Wholesome Thinking

 

DEVOTION

THE 2^ND LETTER OF PETER

WHOLESOME THINKING

2 Peter 3:1-2

3:1 Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. 2 I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.

NIV

This is a reminder about the false prophets and false teachers that both Peter’s letters serve to remind believers to be watchful about them and to keep from being deceived or enticed into their way of thinking. Instead, we are to be stimulated by these letters, by the word of God, to wholesome thinking. The Greek uses the words, pure minds. We are to remember the words of the prophets and the commands given by Jesus. This is having a pure mind or wholesome thinking. This would be in opposition to the type of thinking the false teachers were promoting. This would be thinking that is based on the words of the prophets and on the command given by our Lord and Savior through our apostles. This command or authoritative prescription, as the Greek word translated as command means is not just the actual words of Jesus, as some would argue, but Peter is telling us that the command of Jesus also comes to us through the apostles. They are the ones who had firsthand knowledge of everything Jesus said. Without the apostles, we would not have the gospels, the record of what Jesus said and did. But the point is that the word of God needs to be the central theme in our lives. Everything we think about has to have roots in the word of God. Of course, we have to learn an earthy trade or professional skill set, and that requires we apply our minds to knowledge relevant to those skills needed to accomplish whatever we do in life to sustain our physical living. Whether we are a tradesman skilled in construction or repairs or a doctor or lawyer or perhaps some type of engineer, either one who drives a train, or an electrical or mechanical engineer, or one of many other skill sets, knowledge through learning, through education is needed and we have to apply our thoughts in those areas. However, it is the areas of thought regarding how we live, the manner in which we live, the life choices we make that need to be based on the word of God. That implies we are ever cognoscente of the Holy Scriptures and the command of our Lord Jesus Christ. That means we always consider our way of thinking. We cannot be deceived by false ways of thought. We are not influenced by the thinking of the world, or of those who pervert the gospel message. Our influence needs to be straight from the word of God. Of course, we need to engage with other believers, because we are commanded to encourage one another, to build each other up until we all reach the unity in the faith. We are commanded to not forsake the assembling of ourselves, as some are in the habit of doing. This might speak more directly to those who are not being a part of a local church, and thus get their spirituality from some other source, such as false teachers. But today we also have these officials mandating, without the benefit of actual law, social distancing, and limited numbers of gatherings. We have had to adjust, but this also means assembling has taken on a different form. Nevertheless, it is essential we gather, to encourage each other, so we all are engaged in wholesome thinking.