II Peter 3

My friend, Mike, called and I began my long winded report of what the LORD had been doing in my life.  Suddenly I realized, ‘here I am telling a preacher all this that he already knows and has likely experienced many times.’  I quickly apologized and his response was, “Faith comes by hearing, tell me again what I already know!”

And Peter is doing the same: “I am telling you facts you already know, facts you learned from the holy prophets and from us apostles who brought you the words of our Lord and Savior. “

In Ch. 2, Peter has warned us about false teachers – the apostates.  They scoff – as many do today  -- at the certainty of the return of Christ, the judgment of the world and the establishment of a glorious kingdom.  In other words they choose to not believe the Bible. 

Some people are ignorant because of lack of opportunity to learn, or perhaps lack of ability to learn; others are willingly ignorant.  We must choose to use every opportunity to learn and never choose to be ignorant.  

Have you become accustomed to God’s truth?  So accustomed that you ‘fall asleep’ at Its teaching?  Peter is REMINDING US of what many of us already know…God’s Word is True v. 1-4

Because God’s Word is true, we must pay attention to It and take its message seriously.  New Christians must be taught the Word and established in the doctrines of the faith…new Christians are the apostate teachers’ primary target.  Prophetic teaching must not lull us to sleep.  Rather, it must awaken us to live Godly lives and seek to win the lost. 

Why do apostates scoff…because they want to continue living in the way they want to live.  If your lifestyle contradicts the Word of God, you must either change your lifestyle or change the Word of God.  The Word of God is still “a light that shineth in a dark place” 1:19  We can trust It.  No matter what the scoffers may claim, God’s day of judgment will come on the world, and Jesus Christ shall return to establish His glorious kingdom. 

v. 5-7 God’s work is consistent:  What God had done in the past and thus prove that His work is consistent throughout the ages.  So called ‘thinkers’ (scientists, liberal theologians, philosophers) will be selective and deliberately refuse to consider certain data.  Peter’s argument is obvious…the same God who created the world by His word can also intervene in His world and do whatever He wishes to do!  It is His Word that made it and that holds it together and His Word is all powerful.  Peter proved his point:  God is able to intervene in the course of history.  He did it in the past and He is able to do it again.  The Day of the Lord that was promised by the prophets and Apostles, as well as by Jesus Christ, will come just as surely as the Flood came in Noah’s day and the fire and brimstone came to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. 

The scoffers will ask, “Then why the delay?”  And Peter has another fact…

God’s Will is Merciful v. 8 – 10 Ignorance of the past can lead to ignorance of what God is like.  Scoffers make God in their own image, ignoring the fact that God is eternal…no beginning and no end.  Man is immortal…he has a beginning but not an ending.  Man will live forever …either in heaven or in hell.  Eternity is not just extended time…rather, it is existence ABOVE and APART from time.

Because a thousand years is as one day to the Lord, we cannot accuse Him of delayed fulfillment of His promises.  He is not limited by time the way we are not does He measure it according to Man’s standards.  While God works in time, He is not limited by time. 

The scoffers did not nor do they now understand God’s eternality nor do they understand His mercy. 

No one should question God’s seemingly delay.  He has a plan and He is working His plan (not ours).  God is not willing that any should perish!  3:9, I Tim. 2:4

REPENTANCE…a change of mind that results in an action of the will.  If he sincerely changes his mind about Jesus Christ, he will turn to Him, trust Him, and be saved.  If the sinner honestly changes his mind about sin, he will turn from it (as the LORD enables after salvation).  The lost sinner must make room for (contain) for repentance in his heart by putting away his pride and meekly receiving the Word of God.  Repentance is a gift from God but the unbeliever must make room for the gift. 

Scoffers willingly reject evidence in order that they might continue in their sins and scoffing. 

A thief comes and does not warn his victims that he is coming.  When the world feels secure, then God’s judgment will fall.  We do not know WHEN it will happen, but we are told WHAT will happen.  Whenever it happens, it is the LORD Who will ‘push the button’.  Isaiah 13: 10-11   Man’s great works will also be burned up! All of the things that man boasts about—his great cities, his great buildings, his inventions, his achievements—will be destroyed in a moment of time.  When lost man stands before the Judge, there will be nothing to point to as evidence of man’s greatness.  It will all the gone.

Important questions for the Christian:  Where will I be when God destroys the world?  Is what I am living for only destined to go up in an atomic cloud, to vanish forever?  Or am I doing the will of God so that my works will glorify Him forever?

v. 11-18  BE DILIGENT   Peter has purpose, he is motivating us with practical admonitions that all of us must heed.  Many run from one prophetic conference to another, filling their notebooks, marking their Bibles, drawing their charts, and yet no living their lives to the glory of God.  Many saints battle each other more over prophetic interpretation than perhaps any other subject. 

One preacher said, “I have moved off the Planning Committee and have joined the Welcoming Committee!”  I am not suggesting that we should stop studying prophecy or that every viewpoint is correct and you accept them…that is an impossibility.  But it means that whatever view you embrace, it ought to make a difference in your life. 

BE DILIGENT TO LIVE GODLY LIVES:  (V. 11-14)  To LOOK – to await eagerly, to be expectant…be excited as we await the Lord’s return.  Our hopes fixed on the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Because we do not know the time of His return, we must be ready constantly!  Expectancy ought to make a difference in our personal conduct.  Our conduct should be characterized by holiness and Godliness.  It is not simply knowing the doctrine IN THE MIND that motivates the life; it is having it IN THE HEART, loving His appearing II Tim. 4:8  Expectancy should not only effect our actions but make a difference in our WITNESS. 

There are two extremes in ministry that we must avoid.  One is the attitude that we are “locked into” God’s sovereign plan in such a way that nothing we do will make any difference.  The other extreme is to think that God cannot get anything done unless we do it!  While God’s sovereign decrees must never become an excuse for laziness, neither must our plans and activities try to take their place. 

Expectancy will make a huge difference when we meet Jesus…meet in peace or be ashamed.  If we are diligent to watch for His return and to live holy and Godly lives, then we will not be afraid or ashamed.  Don’t be ‘spotted and blemished by the false teachers. 

v.15-16  BE DILIGENT TO WIN THE LOST.  Since this is the day of salvation, we must be diligent to do all we can to win the lost.  We do not know how long the Lord will be ‘longsuffering’ toward this evil world.  We must not presume on His grace.  We must understand that the Bible teaches about God’s program for this present age, and we must be motivated by a love for the lost.  II Cor. 5:14 and a desire to be pleasing to Him when He returns. 

The false teachers are multiplying and their doctrines are infecting the church.  God wants separated men and women who will resists them, live Godly lives and bear witness of the saving grace of Jesus.  The time is short. 

v.17-18 BE DILIGENT TO GROW SPIRITUALLY.  There are FOUR ‘beloved’ statements in II Peter 3:     1. be mindful 1-2, 2. be not ignorant v.8  3.  Be diligent v.14 and beware v. 17

Beware means “be constantly guarding yourself.”  The readers of Peter’s letter knew the truth, but he warned them that knowledge alone was not sufficient protection.  They had to be o their guard; they had to be alert.  It is easy for people who have a knowledge of the Bible to grow overconfident and to forget the warning.  I Cor. 10:12 

Peter is warning us not to tear down the walls of separation that must stand between true believers and the false teachers.  There can be no communion between truth and error.  The apostates live in error; while believers must live in a sphere of truth. 

True Christians cannot fall from salvation and be lost, but they can fall from their own steadfastness.  … established in the present truth. 1:12.  The stability of the Christian comes from his faith in the Word of God, his knowledge of that Word, and his ability to use the Word in the practical decisions of life.  New believers must be taught the basic doctrines of the Word of God; otherwise, they will be in danger of being ‘led away with the error of the lawless.”

WE must be consistently growing spiritually. Our God is the God of all grace! And that is our enablement to grow.  Most likely will involve suffering and trials.  We never experience the grace of God until we are at the end of our own resources.  Knowledge without grace is a terrible weapon and grace without knowledge can be very shallow.  But when we combine grace and knowledge, we have a marvelous tool for building our lives and for building the church.  Knowledge of the Word???.. “in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.”  Paul said it well in Phil. 3:10

Physical growth and spiritual growth follow pretty much the same pattern.  To begin with, we grow from the inside out.  We are born again with everything we need for growth and service…need is the spiritual food and exercise that will enable to develop.  Keep clean…grow by nutrition.  Balance is necessary…faith and works; worship and service.  It is the Holy Spirit Who empowers and enables us to keep things in balance.  RESULT:  Glory to God! 

The urgency of Peter’s message:  The apostates are here!  They are busy!  They are seducing immature Christians!  We must be guarding, growing, and glorifying the Lord, making the most of every opportunity to win the lost and strengthen the saved.  BE DILIGENT!!!!!