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2 Timothy – Apostolic Faith and Pastoral Oversight by Paul
Introduction

God and Christ became incarnate in order to restore Their personal relationship with sinful man.

Roger@TallkofJesus.com

God and Apostles, Disciples of men

Our purpose in introducing Paul’s final epistle to a pastor is:

1. to reintroduce you to the Apostle Paul and

2. to reacquaint you with Timothy, a disciple of Paul who served him in varying roles,

BOTH whom we’ve met in Acts of the Apostles and other epistles.

Let us begin with God
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(says the teacher to his class). 
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God — YHWH the LORD — Is One.

One in Being. One in Essence. One in Substance.

There IS no other god.

God IS the Creator of all things and of all mankind.

He had a relationship in the beginning of time — before which He Exists and after which He Exists — the LORD’s relationships are perfectly personal.

God IS: Father, Son — Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.

Christ, Apostles and Disciples

The Apostle Paul writes to Timothy in his first epistle:

This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.

First letter of the Apostle Paul to Timothy

Jesus, the incarnate Son of God the Father, taught the Gospel with all perfection to men for three years.

The Twelve Disciples (which included neither Paul nor Timothy) followed the Lord, ate and slept with Jesus — they all knew the incarnate Son of God personally.

Consider the interpersonal relationships connecting each of these roles as defined by Scripture and what the Lord Jesus, our Teacher, instructs:

Disciple (follower), Master (teacher), Servant (slave) and Lord

The Disciples Matthew, John and Peter were all present with the incarnate Christ Jesus personally when the Lord said this:

The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.

Gospel of Matthew 24:14 – Jesus’ to The Twelve Disciples; Instructions for Service & meaning of discipleship – KJV

μαθητής – mathētēs – disciple (268x) – a learner, pupil, one who follows one’s teaching:

The Twelve followed JESUS for three years, discipleship at its most personal.

Furthermore, many others would follow JESUS’s teachings as ‘Christians’ chosen by God for the Way of eternal life.

Apostles to the Jews and Gentiles

Of course from the beginning Jesus knew that Judas would betray Him and that a disciple Mathias would be chosen to replace the betrayer of Christ as a twelfth Apostle to the Jews.

Christ had taught and trained the Twelve how they would become Apostles — primarily, but not exclusively, to their fellow Jews —after His death, resurrection and ascension.

We last looked at the Apostle Simon Peter

Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:

2 Peter 1:1 KJV

Paul also refers to himself as an Apostle, greeting his disciples (followers) in his first epistle and this final letter.

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus,

To Timothy, my dearly beloved son:

2 Timothy 1:1-2a KJV

So who are apostles?
Apostolos – a delegate, messenger, one sent forth with orders

specifically applied to the twelve apostles of Christ

in a broader sense applied to other eminent Christian teachers

– of Barnabas of Timothy and Silvanus
Apostles are ‘sent out’ by Christ.

As in the case of the Twelve and the Apostle Paul, the Lord himself instructed them Personally — that is, the Person of Jesus sent these Apostles out into the world personally.

Other apostles continued to be ‘sent out into all the world’ by the Holy Spirit after Jesus’ ascension, as Luke records for us of the day of Pentecost in ACTS 1.

As we learned from Acts of the Apostles that after the AD 49 Council in Jerusalem, Peter, Paul, John and all others were sent out ‘first to the Jews,’ but also into gentile areas of the Roman Empire (mostly Hellenist or Greek provinces) to include ALL as follows of Christ as part of each local church.

Jesus is Lord

Note that Jesus Christ refers to the Father as Lord (Kyrios in their common Greek language of the Roman Empire) with an authority and meaning no different than the original Hebrew scripture (Yahweh).

“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?”

And He said to him,

“‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’

Matthew 22:36-37 LSB

Saul, a Jew of Jews, sent out by a Master crucified and risen!

About five years after the Jews of Jerusalem had crucified Jesus, a young disciple of Gamaliel witnessed the stoning of a follower of The Way.

They went on stoning Stephen as he was calling out and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” Then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” And having said this, he fell asleep.

Acts of the Apostles 7:59-60 LSB

Stephen, even in his dying breath, called JESUS, “Lord” – twice.

And this young disciple of the rabbi Gamaliel had witnessed it personally.

Saul of Tarsus would become an apostle of the Sanhedrin specifically sent out to continue persecuting Christians.

But then, as we know, Christ appeared to Saul and instructed this new and unwilling (at first) Apostle to go to the Gentiles.

Damascus Road: Witness into all the World

Paul frequently writes that He is a slave (doulos) of JESUS or God(or of the gospel). The Lord Jesus himself points to the service required of this most personal relationship.
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Many translations prefer servant to slave, but it is the same Greek word: doulos. 
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The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.

Gospel of Matthew 10:24 KJV

The Apostle Paul describes himself in another pastoral epistle written about the same time as his two letters to Timothy:

Paul, a servant^G1401 of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness;

Epistle of Paul to Titus 1:1

Timothy – Paul enlists a disciple of The Way

Now Paul also arrived at Derbe and at Lystra.

And behold, a disciple was there, named Timothy,

the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer,

but his father was a Greek,

Acts of the Apostles 16:1

During Paul’s second missionary journey, which had begun inland through the mountains northwest of Tarsus in rural Galatia. While visiting churches established by Barnabas and him on a first missionary journey, the Apostle meets a young Timothy — a Greek, because of his father, but brought up as a Christ-follower by his mother(a Jew, as Paul had been) and Timothy’s grandmother.

A brief introduction of Timothy (Τιμόθεος – Timotheos)
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Timothy's early journeys are found in Acts of the Apostles. 
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~AD 49

Second Missionary Journey – Acts 16

Timothy joined Paul and Silas on mission, staying behind at Berea for a time with Silas. Paul, later commands the two by the Spirit to join him in Athens from where the trio proceed to Macedonia.

Paul then ‘sent into Macedonia two of them that ministered unto him, Timotheus and Erastus; but he himself stayed in Asia for a season.

Acts 19:22 KJV

We observe how personal all of the mentoring relations of the Apostle remain to Paul as Luke records those with the Apostle when once again the Jews laid wait to capture and kill him.

Paul was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea,

Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica,

Gaius from Derbe, Timothy, and Tychicus

and Trophimus from the province of Asia.

Acts of the Apostles 20:4 Berean Standard Bible
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We will mention more of Timothy's crucial later pastoral roles later in this epistle.  
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Timothy wrote other epistles with Paul :

It is important for us to note that these Pastoral Epistles make known the Spirit-directed teaching of the Apostle Paul we must study, rather than focus on any pastors or saints to whom Paul writes, such as Timothy.
- ~AD 50-51
Thessalonians and the Righteous Judgment of God
- ~AD 55-56 the Apostle Paul writes:
  - 1 Corinthians with Sosthenes and
  - 2 Corinthians with Timothy
The Apostle Paul writes to the Corinthians with Sosthenes and a second time with Timothy
*graphic from a 2024 TalkofJESUS SERIES Post: Rebuke of ministers that perish without the Cross
- ~AD 60-62 The Apostle Paul writes to:
  - the Ephesians
  - the Philippians
Archaeological Site of Philippi: General view of the forum with adjacent agora marketplace

Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,

To all God’s holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons:

Philippians 1:1 NIV
- the Colossians, with Timothy
- and a personal plea along with Timothy to Philemon, concerning Onesimus.
NEXT: 2 Timothy 1:

timotheos agapētos teknon

To Timothy, my beloved son

Comment on Scripture – Share the Gospel
January 6, 2026
a Roman Conclusion – Acts of the Apostles
All roads lead to Rome

Who has not heard the expression recalling a time of glory for the Roman Empire of the A.D. first century?

But this second account of the Hellenist physician Luke records that the Gospel is sent out from Jerusalem and then Antioch.

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Acts of the Apostles 1:8 CSB – words of the risen Jesus to His disciples

The apostles and the brothers and sisters who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God.

Acts 11:1 CSB

For a whole year they [Barnabas and Paul] met with the church and taught large numbers. The disciples were first called Christians at Antioch.

Acts of the Apostles 11:26 CSB

Paul’s Previous 3 Missionary Journeys
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READ MORE about the timeline of Paul's missions with numerous maps of the Roman world of the A.D. 1st century. 
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ACTS on Mission Paul and other Apostles

An Apostle known by his Letters

Epistle of Paul to the Romans

As did Peter, John, James and others, the Apostle Paul communicates with converts to Christ frequently by letter, in addition to their Apostolic missions to live and worship with these believers for a time.
- AD 49
  - Galatians
- AD 50-51
  - 2 Letters to the Thessalonians
- AD 55-56
  - 2 Letters to the Corinthians
Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians – Featured Series
- AD 57
Two years BEFORE Paul is brought to Rome on spurious charges of the Jews and the Apostle’s appeal to Caesar Nero (as a Roman citizen), Paul writes his masterful theological Epistle to the Romans, instructing his fellow Roman citizens in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
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We will read more of the Apostle's personal joy in meeting these Romans shortly. 
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- AD 60-62
  - From Rome (and possibly other cities away from Rome) the Apostle to the Gentiles writes to the church in:
    
    Ephesus, Philppi and Colossae
    
    a letter concerning Philemon
- AD 62-66
  - Paul writes a first pastoral letter to Timothy
  - and also to Titus
- July 19, AD 64 – Caesar Nero burns Rome, blames and persecutes the Christians, Apostle’s under house arrest face execution at Nero’s command
- AD 66-67 – Facing imminent execution (as does the Apostle Paul, now in Rome), Peter writes a second and final pastoral epistle to Timothy to encourage and guide the Church.
Paul brought to Rome

Previously, we left the Apostle having survived a shipwreck in Malta.

The Centurion Julius, the Apostle Paul and now more than 300 men witness the power of God in Christ’s Apostle to the gentiles delayed in a violent storm on his way to Rome.

In these few verses THREE MONTHS PASS.

ACTS of the Apostles 28 – Conclusion

After three months we set sail in an Alexandrian ship that had wintered at the island, with the Twin Gods as its figurehead.

12 Putting in at Syracuse, we stayed three days.

13 From there, after making a circuit along the coast, we reached Rhegium. After one day a south wind sprang up, and the second day we came to Puteoli.

CSB

Where we found brethren, and were desired to tarry with them seven days: and so we went toward Rome.

Acts 28:14 KJV

140 miles (225 kilometers) southeast of Rome. “Puteoli” literally means “little wells” in reference to the many hydrothermal wells that were in the city, which was well-known as a large port that could accommodate big ships.

In fact, adjacent to Puteoli was Misenum, the Roman naval base that housed the largest naval fleet in the ancient world. Earthquakes have since sunk most of Puteoli under water.

Source: Bibleversestudy.com

And the brothers, when they heard about us, came from there as far as the Market of Appius and Three Inns to meet us.

When Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage.

And when we entered Rome,

Paul was allowed to stay by himself,

with the soldier who was guarding him.

Acts 28:16 LSB

Paul Addresses Prominent Jews of Rome

And it happened that after three days Paul called together those who were the leading men of the Jews,

and when they came together, he began saying to them,

“Brothers, though I had done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.

And when they had examined me, they were willing to release me because there was no ground for putting me to death. But when the Jews [spoke against me], I was forced to appeal to Caesar, not that I had any accusation against my nation.

Acts 28:17-19
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Note two points from Paul's self-introduction to the Roman Jews: 
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The Apostle refers to himself as a brother of these Jews, also referring to OUR people, customs and fathers [patrōos].

Paul had identified with the fathers of the faith in defense of the Gospel before:

“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia.. instructed .. according to the strictness of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God just as you all are today,

Acts 22:3 excerpt LSB

And hear Paul’s defense in his first Trial Before Felix:

“But this I confess to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect,

so I worship the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law and in the Prophets.

Acts 24:14 NKJV

Ethnos

The APOSTLE and ROMAN CITIZEN parenthetically adds:

.. not that I had anything of which to accuse my nation.

Acts 28:19b NKJV

Paul has NO extra-judicial accusation against his accusers with whom he identifies by calling them: ‘MY NATION” — ἔθνος – ethnos —
- a multitude [together]
- the human family
- tribe, nation, people group
- Gentiles [OT]
- Paul uses the term for Gentile Christians
Source: BlueLetterBible.org Strong’s G1484 – ethnos

HERE in his defense to the Jews, Paul uses ethnos to describe OTHER Jews including his Jewish accusers in Jerusalem AND those in Rome whom the Apostle has summoned.
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Luke opens Acts of the Apostles telling readers: 
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Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation – G1484 – ethnos – under heaven.

Acts of the Apostles 2:5 LSB

For this cause therefore have I called for you, to see you, and to speak with you: because that for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.
Acts 28:20 KJV

O the hope of Israel, the saviour thereof in time of trouble, why shouldest thou be as a stranger in the land, and as a wayfaring man that turneth aside to tarry for a night?

מִקְוֵה יִשְׂרָאֵל מוֹשִׁיעוֹ
Jeremiah 14:8a -yirmᵊyâ יִרְמְיָהוּ

Understanding you (Paul) for ourselves
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These leading Jews of Rome of course know Scripture and realize that Paul preaches about the Messiah.
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And they said to him,

“We have neither received letters from Judea concerning you, nor have any of the brothers come here and reported or spoken anything bad about you. But we desire to hear from you what you think;

for concerning this sect, it is known to us that it is spoken against everywhere.”

Acts 28:21-22 LSB

And when they had set a day for Paul, they came to him at his lodging in large numbers..

and he was explaining to them by solemnly bearing witness about the kingdom of God and trying to persuade them concerning Jesus, from both the Law of Moses and from the Prophets,

from morning until evening.

And some were being persuaded by the things spoken, but others were not believing.

And when they disagreed with one another, they began leaving after Paul had spoken one word,

Acts 28:23-25a LSB

“The Holy Spirit rightly spoke

through Isaiah the prophet to your fathers, saying,
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And He said, “Go, and tell this people:
‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand;
Keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’ 

“Make the heart of this people dull,
And their ears heavy,
And shut their eyes;

Lest they see with their eyes,
And hear with their ears,
And understand with their heart,

And return and be healed.” 
```
Isaiah 6:9-10 (quoted by Paul) NKJV

Paul’s final word for the Roman Jews

“Therefore let it be known to you
that the salvation of God
has been sent to the Gentiles,
and they will hear it!”
Acts of the Apostles 28:28 NKJV

And when he had said these words, the Jews departed and had a great dispute among themselves.

Then Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who came to him,

preaching the kingdom of God

and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him.

Acts 28:30-31 NKJV

Thus ends ACTS of the Apostles –

second account of Luke, the physician .

Comment on Scripture – Share the Gospel
December 10, 2025
Peter’s Steadfast Purpose and the coming Day of the Lord
Steady as a Rock – Steadfastness in writing again

WHY is the Apostle so steadfast in his calling to insist that the Church obey commands already given to them?

Could it have to do with how the Lord Jesus restored Peter’s faith and recall of what Christ had taught the Apostles all along?

He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.

And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Gospel of Matthew 16:15-18 NKJV

Why does the Apostle Peter write a second epistle to the church?

Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder)..

2 Peter 3:1 NKJV

Here in the conclusion of his letter Simon Peter is about to tell us, as the Apostle refers to BOTH epistles included in this reminder.

But his motivation certainly recalls his own solid steadfastness in the risen Christ Jesus in several encounters.

Jesus asked a third time, “Simon son of John, do you love Me?”

Peter was deeply hurt that Jesus had asked him a third time, “Do you love Me?” “Lord, You know all things,” he replied. “You know I love You.”

Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.”

Gospel of John 21:17 BSB

Simon Peter needed encouraged.

And so must believers be reminded of our faith in the midst of teachings from many false teachers.

στηρίζω – stērizō –
- to make stable, place firmly, set fast, fix
- to strengthen, make firm
- to render constant, confirm, one’s mind
Are you a stable Christ-follower?

Is your faith steadfast?

Peter’s second epistle to the church mirrors what the Lord had prayed prior to His crucifixion:

“But I have prayed earnestly for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, once you have returned, strengthen^G4741 your brothers.”

Gospel of Luke 22:32

The Apostle had recently written to these same believers:

For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God;
and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?
1 Peter 4: 17 NKJV [in context: vs. 12-19]

Resist him [the devil], steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.

1 Peter 5:9 NKJV [in context: vs 8-10 ]

2 Peter 3:

God’s Promise Is Not Slack
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Reads the Heading from the New King James Version:
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.. I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder,

The Apostle of Jesus Christ makes TWO points to the Church. This is the first:
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3:2  μνησθῆναι τῶν προειρημένων ῥημάτων ὑπὸ τῶν ἁγίων προφητῶν 
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- that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets
A single greek word for ‘that you may be mindful’ is the same word of remembering used frequently in the gospels.

And Peter remembered the word of Jesus who had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” So he went out and wept bitterly.

Matthew 16:75 NKJV

Peter emphasizes the subject matter spoken before by the ‘holy prophets,’ referring to the major and minor prophets of Old Testament Scripture from Isaiah to Malachi—pointing to them as Holy [ἅγιος – hagios – (an awful thing)] and certainly in contrast to the misleading false prophets and teachers against whom the Apostle has already warned.

Secondly, Peter equates Apostolic authority in this reminder mentioning the Holy Prophets speaking God’s word even before Jesus instructed them in Person.
- and of the commandment of us,the apostles of the Lord and Savior..
  - commandment of the apostles of your Lord and Savior
  - or commandment of your apostles of the Lord and Savior.
ἐντολή – entolē

– an order, command, charge, precept, injunction;

– a commandment

The commandment of the LORD in Old Testament Scripture IS the same as the commandment of the Lord Jesus Christ to the Apostles!

“I and the Father are one.”

Gospel of John 10:30

The Last Days – ἔσχατος – eschatos

knowing this first:

that scoffers will come in the last days,

walking according to their own lusts,

You’ve heard of it (even if you hesitate to think about THE END) — eschatology – study of the last things or the end times.
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Are we in them? 
```
And [the scoffers] saying, Where is the promise of his coming?

“What happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again?

“Where is his promised return?

2 Peter 3:4a – various translatrions
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The end was neither 
— the incarnation of JESUS the Son of God nor 
— resurrection of JESUS the Son of David hoped for by some of the Jews. 

And don't Common Era scoffers also want a conquering King 
— bringing victory without cost and proclaimation without persecution, 
also saying:
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… all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.”

2 Peter 3:4c NKJV

And so they do, Peter suggests, but these [scoffers and doubters of Christ] are without excuse.

For this they willfully forget: that

by the word of God the heavens were of old,

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

and the earth standing out of water and in the water,

by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water.
```
A clear reference to Noah, who Peter has just mentioned. 
```
2 Peter 3:5-6 NKJV

But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word,

are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition [apōleia – the destruction which consists of eternal misery in hell]

of ungodly [ἀσεβής – asebēs – destitute of reverential awe towards God]

men [anthrōpos – men or women].

2 Peter 3:7 NKJV
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Has your Common Era Pastor preached this Apostolic caution? 
```
And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man: …

And I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth.

Genesis 7:21, 9;11 KJV

The Apostle’s Timeless Response
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agapētos HEAR THIS: 
```
But, beloved, do not forget this one thing,

that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us [or you]

not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

2 Peter 3:8-9 NKJV

“Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance..
Gospel of Matthew 3:8 – a caution of JESUS to the religious

The DAY of the LORD

In the year of the Lord 2025 — dismissed by scoffers as: 2025 of the Common Era [2025 CE] — Do you fear the wrath to come when Christ returns?

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night,

in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise,

and the elements will melt with fervent heat;

both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.

[literally, utterly burned up and consumed by fire!]

2 Peter 3: 10 NJKV

Since everything around us is going to be destroyed like this, what holy and godly lives you should live, looking forward to the day of God and hurrying it along.

On that day, he will set the heavens on fire, and the elements will melt away in the flames. But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world filled with God’s righteousness.

2 Peter 3:11-13 New Living Translation

The Apostle’s command to look ahead may not appeal to you anymore than considering your inevitable death of the flesh.

Ah, but what of your spirit, the resurrection of our familiar flesh and the judgment to come?

Peter assures Christ’s true followers — the saints of the Chruch which may include you:

And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen,

make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in his sight.

And remember, our Lord’s patience gives people time to be saved.

2 Peter 3:14-15a NLT

Might the Apostle actually be calling YOU, beloved member of Christ — in need of repentance for your impure fruit, to reject those easy false teachings which oppose the Lord Jesus Christ?

The APOSTLES, including Paul

NEXT, we will briefly study just one Epistle or Letter of the Apostle to the Gentiles [or Hellenists or Greeks], Paul.

Here Peter now mentions the Apostle Paul, due to an already developing false teaching in the early church broadly known as gnosticism [a Greek word meaning “knowledge.”]

Gnosticism

Such ‘knowledge‘ often accelerates into a down-hill slope into the pit of error. Therefore a brief summary here from BibleHub.com
- Dualism: Gnosticism is marked by a strong dualistic worldview,
  - The material world is often seen as the creation of a lesser deity,
    
    sometimes identified with the God of the Old Testament,
    
    who is distinct from the true, transcendent God.
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This, of course, is NOT SCRIPTURAL from either Jewish Scripture 
OR the Gospel of the New Testament.
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- Gnostics believe that.. salvation involves awakening this divine spark through gnosis.
- Some Gnostic texts depict Christ as a purely spiritual being .who did not truly suffer or die.
- Gnosticism generally views the physical world as corrupt or illusory.
  - This belief often leads to ascetic practices or,
  - conversely, to libertine behavior, as the material is deemed irrelevant to spiritual salvation.
Peter confirming Paul

So also our beloved brother Paul wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, speaking of this as he does in all his letters.

There are some things in them hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other scriptures.

You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, beware lest you be carried away with the error of lawless men and lose your own stability. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Second Epistle of the Apostle Peter 3:16b-18a RSV

Doxology

αὐξάνετε δὲ ἐν χάριτι καὶ γνώσει τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν καὶ σωτῆρος Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ αὐτῷ ἡ δόξα καὶ νῦν καὶ εἰς ἡμέραν αἰῶνος ἀμήν

Grow, urges the Apostle — connecting our growth in faith to ‘our kyrios [lord] and sōtēr [savior]

iēsous christos

— and referring to Him, a traditional doxology as the Apostle’s final words in his final letter and will for the church:

autos ho doxa

To him be the glory

kay nyn

both now

kai eis hēmera aiōn

and to the day of eternity.

ἀμήν amēn
- so it is, so be it, may it be fulfilled.
- firm: a metaphor for faithful
2 Peter 3:18

Thus ends the epistles of the Apostle Simon Peter, the Rock upon whom Jesus began the building of His Church.

Talk of JESUS . com

Comment on Scripture – Share the Gospel
December 8, 2025