KNOWLEDGE AND ITS PRINCIPLES
2 Peter 1
Jesus gave Peter the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 16:13-20). The epistle known 2 Peter reveals the apostle stirring up the Christians’ confidence and practice of the life of faith which Peter himself received, preached, and lived. The Christians were in danger of false doctrines and apathy which led to lawlessness and undue worldly attachments. Peter urges them to remember and act on the knowledge of Christ which they haver received from God in order to call the people back to Christ, Christian living, and the proper Christian hope.
The epistle was written to the diaspora in Asia Minor just before Peter was executed in Rome by Nero in 68 AD. Therefore, the letter had to have been written sometime before 68 but probably not before 66. There are remarkable similarities between 2 Peter and Jude, however we can surmise 2 Peter was written before Jude. Peter warns of scoffers which Jude was experiencing, and Peter warns of false doctrine while Jude warns of those practicing the false doctrines.

Provisions of Knowledge–2 Peter 1:1-4
Grace and peace is provided through the knowledge of God–2 Peter 1:1-2
God has provided the knowledge we need to live the Christian life–2 Peter 1:3-4.

Progress of Knowledge–2 Peter 1:5-11
We must provide the effort to make progress in the knowledge God has provided–2 Peter 1:5-7.
The pursuit of progress in knowledge provides stability and prevents regress to our sinful past–2 Peter 1:8-11

Pledge of Knowledge–2 Peter 1:12-21
The constant meditation of this knowledge will provide certainty of our pledge to Christ–2 Peter 1:12-15.
The confidence of the pledge from God is verified by the eyewitness experiences of the disciples and by the prophetic word–2 Peter 1:16-21

Knowledge is key to Christianity. Our lives are founded upon our faith in the knowledge of Christ and the knowledge of his second coming. Let us “make our calling and election sure” by be faithful to the knowledge which we have.