2 Peter, Part 4
Notes
Transcript
Part 4 - 2 Peter 3:1-10
In chapter 2, Peter expounded on the nature of the false teachers and their judgment to come.
Now in 3, he turns his attention back to the argument he started in 1 that the Day of the Lord, as prophesied in the Old Testament and instructed by Jesus to and then through His apostles, is coming.
It’s an important subject since eternity hangs in the balance. Either the scoffers that Peter is talking about here in three and back in 1 are right and there will be no judgement or Peter is right to raise awareness because judgement will come at the return of Christ.
If this is true, then it is imperative that we grow in the faith that has been given us, making every effort to (2 Peter 1:5-8 ) “add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with goodness, goodness with knowledge,
6 knowledge with self-control, self-control with endurance, endurance with godliness,
7 godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.
8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being useless or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Like the churches in Asia, most of us know this already. It isn’t knew. The question is, is it done? Are we doing it?
See, this is not a new subject for the churches in Asia Minor that Peter is writing to. In 2 Peter 3:1 he clearly states that this is the 2nd time he’s written to them, both with the same goal: “To stir up your sincere understanding by way of reminder, 2 so that you recall the words previously spoken by the holy prophets and the command of our Lord and Savior given through your apostles.” [Paul’s purpose statement]
1 Dear friends, this is now the second letter I have written to you; in both letters, I want to stir up your sincere understanding by way of reminder,
“To stir up your sincere understanding by way of reminder” – That’s not a phrase I use very much but it’s a good one, nonetheless:
“Stir up” means to shake the cobwebs from their minds; to get them to turn up their radar; to shake them from sleep.
“Sincere understanding” is to speak of a right way of thinking.
So, Peter wants to give them a jolt to remind them of what is true and how they are to think about what they hear from false teachers and what they are exposed to.
ILLUS: When a sports team is in an important game and the favored team is at risk of losing, the coach gets their attention and reminds them of what’s a stake. He reminds them they are winners and “nobody is coming into our house and taking what is ours!”
We need that, too, because we’re always being pushed towards the ungodly, the impure, the world, the flesh, and, the devil, and deceptively so. (Music, movies, social media, etc)
What is at stake is eternity and what Paul wants to stir up is to remember what is true: the victory has already been won and Paul gives three ways we can know:
First, by the Old Testament prophecies who foretold the coming of the Day of the Lord.
Peter had already written these things to them in his first letter: 1 Peter 1:10-12
10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who prophesied about the grace that would come to you, searched and carefully investigated.
11 They inquired into what time or what circumstances the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating when he testified in advance to the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.
12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you. These things have now been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—angels long to catch a glimpse of these things.
10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who prophesied about the grace that would come to you, searched and carefully investigated. 11 They inquired into what time or what circumstances the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating when he testified in advance to the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.[b] 12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you. These things have now been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—angels long to catch a glimpse of these things.
Secondly, Jesus Himself taught that He would come in glory and judge the world (Mt 25:31-33 ):
31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.
32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate them one from another, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on the left.
Thirdly, Peter, James, and John SAW Jesus transfigured into the glorious state He would return in.
Peter himself, as a living eyewitness, writes (2 Peter 1:16-18 ), “For we did not follow cleverly contrived myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ; instead, we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying “This is my beloved Son,[e] with whom I am well-pleased!” 18 We ourselves heard this voice when it came from heaven while we were with him on the holy mountain.”
16 For we did not follow cleverly contrived myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ; instead, we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
17 For he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased!”
18 We ourselves heard this voice when it came from heaven while we were with him on the holy mountain.
In (2 Peter 3:3-4 ), he tells us why it’s so important to have your radar up, remembering the truth of the coming of Christ in glory:
3 Above all, be aware of this: Scoffers will come in the last days scoffing and following their own evil desires,
4 saying, “Where is his ‘coming’ that he promised? Ever since our ancestors fell asleep, all things continue as they have been since the beginning of creation.”
“Above all, be aware of this: Scoffers will come in the last days scoffing and following their own evil desires, 4 saying, ‘Where is his ‘coming’ that he promised? Ever since our ancestors fell asleep, all things continue as they have been since the beginning of creation.’”
Above all doesn’t mean it’s the most important thing – it’s the most threatening thing.
Most important is the gospel, but this is the main reason you have to constantly remember the gospel!
Scoffers will come in “the last days” –the time between resurrection and return:
Acts 2:14-17
Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice, and proclaimed to them, “Fellow Jews and all you residents of Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and pay attention to my words. 15 For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it’s only nine in the morning.[c] 16 On the contrary, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:
17 And it will be in the last days, says God,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all people;
Hebrews 1:2
Long ago God spoke to our ancestors by the prophets at different times and in different ways. 2 In these last days, he has spoken to us by his Son.
Why do we need the radar up? There will be those who will make arguments as to why the gospel isn’t true.
He says two things about them that are inter-connected:
First is their argument and then the effects/logical conclusion of their argument:
1. Argument: It’s been 30-40 years since Jesus said he was coming back – where is he?!
Nothing has ever changed in the cosmological order – Since the beginning, time has continued with no change. Why should we expect anything different?
People say similar things today, 2000 years later! How do you answer that?
2. Result: They are not only “scoffing” but they are “following their own evil desires”
That’s the logical result! They are living consistently with their beliefs.
Their worldview shapes their actions: If there is no second coming, there is no judgment for sin, therefore it doesn’t matter how you live.
This is a dominant worldview today! Naturalism/secularism (atheism) is growing! Everyone does what is right in his own eyes. That’s the same practice since the earliest of sinners, and it is prevalent today found in the statement, “I’m living my own truth.“
Here’s Peter’s response (2 Peter 3: 5-7 ):
5 They deliberately overlook this: By the word of God the heavens came into being long ago and the earth was brought about from water and through water.
6 Through these the world of that time perished when it was flooded.
7 By the same word, the present heavens and earth are stored up for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.
(4) “They deliberately overlook…” What? The content of their own statement: “…all things continue as they have been since the beginning of creation.”.
Part 1 (5): Creation demands a Creator.
5 They deliberately overlook this: By the word of God the heavens came into being long ago and the earth was brought about from water and through water.
A lot of people today use the term “creation” even though they don’t believe it, but the level of design elements throughout the universe are undeniable. They can’t be denied – they can only be suppressed (Romans 1).
For Peter, this means God has already intervened by making the cosmos from nothing to start with (creatio ex nihilo), the “earth” (dry ground) being brought from water through water.water.
Part 2 (6): The Great Flood was not a natural disaster.
6 Through these the world of that time perished when it was flooded.
God intervened again by destroying the world with water because of rebellion.
Conclusion (7): The same intervention will next come as final judgment against the ungodly.
7 By the same word, the present heavens and earth are stored up for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.
The Old Testament talks of God “fiery judgment” so whether Peter is talking of literal fire is uncertain (Deut 32:22; Ps 97:3; Isa 30:30; 66:15–16; Ezek 38:22; Amos 7:4; Zeph 1:18; Mal 4:1)
Regardless, what is stated explicitly in Revelation 21 is implied here: after the “passing away” of the old earth(21:1), a new heaven and earth will be established.
In verse 8, Peter provides the “achilles heal” of their logic: In a phrase - God isn’t man.
They assume God works by the same logic and is bound by the same time and space restrictions they are.
(2 Peter 3:8 ) Dear friends, don’t overlook this one fact: With the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.
8 Dear friends, don’t overlook this one fact: With the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.
God is eternal and thus outside of the confines of time and the scoffers fail to take that into consideration. Peter wants to make sure Christians don’t miss it, too.
The reason for delay (2 Peter 3:9 ) : He is patient wanting all to repent.
9 The Lord does not delay his promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.
Whoever hears, believes, and repents will be saved.
Problem – Does God eventually run out of patience?
Stinks for those born too late, or who were “this close” to salvation. How does that work.
Paul helps us in Romans 11: 25-29
Context: Paul is dealing with God’s plan of redemption as it relates to bringing in Jews and Gentiles (all non-Jews – he’s talking to Gentiles):
25 I don’t want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you will not be conceited: A partial hardening has come upon Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.
26 And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, The Deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.
27 And this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins.
28 Regarding the gospel, they are enemies for your advantage, but regarding election, they are loved because of the patriarchs,
29 since God’s gracious gifts and calling are irrevocable.
(25-29) 25 I don’t want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you will not be conceited: A partial hardening has come upon Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And in this way all[i] Israel will be saved, as it is written,
The Deliverer will come from Zion;
he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.
27 And this will be my covenant with them[j]
when I take away their sins.[k]
28 Regarding the gospel, they are enemies for your advantage, but regarding election, they are loved because of the patriarchs, 29 since God’s gracious gifts and calling are irrevocable.
I confess that I don’t know how God makes these determinations of who is and is not brought to salvation. I only know a few things for sure:
1. ONLY comes through the Deliverer from Zion (Jesus) alone, will God take away their sin. There is no other way to Heaven.
NT Commentator: “Salvation history is structured to feature God’s great mercy. God saved the Gentiles when one would expect only the Jews to be saved, but in the future he will amaze all by his grace again by saving the Jews, so that it will be clear that everyone’s salvation is by mercyalone[1]”
It will not come apart from faith in Jesus. (John 14:6)
2. God’s gracious gifts and calling are irrevocable.
If you turn from your rebellion, He won’t leave you behind. You will not lose your salvation.
How do I know that. Salvation is only by grace through faith. If you didn’t earn it, you can’t lose it. If you don’t remain faithful to the end, it’s because you never had it.
So, back to my question: Are you living like a closet scoffer — practically as if Jesus isn’t coming back and it doesn’t matter how you live?
3. Jesus hasn’t come yet, so if you know you’ve not been saved or aren’t sure, repent and believe today!