CHRIST IS BOTH THE MEDIATOR AND MEANS OF SALVATION The Greek word translated here in the NLT as “the sacrifice that atones” is the word “hilasmos.” This word is often translated as “atonement” or “propitiation.” It points back to Israel’s sacrificial system, whereby a lamb without spot or blemish was offered as an atonement for
BELIEVING THE EYEWITNESS TESTIMONY CONCERNING JESUS The apostle John opened his first letter as he did his gospel, and as Moses did the Torah, with the phrase: “the beginning.” Also, similar to his gospel, John referred to Christ as the “Word” (Greek: “λόγος, logos”). In John’s gospel, he spoke of the Word’s divine preexistence and
REMEMBER WHAT THE PROPHETS AND APOSTLES SAID In the apostle Peter’s second letter, he shared his intent to stimulate their thinking by urging them to always remember the words of the holy prophets and of the commands of Jesus given through the apostles. In this way, Peter put the writings of the apostles on equal
THE WRITING ON THE WALL King Belshazzar of Babylon gave orders to bring the gold and silver vessels from the treasury that his predecessor, Nebuchadnezzar, had taken from the Temple in Jerusalem. He and his nobles partied, praising the gods of silver and gold as they drank from Jerusalem’s Temple goblets. It was at that
DID GOD REALLY SAY? The apostle Peter viewed holy Scripture as God’s very Word. He described its authorship simply as God spoke and men wrote. He said that their pens were not moved by their own wisdom nor initiative, but by the Holy Spirit. The apostle Paul agreed with Peter’s high view of Scripture writing,
THE LOVE THAT COVERS SIN The apostle Peter emphasized the importance of staying together as a Christian community in the face of increasing persecution. He wrote that the “most important” feature of such a unified community is love. For love doesn’t look for offense or imperfection. Indeed, it overlooks such things, keeping “no record of
ARE YOU ALWAYS READY TO TALK ABOUT JESUS? The apostle Peter wrote to encourage those who were being persecuted not to fear nor worry about those who threatened them. Instead of giving into fear and worry, they were to worship Christ as Lord in all areas of their lives and to always be ready to
RISING UP TO GIVE THANKS Psalm 119 was written as a tribute to God’s Word. Written as an acrostic poem based on the Hebrew alphabet, the psalmist described the many ways he was thankful for God’s righteous law. His thoughts concerning God’s revealed Word were so wonderful that he arose at a time when most
A PRAYER FOR GOD’S PERSPECTIVE The psalmist asked the Lord to help him turn his eyes from “worthless things,” so that his life might be revived by following God’s perspective. He recognized his temptation to focus on things that do not last and to spend his life pursuing them. And in the process of pursuing
DO YOU KNOW THE SECRET OF HAPPINESS? Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, have you learned the art of being truly glad? The apostle Peter knew this gladness. In this one verse, he shared his spiritual secret of happiness. First, focus on the “wonderful joy ahead.” For we have a priceless inheritance being kept for