Have you ever gotten lost? Maybe you took a wrong turn while driving, or maybe you got separated from your group in a crowded park or mall.

Peter wrote to the early churches to warn them about the dangers of getting off course. In the previous verse, he warned, “be on guard so that you aren’t led off course into the error of sinful people.” As these early Christians committed to discipleship, Peter became concerned that others might try to distract them from the way of Jesus.

In response, Peter reminded them to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ.” His words echo how John described Jesus as “full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). They also give us a map for how to respond to those who would steer us off course. We need knowledge of truth grounded in Scripture to recognize and resist error, but we also need the grace of Christ to shape our response so that we can meet error with both truth and love.

By Joshua Hays from D365