1. 2 Peter 3:1 (ESV)
  2. Exposition

Which letter was the first one that Peter wrote to this church?

2 Peter 3:1 (ESV)

1 This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder,

There is some debate as to whether or not 1 Peter is the first letter that Peter wrote to this particular church. It may be that he wrote them another letter which is lost to us, like some of the letters written by Paul (see 1 Corinthians 5:9; Colossians 4:16). If this is the case, we should not be alarmed. The Spirit has included in the Scriptures everything we need to know regarding who God is and how he is to be worshipped. The absence of this letter is not because God is not powerful but because he has determined that we do not need it. Though we cannot say with complete confidence which letter Peter is referring to,1 most probably what we have in the New Testament, the letter known as 1 Peter, is the first letter that Peter wrote to this church.2 1 Peter is the only other legitimate letter from Peter that has been referenced by the early church.