Having encouraged us to pursue holiness and to be careful in our study of Scripture, Peter concludes with two lessons. We must be on our guard (2 Peter 3:17) and we must grow in grace and knowledge (2 Peter 3:18).
Guarding has doctrine at its focus. We must be vigilant against those who seek to undermine God’s Word and reject his promises. People who claim that the Bible is unclear or outdated; that we can enjoy blessing and prosperity now rather than waiting for the return of Christ; that there is no need for pursuing holiness since grace gives us a licence to sin. These kinds of claims are often heard today and we must not give them a foothold in our lives or in God’s church.
Growing has practical godly living as its focus, being productive with the knowledge that we have received about Christ and his will. It is not sufficient to know the content of Scripture. We must put into practice what we learn. Just like riding a bike, the Christian life requires constant progress forwards or you will fall off.
As we consider guarding and growing we should realize that these two instructions are given together by Peter, they point to the balance that should be seen in our lives as Christian believers and in God’s church. Both are needed. If we focus only on guarding, we can easily become cold and self-righteous. If we focus on growing but not guarding, we will drift away from truth.
17 You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability.