Beloved: A Love Letter From God
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Some may dispute that 2 Peter is a letter to Christians everywhere specifically from God, especially when 2 Peter 1:1 says, "Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ" (ESV). But in this very letter Peter says,"For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit" (2 Peter 1:21, ESV). If 2 Peter is Scripture, than it is prophecy and therefore not written by the will of Peter, but by God as he was carried along by the Holy Spirit." This is a letter from God and it is written to Christians everywhere.
The use of 'beloved' in 2 Peter 3:14 is especially encouraging. God (through Peter, carried by the Holy Spirit) says, "Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace" (ESV). When we look at this verse in light of what the rest of the Bible says, we know it is impossible to be without spot or blemish apart from Christ, the only one who is without spots or blemishes (1 Peter 1:17-21). We trade our sin for Jesus' righteousness. We trade our lies and likes of the false prophets for the Truth of the gospel of Jesus. He takes our sins, dies for them, and gives us a perfection we will one day share with Jesus in his glory. And the same is true for peace. Apart from the knowledge that our Lord is coming back and believers will live in eternity with God, it is difficult, if not impossible, to be at true peace. We trade our waring soul for one that is at peace with Christ.
When we see that we are beloved, we really ought to see that we not only traded our spots and blemishes and our worry, doubt, and rage for salvation, we are now seen with love by the Father.
In the four Gospels, the word beloved is used in some interesting ways. In Matthew 3 and Luke 3 the word appears at Christ's baptism. Here there is an audible voice that says "This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased." At the transfiguration recorded in Matthew 17 and Mark 9 an audible voice again introduces Jesus, saying, "This is my beloved son, listen to him." Matthew quotes Isaiah in Matthew 12 showing that Jesus is the fulfillment of the coming messiah and beloved son. And even Jesus uses this word about himself when he uses a parable in Mark 12 and Luke 12 about a vineyard owner who has bad tenants. Eventually this owner sends his beloved son.
God's people, that is, those who have repented and accepted Jesus as Lord become children of God, being loved as Jesus is loved. Romans 9:25-26 is a quotation of Hosea 2:23 and Isaiah 10:22-23. It reads, "Those who were not my people I will call 'my people,' and her who was not beloved I will call 'beloved.'' And in the very place where it was said to them, 'You are not my people,' there they will be called 'sons of the living God'" (ESV). In Christ, we become children of God, sharing in Christ's inheritance and we gain entry into the "kingdom of his beloved son" (see Colossians 1:11-14). By no means did we earn this love because as it is said in Romans 5:8: "God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (ESV).
If you are a Christian, repentant and calling on Jesus as Savior and Lord, then 2 Peter is a letter to you, from God. As you read this letter, do not see it as anything other than a message from a loving father to a son or daughter. Beloved, God loves you!
* Photo by flickr.com user Pimthida is registered under a creative commons license and is used with permission.