The purpose of Peter’s address in 2 Peter 3:1-3 is to remind his readers to exert the effort to grow. The goal for Peter was “to stimulate the readers to wholesome thinking.” He wanted them to have ‘undistorted thinking;’ that is, sincere thinking toward the words of the OT prophets and NT apostles (3:2).
The joy of the readers, Peter contends, is that they have an unchanging message of hope and truth by which they can rely upon for their growth (1:16-21). The question for living that I proposed to my Sunday school class is, “do you have a clear understanding of God’s Word? Are you sincere when coming to God’s Word?” In other words as you prepare to read, study, and then meditate on His Word, do you allow God’s Word to control/direct your life rather than the desires of your own heart? –> The false teachers took it upon themselves to have distorted thinking; for they ran from the truth and became entangled in their own lusts (cf. 2:19-22).
