Explore the Bible
Assistant Professor of Christian Ministries, University of Mobile
LIVING WITH ASSURANCE
2 Peter 3:3–14, 17–18
Resist and Rest (3–7)
Peter concludes his letter emphasizing perseverance. Perseverance is about the last day. There is a little too much emphasis in our day on the first day.
People focus on their wedding day, having children, trusting Jesus for their salvation. Perseverance is about being a finisher, a closer, a concluder. The last day matters the most.
Perseverance produces assurance. If you are going to persevere in the Christian life, you must persevere in the Scripture. You need to read and study the Bible. If you are going to get the Bible into you, you first have to get into the Bible.
If you love Jesus, read your Bible and live for His glory, then you should expect people to mock you. You can respond either with the fear of the Lord or the fear of man.
If you fear man you will deny Christ, disown Christ or diminish Christ.
If you fear the Lord you will not allow scoffers to define you or destroy you or discourage you or dissuade you.
Scoffers will arise asking, “Where is the promise of His coming?” They will ask, “Where is the Messiah?”
The Old Testament had prophesied that God would send judgment upon the world. Jesus came but He did not set the world on fire or send everyone to hell.
The scoffers of the last days will espouse an ancient form of naturalism. There is no God, no spiritual nature. We are just atoms and molecules. There is no before and no after.
The astronomer Carl Sagan used to say, “The cosmos is all there is, or ever was or ever will be.”
The scoffers, however, deliberately overlook the fact that God did judge the world at the flood described in Genesis 7. Their problem is with the implications of the facts. It is not so much intellectual objections as it is moral objections. Most people’s problem with Christianity is not with the facts but with the implications of the facts. If Jesus is Lord you cannot just do whatever you want to do.
Do not close your eyes to the evidence God has set before you. God is Creator. He spoke and created the world. God sustains the universe. God is Judge. No matter how unpopular this belief may be, it is biblical.
No one will get away with anything. Your sins were either judged on the day of Jesus’ death or they will be judged on the day of your death. Resist the scoffers and rest in the promises of God.
Be Aware and Behave (8–13)
Even though the Lord has not returned yet, one should not conclude from this that He will never return.
God does not reckon time like we do. What seems agonizingly long to us is a moment of time to Him.
Peter explains that Jesus has not yet returned because God is being patient so people can have an opportunity to repent. Repentance is a change of mind that leads to a change of life.
Today is the day of salvation for everyone who will call upon the name of the Lord. But Jesus will return suddenly and unexpectedly like a thief in the night. He will be the Judge of humanity (John 5:22–24).
Because Jesus will come again the Christian should live a life characterized by holiness and godliness. Holiness is living a life of submission to God, particularly His revealed will in His written Word. Godliness means “to worship well.” Godliness is to live all of life to please God.
Work and Watch Out (14, 17–18)
As we wait for Jesus to return, work to be pure in character and on guard against false teaching. The key to finishing well is keeping your eyes on Jesus.
Do not kill time. Fill time with the things that help you grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus.
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