The Dangerous Heart

2 Peter 1:3–12

The book of 2 Peter talks about the risks we face in life, both in the world around us and inside our own hearts. It focuses on how our personal faults and wrong desires can lead to negative consequences. As we grow older, we often become wiser and more aware of these risks. It’s like how young couples about to get married may not see potential problems, while others ignore the advice in the Bible. It’s very important to grow in wisdom, to understand the dangers in our hearts and the goodness of God, and to learn how to steer clear of these risks.

1. What are the dangers of the human heart?

Peter warns experienced believers about a hidden danger in their hearts: a slow forgetting of the good and truthful experiences they’ve had with God. No matter how spiritually mature or morally upright they are, their hearts can resist the truth and lose hold of the good things they’ve once known. Peter emphasizes the need for constant reminders to our hearts to prevent this forgetting, as sin can affect our memory, making it easier to remember the bad and harder to remember the good, which can lead to cynicism and hypocrisy.

2. How can we escape that danger?

The core message of the gospel is key to overcoming our inborn shortcomings. This requires not just recalling the gospel, but also understanding and applying it. It’s not about just thinking positively, but about regularly engaging with the truth in a disciplined way. If we’re growing in self-control, perseverance, and love, it shows that we truly understand the gospel. The gospel should be the lens through which we see our problems and relationships, and it should be the most important thing in our lives.