The Returning LORD
2Peter 3
This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both
which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance:
Remember What You Have
Been Taught
2 That ye 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:
Paul in writing to Timothy said:
2 Tim.3:12-15
…while evil men and imposters go from bad to worse, deceiving
and being deceived. But as for you, continue in the things you have learned and
firmly believed, since you know from whom you learned them. From infancy you
have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation
through faith in Christ Jesus.…
Revelation 3:3 (KJV) Jesus said:
3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard,
and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on
thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
Signs of the Time
3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last
days scoffers, walking after 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 the creation.
Peter told them, “there shall come in the last days scoffers,
walking after their own lusts” (II Peter 3:3). These are the “false teachers”
and false Christians that he talked about in the second chapter, when he said,
“there shall be false teachers among you” (II Peter 2:1). I think it is a
mistake to think that these “false teachers” are only professors in colleges
and seminaries, although it includes them.
But have you noticed that everybody is an expert on religion?
Everybody thinks he knows all about it. You can’t tell them anything. You meet
them on the street. You meet them in church. They are experts! Religion is the
only subject that you can be an expert on without any study! Our text tells us
that there will be more and more people like that in the “last days.” They are
scoffers.
What is the matter with these mockers? First,
they are materialists. They are content with the things of this world. They don’t want to believe Christ is coming
to judge them. Peter compared them to the people in Noah’s time (II Peter 2:5).
God “spared not the old world, but saved Noah...a preacher of righteousness,
bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly.” Noah preached on the
coming judgment. But the people would not listen! Christ spoke of them as
materialists – only interested in eating and drinking, and going to parties,
“until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed
them all” (Luke 17:27). Peter also spoke of the judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah
– “turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes condemned them” (II
Peter 2:6). Again, their main sin was materialism. Christ said, “in the days of
Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they
builded; But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and
brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all” (Luke 17:28-29). And then Christ
said,
“Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son
of man is revealed” (Luke 17:30).
Judgment Is Coming
5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the
word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water
and in the water:
6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with
water, perished:
7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the
same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and
perdition of ungodly men.
Now if Jesus is going to be the judge and his words are going
to be the standard or rule by which we are judged it becomes very important
that we learn what his words are. In the great sermon on the mount he said,
"Not everyone who saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom
of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my father which is in heaven. Many
will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name and
in thy name cast out devils and in thy name done more wonderful works? And then
will I profess unto them, I never knew you. Depart from me you that work
iniquity" Matthew 7:21-23. Those who do his will, will not receive this
condemnation and punishment. What will you say at the judgement?
The LORD Is Coming Back
8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that
one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some
men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any
should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
No one can tell us with certainty what tomorrow's weather
will be except the one who causes it - God - but by listening to the weather
report or looking at the sky, people use their eyes and their brains to at
least make an educated guess about tomorrow's weather. Likewise, no one can
tell us with certainly when the exact timing of Jesus' return will be except
the one who will cause it to happen, God the Father (Mt. 12:36), but by
listening to the right information sources, people can use their eyes and their
brains to at least make an educated guess about how close we are to the return
of Jesus Christ. Jesus said that when you see certain things begin to happen,
"Look up and lift up your heads, for your redemption draws near," and
"when you see them happen the kingdom of God is near" (Luke
21:28,31). Jesus and Paul both taught that the proper way to wait for His
return is to therefore be watchful, ready and sober (Matthew 24:42-44,25:13; 1
Th. 5:6).
The apostle John wrote that when Jesus appears, we who
believe in Him shall become like him, and everyone having this hope in Him
purifies himself (1 John 3:2,3). He also wrote that the testimony of Jesus is
the spirit of prophecy (Revelation 19:10). So two benefits of studying Bible
prophecy and comparing it to world events are personal purification and a
better understanding of Jesus. Besides, in 1 Th. 4:18, Christians are commanded
to encourage each other with words about the return of Christ. Hebrews 10:24,25
also says that as we should regularly meet to encourage one another, especially
as we see the Day of Jesus' return approaching.
The Day of The LORD
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the
night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the
elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are
therein shall be burned up.
11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved,
what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, 12 Looking
for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on
fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for
new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
Warning to Be Holy
14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such
things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and
blameless.
15 And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is
salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given
unto him hath written unto you;
16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of
these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that
are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto
their own destruction.
Peter told us to remember.
We have been told to beware of what is going on around us. There are so many who call themselves
Christian but are living in a delusion.
Jesus said concerning those who called Christians, "Nevertheless,
I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love." Rev.
2:4
Do you realize the implications of what Jesus is saying? It
is possible for us to do all the things we ought to do and still abandon him.
We can be faithful to the church, active in outward activities, and still not
love Jesus. All of our service that is not motivated by our love for Christ is
worthless.
Jesus was speaking to the church at Ephesus He described them
as fallen (v. 5). Here was a church that seemed like anything but a fallen
church. In one statement he summed up the whole problem. Their service had
become mechanical. Their worship had become routine. They did not have the old
fire. There was no place for emotion.
Their devotion was gone. That spirit of giving all for God
regardless of the cost was gone. But they could hate! (v. 6). They could hate
sin, but they had forgotten how to love Christ.
17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things
before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall
from your own stedfastness.
18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord
and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
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