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Praise for taking action by the congregation against the person who has been agitating against the apostle Paul is the essence of this passage. However, along with this is the accompanying love and restoration that is urged for this same one who has now repented of his deeds. We need to reflect upon the value of church discipline as the way and means of restoration of a person who has strayed from the Lord and His ways. The only one, therefore, to lose from such repentance, love and restoration to church fellowship is Satan.

We get an inkling of what is happening in this uneasy relationship between Paul and the Corinthian Church. He has some agitators to contend with who are undermining his authority as an apostle of the Gentiles sent by Jesus. Paul, in this passage, outlines his reasons for not visiting the church after he said he would.

The apostle Paul in this passage emphasises the encouragement that the churches receive from God in response to the trials she faces in the world. In this, the churches reflect Jesus Christ and His sufferings in a world that is increasingly hostile to the intervention of God.

In the apostle’s final remarks, he urges the Churches to be diligent towards insuring they are the sort of people that Jesus would be looking for at His return. The Churches too, are guard themselves against being carried away by the lawlessness of the false teachers who habitually distort the Scriptures.

Human experience too often attempts to impose itself on divine timing. This passage maintains that God’s timing for the coming of Christ and future judgement is still to come. It has been delayed, but far from doubting God’s resolve, it is revealed that the delay is due to the desire that God has for all to come to repentance. Grace is God’s purpose in the delay.

In this message, we discover that a Christian who reverts back to the ways of the world can end up in a worse place than before they knew the Lord. This is serious matter which calls for discernment from God's people. False teachers make empty promises that end up enslaving those who follow them. Apostolic teaching is the only safeguard against false teaching.

The apostle, in this passage, unloads on the false teachers that are encouraging the churches to a life of loose living. He gives three historical examples of how God, in the past, never tolerated loose living from the people of the world. In the world's loose living and the trials it brought upon His people we also see, in these three examples, that God consistently acted to save them.

It is troubling but, real, that false teachers can exist in the church. Here, the apostle notes how destructive are their “opinions” (heresies) to the life of a Christian and the Church. He also spells out their practises and their demise.

The apostle is soon to be killed for his faith, but he speaks about leaving a legacy of faith behind for the church to continually grow in Christ. He leaves behind a record of his witness of Jesus’ glory and the word of the Father from heaven testifying that Jesus is the Son of God. He also spurs the church on to a high view of OT prophecy which he calls a “more sure word” in which we do well to pay attention to.

This passage encourages us to "authenticate" ourselves by moving forward with the virtues of the Christian faith. To ignore the growth element in our faith is to be blind to or forgetful of what we have been saved from and to.

Living a life of humility is quite contrary to the way people perceive a successful life. Humility, to some, means weakness and loss. But humility is essential for relationships both with God and Man. To obviate concerns of weakness and loss, the apostle urges believers to cast their anxieties upon the Lord. In this way, the struggles of the humble are not only made bearable, but provides the fuel of hope for the future.

The passage extends the issue of Christians facing persecution and the crucial role of Elders in guiding the community. the crucial shepherding role of Elders within the Christian community. The Elders are to be willing shepherds that follow Jesus in His example and become examples themselves. As Elders are not to domineer the church, younger men are not to fight against them. Everyone in the church of God is to take a humble position.

"Forest for the trees" is a description of the emphasis in this passage. The apostle is dealing with what ought to be the main thing and the main direction in the course of one's life. He emphasises love that is expressed through serving one another with the grace gifts that God has given to each individual Christian.

The message delves into how Christians handle adversity, stressing the significance of sanctifying Christ as Lord in our hearts. It highlights responding to insults with blessings. Peter urges believers to defend their faith with gentleness and reverence, pointing to baptism as the means of accepting God's provision and victory through Christ's resurrection. This brings hope and assurance amid trials and persecution.

Amongst the general instructions on submission to "human institutions", we have specific instructions here to wives and husbands. The Gospel is all important and doing good whilst bearing up under unjust treatment is the way to win over an unbelieving husband. By the same token, a husband needs to be considerate to his wife if he is to "win over" his God so that his prayers will get heard.

Christians are said to be in the world but not of the world. However, far from abdicating social responsibility, Christians ought to be exemplary citizens. In being conscious of God, Christians honour human governing authorities. In the context of God's sovereignty, we are bondslaves first and foremost to Him. Giving honour to human authority comes as result of our heavenly master's will.

This passage insists that Israel turned against the word of the Lord (the Gospel), hence, turned against God's Christ‌. Yet, Gentiles obeyed the call of the word & put their faith in Jesus Christ.‌ Peter reveals that what was Israel’s position & place, has been taken from them & given to the church.

In this passage of Scripture today, Peter explains that it is the very word of God that causes growth in the Christian. He says to crave this word like a new born babe craves its mother's milk. By this, as with a babe, growth takes place. But if there is no craving, there is no growth.

Living Life under the Lord can be daunting at times. However, in this passage, the apostle Peter grounds our incentive for holy living firmly in what Jesus has done for us. As we look forward to the salvation that is to come we are encouraged to live the life that is pleasing to God.

The trials for the Christian revolve around the challenges of integrating faith in every response we make in life. Those trials come along to test & refine our faith so that it will result in praise, honour and glory at the coming of Christ.

Peter begins by establishing the great & living hope we have as believers in Christ. God's divine work in giving us new birth has established us as His people and secured us in His blessings and protection.

The apostle Peter in v.2 reveals that these Christians in nth Turkey are part of the chosen people of God, the Church. They have been established by God and through Jesus, have become His people.

Sometimes the expression "needs a bomb under him" in order to move a person is fitting. For the apostle Peter, it required an awakening, a transformation in thinking. His once exclusivist Jewish view had undergone a real shake up. He now understands everything through the lens of Jesus Christ. The old Jewish covenant of identity and law have been updated. Peter struggled with accepting the newer version until the resurrection of Christ. Now, however, the awakening made that change complete.

This passage reminds us of the importance of acceptance of the eyewitnesses of Jesus' resurrection. Instead of defaulting to disbelief, people should accept the testimony of the eyewitnesses to Jesus' resurrection. Signs accompanied that generation with a "pool" of eyewitnesses and those signs verified the fact that Jesus is alive.