January 27, 2019
Morning Service

In chapter 2 of his second letter Peter warned us about the false teachers that are among us.  He informed us that these teachers who are leading others astray for their own personal gain will be judged quickly and justly by God Himself.  Peter described them as speaking “great swelling words of emptiness.”  They promise freedom but “they themselves are slaves of corruption.”  As we encounter these false teachers our best defense against getting deceived is to study and know your Bible along with learning to trust the Holy Spirit’s guidance in our lives.  “We have been given all things the pertain to life and godliness.” (2 Pet.1:3) If we follow faithfully, God will protect us against being deceived.  This is a part of the spiritual battle that we fight daily.  We must be able to discern the truth according to the Bible and stand upon it.  Peter now begins to wind down his letter and again repeats his reason for writing and encourages us with the confidence that the Lord will return.

2Pe 3:1-2  Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder),  (2)  that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior,

            Peter here shows the affection for those who he is writing to (all who have obtained like precious faith with us).  His goal is to remind us of the things that we should be mindful of; the words of the holy prophets and the things taught by the apostles.  He had reminded us already to continue to grow in our faith as well as to watch out for false teachers.  He now begins to reveal to us of what the last days will look like.

 

2Pe 3:3-7  knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts,  (4)  and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation."  (5)  For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water,  (6)  by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water.  (7)  But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

            Peter warns us that there will be those who will mockingly scoff at the promise of Jesus and even question why the He has not returned already.  These people live in their own self-indulgent world thinking things will continue as they are forever and that it is man that controls that future not God. They forget that this is the same Lord who by His Words created all the heavens and earth and then destroyed it by a flood once already.  He also then prophesied that these heavens and earth are reserved for judgment and will be destroyed by fire in the final judgment.  That Day of Judgment is coming but no one knows when.

 

 2Pe 3:8-13  But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.  (9)  The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.  (10)  But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.  (11)  Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,  (12)  looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?  (13)  Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

            We learn a great deal from these 5 short scriptures.  First, we see God is not bound to element of time as we are; “one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.”  He is eternal and that means the time constraints that are on us mean nothing to Him.  The scriptures tell us that His ways are not our ways and that is true with time as well.  God’s timeframe is not our timeframe.  We have to trust Him to fulfill His promises as the song says, “In His time.”  He is able to see the whole picture of time and not just a small snapshot that we do.

Secondly, He has promised to return, but His delay is not because He can’t do it, it is because He is patiently waiting (longsuffering) on others to hear the gospel message and accept it.  He is “not willing that any perish but that all should come to repentance.”  His will is that no one perishes but ALL come to repentance.  Those who reject Him are choosing their own destiny.  God does know who will choose Him and who will reject, but it is their free will choice.

Thirdly, we see a glimpse of what the “Day of the Lord” will look like.  It will happen quickly with little warning and will be like no other day in history.  Everything will “melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.”  On this point Peter then poses us a question for us all to ponder.  Since we know this day of judgment is coming, how should we be living our lives?   “What manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming day of God.”  Everything we do and build here on this earth will be destroyed, only the treasures we send to heaven by doing God’s commands will be preserved.  How much of your time is spent on the things that will be destroyed during this day and how much of your time is spent on the eternal things that will endure forever?  Our perspective of this world and the world to come need to line up with this truth that one will be destroyed and one will last forever.    

            Finally, Peter encourages us with hope that God will fulfill His promise and the fire He brings upon the earth will purify it to become “a new earth in which righteousness dwells.”  This is the city John speaks of in Revelation where God will dwell with us and we with Him.  This day of destruction will be a terrible day for the unbeliever, but for us it is a day to embrace and look forward to because it begins a life that will be without pain, tears, or death.  It will be a life full of peace, love and contentment.  It will be our faith becoming sight.

 

2Pe 3:14-16  Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless;  (15)  and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you,  (16)  as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.

            Peter encourages us to make the changes in our lives that need to be made.  We are to “be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot or blameless.”  What areas in your life need cleaned up and some sin spots removed?  He mentions Paul here as well that he is teaching them the same things and to have the same perspective.  Peter now ends his letter with encouragement to be always be on guard and to grow in our relationship with Jesus.

 

2Pe 3:17-18  You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked;  (18)  but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.

 

            This chapter really hinges on a key point; do you believe this is going to happen?  If you believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God, then you have no other choice but to believe.  So the question arises are you living like you believe it?  Is most of your time spent on a world that will be destroyed by fire or into the world that will last forever.  I will close with these words for Jesus.

 

Mat 6:19-21  "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal;  (20)  but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.  (21)  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

 

            Who owns your heart this morning?

 

Heavenly Father, thank You for revealing unto us the reality of what the future holds.  Please instill within us a diligence to be investing our treasures in heaven rather than this world.