The Need to Remember

1:12  Peter now comes to the purpose of his letter. So, in view of all that I have outlined and because so much is at stake for your spiritual welfare, I will always remind you of these things. Here speaks the true preacher. Often a preacher is simply reminding listeners of Christian truths of faith and works they already know, as a spur to follow Christ more perfectly. But Peter is well aware, as have been all who have spoken in God’s name down through the ages, of the fallibility of human memory, of the lure of siren voices, and of the constant necessity to be brought back to God’s paths. In this, those who speak for God are following the divine example, for God himself has constantly been saying to his people “Remember!” (Num. 15:40; Isa. 46:9; Mal. 4:4; cf. Exod. 13…