A warning, and an encouragement from the Lord.

God's encouragement to beware, don't fall, but grow in grace.

2 Peter 3:17 You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked;

2 Peter 3:18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.

As Peter winds up his letter, he again uses the familiar term, "Beloved" to remind us of how the Lord regards us and views us. He loves you, and considers you dear to Him. 

Peter now, encouraging his readers, that in light of what they knew, ( which is a reference to all that he had shared in his 2nd letter, and in particular the things of this last chapter, having to do with the coming events for this earth in God's plan, and the eternal plans that God has for us in Christ ) he calls us to beware lest we fall from our own stedfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked. 

It never hurts to be warned about something that could happen. And, such is the case here. Beware, means, to guard, to watch, to keep watch, to keep your eye upon, to guard that you might remain safe. 

The readers, were stedfast, or resolutely firm and unwavering.....they were standing firm. But, he is warning them to remain so. Don't fall from that place and position and walk says Peter. Don't fall into the error of the wicked, don't be led away by their error, i.e their willful denial of the truths of creation and of the flood in Noah's day etc. Stick with the truth Peter says, and you won't fall.

The final thing that he says to his readers, is that contrast to falling, grow........advance, in two things. The grace and the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To grow, is to increase, to multiply, to cause to grow. Grace is God's unmerited and undeserved favor. The knowledge of God, is to grasp, to comprehend, to come to know......to perceive......

So, don't fall, but grow.

Don't be led away by error.

But, advance in knowing the Lord. 

Stay with the Lord, and keep moving forward.

How do we grow in these things? Well, that was the subject of a good portion of the 1st Chapter of this letter.
See 2nd Peter 1:5-11

As a quick re-cap of what he said, includes the idea, that because you are born again, then this growth is for you. Be diligent to grow, make this something you put yourself into. He then lists 7 or so characteristics of growth. In fact, as are adding one of them, then we naturally will also be adding others. It's becoming more Christlike, more Spirit led, less led by our own flesh, and more under the control of the Holy Spirit. 

God bless you.

Pastor Bob Grenier

Calvary Chapel Visalia