Peter intimates that his reason for writing this short epistle was the certainty he would soon die, “knowing that shortly I must put off my tent, just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me” (vs. 14). So, he desired to remind them of certain important things. Things such as the need for maturity and growth, the hope of heaven, the trustworthiness of revelation, the danger of false teachers, and the faithfulness of the Lord’s promise of coming judgment.
These are things his readers already knew, “you know and are established in the present truth” (vs. 12). Yet, three times in this short passage he refers to the importance of reminding them of these truths. He said, 1) He was writing to remind them; 2) He would continue to remind them as long as he lived; and 3) He would ensure they would have a reminder of these things after he died.
This points out an important part of the work of preaching. Preaching is not only done to teach brethren what they do not know about God’s will; it is also done to remind them of what they do know, lest they be guilty of forgetfulness or neglect.
