Join Pastor David Ruddat from Living Savior Lutheran Church as we finish our study of 2 Peter, covering chapter 2:10 through the end of chapter 3, using the EHV (though any translation works fine — NIV, KJV, ESV, etc.).

We continue Peter's warning about false teachers, looking at what drives them — arrogance, blasphemy against God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, greed, and unrestrained lust — and how Peter compares them to Balaam, the Old Testament prophet who sold out God's word for profit. Peter's imagery is vivid: waterless clouds, springs with no water, promises of freedom that end in slavery. We talk about what true freedom actually looks like when it's found in God's Word, using marriage and the fourth commandment as everyday examples.

We also dig into one of the more difficult verses in the letter — Peter's statement that it would have been better for someone never to have known the way of righteousness than to know it and turn back — and what that means for accountability and judgment.

Moving into chapter 3, we look at the scoffers who mock the promise of Christ's return, Peter's reminder that the same word that created the world by water will one day destroy it by fire, and his famous statement that "with the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day" — a picture of God's patience and His being outside of time. We close with Peter's call to live in holiness and godliness while we wait for the new heavens and new earth where righteousness dwells, and his final charge to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

This wraps up our series on 2 Peter — next week we start the book of Titus!

Timestamps:

00:00 – Welcome & recap: 2 Peter chapter 2

00:57 – 2 Peter 2:10 — arrogant false teachers and blasphemy

03:53 – False teachers compared to unreasoning creatures, driven by instinct

05:23 – Greed, lust, and the example of Balaam

08:03 – Waterless clouds and empty promises — false freedom vs. true freedom

11:17 – "Better not to have known the way of righteousness" — a hard verse explained

13:34 – Chapter 3: the Word of God as our foundation

14:11 – Scoffers who mock the promise of Christ's return

16:06 – The flood, the coming fire, and the word that creates and destroys

16:56 – "A day is like a thousand years" — God's patience outside of time

18:38 – The day of the Lord & the new heavens and new earth

21:39 – Peter's final charge: stand firm, grow in grace

23:40 – Closing prayer & looking ahead to Titus

Bible Study — The Lutheran Doctrine of Election Explained  

Join Pastor Dave Ruddat for an online Bible study on 2 Peter 1:1–10 focused on one of the most misunderstood topics in Christian theology: the doctrine of election.  We start with a refresher on the Lutheran doctrine of election as laid out in the Formula of Concord (Solid Declaration), walking through the eight-point summary of how God's eternal election works — always centered in Christ, always tied to the means of grace (Word and Sacrament), and never dependent on anything in us. 

Along the way we talk about the "two ditches" to avoid: making election all about God's hidden will (and despairing), or making it all about human decision (and losing grace altogether).  From there we turn to the text for today, 2 Peter 1:10 — "Be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure" — and ask what Peter actually means by that. We look at Peter's eyewitness testimony of the Transfiguration, his appeal to the "completely reliable prophetic word," and how he closes chapter 1 by pointing us to hold fast to both the Old and New Testament witness to Christ.  We finish with a preview of 2 Peter chapter 2, where Peter turns to warn about false teachers, and looks at three Old Testament examples of God's judgment — the fallen angels, the flood in Noah's day, and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah — as a reminder that God knows how to deliver the godly and preserve His people through His Word.  

Timestamps:
00:00 – Welcome & intro to 2 Peter 1
00:27 – Why we're starting with the doctrine of election
01:31 – Refresher: the Lutheran doctrine of election (Formula of Concord)
03:56 – The eight-point summary of God's election
11:31 – How do I know I'm one of the elect? Avoiding the "two ditches"
13:22 – 2 Peter 1:10
15:20 – Peter's testimony: the Transfiguration & the reliable prophetic word
19:00 – Beware of false teachers
20:47 – Examples of God's judgment (angels, the flood, Sodom & Gomorrah)
25:06 -  Closing prayer

Living Savior Lutheran Church (Morrison and Shirley)
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In this online Bible class, Pastor Dave Ruddat introduces the New Testament letter of 2 Peter and leads an in-depth study through 2 Peter 1:1–9 [00:12].  00:00:00 - Introduction & Prayer
Opening welcoming remarks and opening prayer for the Holy Spirit’s guidance in studying God’s Word [00:47].  00:01:09 - Background & Authorship of 2 Peter
Addresses scholarly debates regarding Peter’s authorship, differences in Greek vocabulary between 1 & 2 Peter, and the structural similarities to the Book of Jude [01:46].
Explains how non-canonical pseudepigrapha (e.g., Gospel of Peter, Acts of Peter, Apocalypse of Peter) were rejected by the early Church due to heretical teachings like Docetism and extreme asceticism [03:07], [04:48].  00:13:55 - Key Themes & Purpose of 2 Peter
Explores the core themes of the letter: God’s transforming grace, growing in faith, guarding against false teachers, and the certainty of Christ's return [13:55].
Written near the end of Peter’s life during Nero's persecution (c. AD 64–68) as a farewell testimony [14:58].
00:22:18 - Verse-by-Verse Study: 2 Peter 1:1–2
Discusses Peter's humility as a "servant and apostle" and how all believers share the same precious faith through the righteousness of Jesus [22:31], [24:36].
00:26:19 - Verse-by-Verse Study: 2 Peter 1:3–4
Unpacks God's divine power granting us everything needed for life and godliness [26:19].
Explains what it means to "partake of the divine nature" and escape worldly corruption [26:42], [27:45].
00:28:40 - Verse-by-Verse Study: 2 Peter 1:5–9 (The Chain of Virtues)
Breaks down the 8-step progression of spiritual growth:
"Faith"→"Moral Excellence"→"Knowledge"→"Self-Control"→"Patient Endurance"→"Godliness"→"Brotherly Affection"→"Love (Agape)" 
[28:40].
Explains how spiritual virtues grow from internal character to outward love for others [30:37], [31:48].
00:33:38 - Closing Prayer
Closing prayer asking God to help believers grow in faith and reflect Christ in daily life [33:56].
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Today we continue ona recurring series exploring themes of vocation, faith, and forward-looking hope despite structural hardships or personal trials. 

Leadership and Stewardship for Elders  An Appeal to Church Leaders: Pastor David Ruddat begins analyzing Chapter 5 by looking at Peter’s instructions directed specifically at "elders"—a term used in early church governance to represent combined roles of pastoral care and local leadership [07:40]. 

The Heart of a Shepherd: Leaders are urged to oversee their communities not out of obligation or a desire for financial gain ("greedy for money"), but out of genuine eagerness to serve [06:17]. 

Leading by Example: Peter advises against "lording it over" those entrusted to their care. Instead, church leaders are expected to naturally mentor and be living examples to the flock [06:38]. They are reminded that their true reward—an "unfading crown of glory"—comes directly from Christ, the "Chief Shepherd" [06:38]. 

Faith Amidst Suffering and Adversity  The Reality of Hardship: A central theme carried over from previous chapters of 1 Peter is the inevitability of trials for believers. Pastor emphasizes that because Christians follow Christ, they should expect their lives to experience various levels of adversity, difficulty, and persecution [11:10]. 

Sharing in Christ's Trials: The text reframes suffering not as a sign of abandonment, but as an overflow of what Christ Himself endured [11:10]. The lesson encourages viewers to lean on faith to navigate these periods of external pressure. 

The study concludes with a closing prayer for spiritual strength, stability, and hope throughout our journey[01:04:29].

The session focuses heavily on the theme of Christian
suffering, how believers should respond to it, and how they are called to live
differently from the rest of the world.

Key Themes Addressed

Arming Oneself with Christ's Mindset: The study highlights
how, because Christ suffered in the flesh, believers must arm themselves with
that same mindset [04:11]. Suffering in the flesh is tied to being "done
with sin" and prioritizing God's will over human desires.

A Changed Way of Life: Christians are called to break away
from past worldly behaviors [01:15:52]. The host notes that believers have
already spent enough time in the past living according to unbridled morality
and worldly desires, and should now live for the will of God.

The Perspective of Baptism and the Future: The lesson
connects the believer's current life in the flesh to their baptism, linking
them to the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus [07:13]. While still living
in this world, Christians look forward to the spiritual life to come and
understand their suffering in light of the final judgment [07:54].

Comfort in Suffering: The study concludes with a prayer
emphasizing that God watches over believers, gives them power, and helps them
see His love and glory even in the midst of difficult times [01:31:46].

The host concludes the video by announcing that the next
study will cover 1 Peter Chapter 5 [01:32:48].

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Here is a summary of the online Bible study video by Pastor
Dave Ruddat of Living Savior Lutheran Church, focusing on 1 Peter Chapter 3:

1. Roles in Marriage (Verses 1–7)

Wives (Verses 1–6): Continuing from Chapter 2’s themes of
submission to government and masters, Peter calls on wives to submit to their
husbands [02:16]. The pastor emphasizes this is part of God's societal order
for both genders rather than a purely patriarchal construct [02:42]. By
displaying respectful, holy behavior and cultivating an inner "gentle and
quiet spirit" instead of focusing on outward appearance, wives can win
over even unbelieving husbands to the faith [01:12, 04:54]. Sarah is highlighted
as a hero of faith for trusting God through her actions toward Abraham [06:46].

Husbands (Verse 7): Husbands are called to live
considerately with their wives as "weaker vessels"—meaning they must
not exploit the vulnerable position submission places a wife in [07:58, 08:39].
They are instructed to honor them as fellow heirs of God's grace [08:02].
Pastor Ruddat points out that Christ always moves first in love, meaning
Christian husbands must initiate when problems arise [12:51]. If harmony is
neglected, their prayers will be hindered [08:02, 10:04].

2. Christian Conduct and Suffering (Verses 8–17)

Community Harmony: Peter moves to instructions for all
Christians, encouraging sympathy, brotherly love, compassion, and humility
[14:05]. Believers are explicitly told not to repay evil with evil or insult
with insult, but to counter with a blessing [13:29].

Theology of the Cross: True Christians are called to deny
their sinful nature, which can feel like a cross to bear [17:55]. Pastor Ruddat
notes that suffering is a temporary "blip" in eternity [21:22]. When
Christians look at Christ on the cross, they are reminded that Christ suffered
far more out of love for them [18:56].

Defending the Faith: Christians must always be prepared to
give a gentle and respectful defense for the hope within them while keeping a
clear conscience [17:21].

3. Christ's Victory and Baptism (Verses 18–22)

Preaching to Spirits: Christ suffered once for all to bring
humanity to God [23:19]. After His resurrection, He proclaimed His victory over
sin and death to the "spirits in prison"—those from the days of Noah
who had rejected God's promises [23:32, 25:37].

Baptism Saves: Just as Noah and his family (eight souls)
were safely carried through the waters of the flood via the ark, water baptism
now saves believers [23:42, 26:11]. It is not a washing of physical dirt but
the guarantee of a clean conscience before God, directly linking believers to
Christ's resurrection and final victory [26:18, 27:50].

The video concludes with a prayer for believers to find
their hope in Christ and to be encouraged in their Christian walk, especially
during times of suffering [29:39].

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In this Bible study of 1 Peter 2, Pastor Dave Ruddat explores the themes of identity, suffering, and vocation. Key points include:  Living Stones: Believers are called "living stones" built into a spiritual house, with Christ as the precious cornerstone (0:57-1:15). While some embrace him, others stumble over the word, leading to different outcomes based on faith (3:52-4:20).  Royal Priesthood: Every believer is part of a "royal priesthood," meaning there is no distinct priestly class; all have direct access to God through Christ (8:52-14:15).  Vocation: Vocation is defined as a two-fold calling: a call to faith and a call to live out that faith through daily life. This includes our stations in family, citizenship, work, and the church (15:59-20:51).  Submission and Suffering: Christians are urged to live as "aliens and temporary residents" (21:01-21:27) and to submit to governing authorities (25:16-25:40) and masters, even if they are harsh (29:45-30:09).   Suffering is contextualized through the lens of Christ's own suffering, reminding believers they are never alone in their struggles (33:06-35:41).  

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Pastor Dave Ruddat from Living Savior restarts our virtual study series, diving deep into the book of 1 Peter (Introduction and Chapter 1 through Chapter 2:3).

Whether you are joining us to catch up on our Thursday afternoon class or diving into this text for the first time, 1 Peter offers an enduring message of living hope, protection, and true Christian identity during times of trial.  

📖 What We Cover in This Lesson:
Introduction to 1 Peter: Exploring authorship, the historical setting (writing from "Babylon"/Rome between 62–64 AD), and the regions of Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey) to which Peter was writing. [05:18]  Our Identity as Temporary Residents: Understanding what it means to be chosen or "elect" exiles whose ultimate home is in heaven. [11:19]  A Living Hope & Imperishable Inheritance: How Christ's resurrection ensures a future that is undying, undefiled, and unfading, and how God protects our faith through the Means of Grace. [15:00]  Joy and Grief Coexisting: Exploring how Christians navigate various trials and testing by fire while retaining an inexpressible joy rooted in salvation. [19:48]  

Called to Holiness: Breaking down what it means to "be holy because I am holy"—being set apart by God's powerful word rather than sliding back into old ways. [29:04]  Sincere Brotherly Love vs. Just "Being Nice": A crucial look at how genuine Christian love seeks what is truly best for others through the enduring Word of God. [37:26]  Craving the Pure Milk of the Word: Wrapping up with Peter’s encouragement in Chapter 2 to rid ourselves of malice and deceit, continuously growing up into our salvation. [39:42]  ✨ Join Us Live or Listen on the Go:
Our in-person Bible class meets every Thursday afternoon at 3:00 PM. You can always listen in via our podcast or subscribe right here on YouTube to catch every episode.  🙏 Closing Prayer: [43:04]  If this study was a blessing to you, please Like, Share, and Subscribe to stay updated on our upcoming walks through Scripture! Leave your thoughts or questions in the comments below.  #BibleStudy #1Peter #LivingHope #ChristianFaith #LivingSavior #ScriptureStudy #WELS