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Through the Bible with Les Feldick
LESSON 3 * PART 4 * BOOK 55
2 Peter 2:9 – 3:18 - Part 2
God is real. God is genuine. Still in II Peter but back to chapter 1 verse 16. II Peter 1:16a
Peter is speaking from first hand experience.
"I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you (to these Corinthians) by Jesus Christ; 5. Now verse 7.
that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ." All right, back to II Peter now then, verse 15. Peter understood everything that He said and did, so they think, "I’ll follow Peter, not Paul." II Peter 3:15a
Salvation! All right, so Peter now, writing to Jewish believers, is reminding them that:
II Peter 3:15b
"…even as our beloved brother Paul.…" Peter was an apostle of Israel along with the Eleven. Paul is the apostle of the Gentiles, totally separated; and never can you mix the two all together. All right, so in Galatians chapter 2:
Galatians 2:9a
"And when James, Cephas, (Peter) and John…." Normally it’s Peter, James and John. Galatians 2:9b
"Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it." There was nothing there to "pillar" and that’s why Paul uses that. Galatians 2:9b
(Israel) Paul and Barnabas were designated to be the apostles of the Gentiles. Peter and the Eleven are the apostles of Israel. Gentleman’s agreement. There is nothing in Scripture to indicate that Peter ever went into a ministry with the Gentiles. Paul’s salvation message to us Gentiles is believe in your heart that Jesus died for your sins, was buried and rose again, as we see in I Corinthians 15:1-4. Okay, now verse 11.
Galatians 2:11
I think he had to jump on a soapbox to do it, but Peter was eyeball to eyeball with Paul, and Paul was upset. Now we’re pretty confident that Paul had a temper of sorts. Galatians 2:12
(the Jews) Peter had now come to realize that Paul’s converts were just as much in God’s fold as any Jew could be, and so he ate with the Gentiles. But, when these Jews came from Jerusalem, Peter (bless his heart, and you know what you have to think of? Peter must have been a big guy but he must have had a weak will because you see as soon as these people came from Jerusalem, Peter) chickened out. In other words Peter was fearing them who were of the circumcision. Peter was human, wasn’t he? "Do you know what Peter is doing? He’s back eating with Gentiles again. Now verse 13.
Galatians 2:13,14a
"And the other Jews (who were converts and members of Paul’s and Barnabas’ Antioch congregation,) dissembled likewise with him; (in other words, they pulled out with Peter. insomuch that (even) Barnabas (who was back in that first counsel meeting when him and Paul shook hands with Peter, James, and John, to keep separate, Gentiles and the Jews, ) also was carried away with their dissimulation. Well, part and parcel of Paul’s Gospel of grace is that there is no difference. A Jew is just as much in need of salvation as a Gentile. Galatians 2:14b
So anyway, here Peter has been publicly rebuked by the little Apostle Paul - and I think Paul was a little short fellow. II Peter 3:15b
"…even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;" Now, he’s talking to Jews, and there’s only one portion of Scripture that Paul wrote to Jews and what would that be? The book of Hebrews.
And so, from this, I’m quite adamant that Paul wrote Hebrews. All right, but don’t stop there. Now verse 16... II Peter 3:16a
Salvation. Now, if I could just get some of these people that jump all over me for making too much of Paul to read this, and realize that Peter made just as much of Paul as I do. Peter says, "if you want true salvation, you go to Paul’s epistles," and I say the same thing. If you want to know the real Christian walk in this Age of Grace, you go to Paul’s epistles. II Peter 3:16a
How could a man with Peter’s experience - with Peter’s walk with the Lord, with Peter’s clout in the church at Jerusalem - tell the whole world that he had problems understanding some of Paul’s writings? It rubs against the grain and Peter admits it by the inspiration of the Spirit. II Peter 3:16b
What is Peter putting on Paul’s epistles? What Paul writes is just as much the Word of God as what the prophets wrote. It’s just as much the Word of God as what Peter wrote or what Jesus said. It’s all Scripture, according to Scripture.
All right, now I hope I’ve made my point that Peter admonishes the people today to go to Paul’s epistles; whereas most of Christendom says, go to Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and Acts. Peter says, "You go to Paul’s epistles, for, in them, is where we know we can find eternal life!" All right, now then, one more verse. Verse 17.
18. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

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