Here the essence of apostolic preaching is seen:- precious faith (the door to blessing) defined; how knowledge is vital to advance; God's provision of everything needed for spiritual life, and also the sense in which we are partakers of the divine nature.

The new life embraced by the gift of faith is to be 'adorned' by virtue, knowledge and temperance. Here is what they are, how they are cultivated by the Spirit's help, how they add to each other, and how they save churches from decline.

To enjoy the multiplying of God's blessing, faith must be clothed with seven virtues. Here, patience (endurance) is defined with (biblical) hindrances and helps. Also, here is godliness, shown to mean reverence, and its powerful influence is our spiritual lives.

Brotherly love, and how it differs from 'charity' (agape love). Here are its characteristics, benefits, helps and hindrances. Also, how love can become a vice, and how all the graces in the silver chain gain assurance and a foretaste of Heaven.

The Old and the New Testaments magnificently authenticate each other through the fulfilling of prophecy in the marvellous Person and work of Christ. Here is the self-interpreting nature of the Bible, its sufficiency, and the right of private judgement, and how these are honoured.

A seemingly negative chapter is crammed with profound comments on false teachers and the immense danger of association. It reviews their infiltration of the church throughout time, and warns believers of growing used to surrounding worldliness and the power of secret sin.

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From false teachers in the churches, Peter turns to our vulnerability to the godless worldview of the last days, how it is prophesied in both testaments, its motivation, its underlying contempt for accountability, and its wilful rejection of creation, design and morality.