and that the impression must be accepted. It means that the heart must understand the principles of eternal life, and that daily work to that point is required.
Growth and Present Duty
The chapter where the verse stands is full of instruction that strikes the keynote of victory, with truth forced impressively upon the mind by the way it is presented. It presents Jesus Christ as the believer's only hope and complete dependence, to whom every little trial and large perplexity is to be brought in trust in Him as Helper, Strength, and sympathizing Friend who is touched with the feeling of infirmities. That dependence is confessed by erecting the family altar in every home, presenting petitions to God morning and evening and bringing the whole family before God in recognition of dependence on Him and the claims of His service. Asking His guidance confesses that Christ is Leader, Captain, and divine Teacher, and brings eternal reality to the view of every member of the family.
Advancement comes by working on the plan of addition, adding daily to the store of the knowledge of God and of Christ and adding grace to grace and virtue to virtue, while God works on the plan of multiplication. Its promises are to be appreciated and its Word of the living God laid hold on as one's own, with the immortal promise of heaven and eternal life to those who do this. The duty is to obey God's commandments as given in His Word and to carry out Christ's teachings in life, since disobedience leaves people unfit to enter God's kingdom and those who claim the city without a right to it will remain outside its gates. Believers are to be divine partakers through the knowledge of Jesus Christ who gave His life to buy them with precious blood, which even the simplest person can take hold of. God will not leave those who stand in Christ to drift with temptation and does nothing without cooperation and will not force anyone to drink of the water of life, but whoever determines to make of himself all God intended and stands complete in Christ can become as precious in God's sight as Daniel, beloved of God, looked upon as an heir of God and joint heir with Jesus Christ to the immortal inheritance.
Seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness enlists heart, mind, soul, and strength and affects the entire character, and following the principles outlined in the chapter secures life insurance while seeking the righteousness of Christ. It makes seekers one with the Saviour and partakers of the divine nature, molding character after the similitude of Christ and growing it into a holy temple for the Lord, so that through them light shines to the church and to the world. The verse belongs to an urgent call to keep growing in grace and to hold fast to what God has given and cooperate with God and never give up the effort to overcome, because the struggle against evil continues throughout life. The promises of God provide light as long as life lasts, even if death comes suddenly. Its truths give comfort and encouragement to all who have obtained like precious faith, are to be read in the churches as an uplifting testimony, and when they fill the heart and mind they give strength to resist every temptation to look on the dark side of circumstances and to talk discouragement.
The first chapter presents the experiences that fit men and women to become efficient workers for God and is to be studied by all who offer themselves for service in giving the last message of mercy to the world. Young people pursuing education, especially when surrounded by contaminating influences, need to study its words more abundantly and practice its precepts, making Christ their all in all rather than giving their minds up almost wholly to study, so that knowing their own weakness they go to God for strength and do not lose all that enriches life. The verse calls for acting at once upon light and evidence received, giving God the service of the whole mind and heart with every capability called for, and for great and earnest work because the world is fast ripening for the closing up of its history. Those truly serving the Lord Jesus will be a holy, sanctified people, communicating the light of truth to all around them not only in their households but outside them to those not in the faith. When pressed with earnest prayer this makes a break upon hearers, bringing many forward for prayers and moving souls long on the point of decision to take their position to keep the Sabbath in decided victory.