雖然彼得寫信的對象與第一封信相同(彼後3：1)，但主題與目的卻不一樣。非信徒的迫害對基督徒而言極難承擔(彼前)，不過信徒的背叛更具殺傷力(彼後)，為了消弭「教會毒素」的影響，彼得再度告訴讀者：信仰的真理是不受時間限制的，並且勉勵他們繼續成長，以臻靈命成熟的境界。至於那些嘲諷末日審判的人終會發現，渺視上帝話語最後將走向滅亡，和所多瑪、蛾摩拉一樣。

        找一本字典，查一查「培養」的定義，然後寫下來：_________ 。
        也許你從來不會這麼想，但屬靈的生命的確是一段培養的操練，悉心培養使環境成為靈命成長的助力，反之，逃避困難則是靈命成長的阻力。
        正如你很希望一顆種子成長就必須澆水、日曬、施肥、除草及清石塊一樣，若要靈命成長就必須在信心裹添加一些特質(彼前1：5－7)：德行(操守嚴謹)、知識、節制(自我控制)、忍耐、虔敬、愛弟兄的心和慈善(愛)。請注意彼得的應許：「你們若充充足足的有這幾樣，就必使你們在認識我們主耶穌基督上，不至於閒懶不結果子了。」(彼後1：8)
        選出上列七種特質中的一種，然後完成這個句子：『今天藉著上帝的幫助，在我生命中我將___________(如何？) ，力求培養____________(什麼？)

眼見為信，相信即行！
        在本卷書三章十一到十七節裡，彼得六次用「切切仰望」、「盼望」、「見」等字眼強調當你走在真理中時，要密切注意敵人的重要性。你能在一分鐘內找出這六個中的幾個呢？

一個長進的基督徒必須立定目標，然後朝著目標邁進。

English

        While Peter's audience is the same as in his first letter (3:l), his theme and purpose are different. Persecution from unbelievers can be hard for Christians to bear (1 Peter), but defection within the community of believers can be even more devastating (2 Peter). To counteract the effects of this "poison in the pews," Peter reminds his readers of the timeless truths of the faith and exhorts them to continue growing toward Christian maturity. Those who scoff at the thought of future judgment will find, like Sodom and Gomorrah, that ignoring God's Word will ultimately lead to destruction.

        Find a dictionary and look up the word cultivation. Write the definition here: "Cultivation means ___
        Perhaps you never thought of it this way, but your spiritual life is one long exercise in cultivation: providing the kind of environment conducive to spiritual growth, and avoiding hindrances which might stunt that growth.
        Just as you would add water, sunlight, and fertilizer (and subtract weeds and rocks) if you were serious about causing a seed to grow, so there are qualities you need to give attention to in adding to your faith in Christ (1:5-7): virtue (moral excellence), knowledge, temperance (self-control), patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and charity (love). Notice Peter's promise: "For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ" (1-.8).
        Select one of the seven qualities listed above and use it to complete this sentence: "Today with God's help I will seek to cultivate (what?) _______ in my life by (how?) _______,"

Seeing Is Believing, and Believing Is Behaving —
        In 3:11-17 Peter uses words like seeing, look, and looking a total of six times to highlight the importance of watching for enemies as you walk in the truth. How many of the six can you find (and circle) in the next 60 seconds?

The growing Christian must cultivate the concentrated gaze of a person living in the future.