2 Peter Chapter 3

Peter's second letter was written to encourage believers facing persecution. He addresses false teachers and emphasizes the importance of scripture. Peter believes in the future return of Jesus and warns against scoffers. He references the story of Noah and the flood as proof of God's judgment. Peter reminds believers that God's timing is different from ours and that he is patient and desires all to come to repentance. He describes the coming day of judgment and urges believers to live holy and righteous lives. Peter mentions Paul and acknowledges that some of his teachings are difficult to understand and can be twisted. I'm Julie Callow, your host, and thanks so much for taking time out of your busy schedules to tune in with me today. By chance you want to contact me, you can do that at zab.bc.pc at gmail.com. Today we are tackling the third chapter of 2 Peter. It starts, Dear friends, this is now the second letter I've written you. We've learned in the introduction that there are various views about the authorship and time and date about this letter, in part because it's very similar to Jude, which we will look at tomorrow, but I hold to the traditional view that Peter's first letter went to believers in the area of modern day Turkey, and I believe that this second letter was written by him to the same people as the first group. His first letter was written to give the church's hope in the midst of persecution during the time of the Roman Emperor Nero's reign. It was believed that Paul and Peter were both in Rome. Paul has been put to death for his faith, and Peter is about to. This is found in chapter 1, verses 12 through 15. Since he knows he will be dying soon, he is writing this letter to encourage them, and verse 1 continues, I am writing to you in which I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder that you should remember the words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken by your apostles. Chapter 2 discussed the false teachers that were among them, and Peter warned the people about them and told them that the way to stand firm is to know the truth of Jesus Christ, which comes as we know scripture. Peter continued by saying we are to remember the words of the holy prophets. Again, remember that their only scripture at this time is the Old Testament, which shows us the importance of it, and then the commandment of our Lord and Savior spoken by your apostles. There is debate as to why Peter said your apostles, as if the writer were not an apostle, but I don't see it that way at all. If you remember, many of the churches in Turkey were started by Paul and Barnabas, or Paul and Silas, and then John Mark and Timothy, and Peter is one of those apostles. Peter is saying it is not just my word for it, there is a host of apostles which shared with them the gospel of Jesus Christ. Two other things in these two verses, Peter addressed them as dear friends, my beloved, and this is used in verses 1, 8, 14, and 17 of this chapter. And if you remember in 1 Peter, he stressed brotherly love through his first letter. Plus, the second thing came from Michael Green's commentary. Note that Peter again uses the full title Lord and Savior, probably because he is about to emphasize the future element in salvation, which the scoffers ridiculed. Jesus is not only Savior from the past, chapter 1 verses 1 through 4, and in the present, chapter 2 verse 20, but for the future as well. To deny the second coming of Jesus is to deny Jesus as Savior. When I read that, it clenched it for me that Peter wrote this letter. If you remember in 1 Peter, he made it clear that salvation is a process. We were saved, which he called born again, chapter 1 verse 3. We are obtaining salvation, chapter 1 verse 9, which is a process called sanctification. And we will be saved at the revelation of Jesus Christ, chapter 1 verse 5 and then verse 7. Here in chapter 3, Jesus Christ is the Lord and Savior of the future. In chapter 1 verse 1, to those who have received a face of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the Savior of our past. Then in chapter 2 verse 20, for if after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. Here Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior of the present. In his first letter, our salvation is past, present and future. And in his second letter, the Lord of our salvation is also past, present and future. In verses 3 through 6, Peter tells his readers that scoffers will come in the last days. Now in Acts chapter 2, on the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came into believers, Peter preached from the minor prophet Joel and he quotes, And it shall be in the last days. God says that I will pour out my spirit on all peoples, and your sons and your daughters will prophesy, and your young men will see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. Even on my bond slaves, both men and women, I will in those days pour forth of my speech, and they shall prophesy. Peter believed that Pentecost was the beginning of the last days. Edwin A. Blum said, The last days are the days that come between the first coming of the Messiah and his second coming. It was also mentioned that the believers thought that Jesus would come again in their lifetime, but as the years progressed, they came to the realization that that was not happening. So there were people that laughed at the thought of Jesus coming again. They said that life has gone on like usual since the beginning of creation, but Peter said that they have forgotten or willfully ignored the fact that God brought judgment one time already with the flood. The story of Noah and the ark in the flood is found in Genesis chapter 7 through 9, and in chapter 9 verses 11 through 17, God promised not to destroy the earth by water ever again. Then Peter said in verse 7, But by the same word, the present heavens and earth are held in store for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. Peter said in verse 5 that it was by the word of God that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and by water. And it is that same word that spoke the earth into existence that will also bring its judgment and destruction. God began it and God will end it. Peter continued with verse 8, Dear friends, don't let this one thing escape you. With the Lord one day is like a thousand years and a thousand years like one day. Something to keep in mind. We deal with time and space, but the Lord does not. He is beyond both. Here Peter is quoting from Psalm chapter 90 verse 4, For a thousand years in your sight are like yesterday when it passes by, or as a watch in the night. Michael Green commented that time is God's gift, and he has bidden us to watch, pray, and work. Verse 9, The Lord does not delay his promises, some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance. Ladies, this shows us God's heart. Edwin A. Blum said, God's time plan is influenced by his patience, an attribute prominent in scripture. And then he listed Exodus chapter 34 verse 6, Numbers chapter 14 verse 18, Psalm chapter 86 verse 15, Jeremiah chapter 15 verse 15, and Romans chapter 2 verse 4 and chapter 9 verse 22. Ray Summers said this is part of his entire theological motive in Luke and Acts. The so-called delay of the parousia, meaning Christ's coming again, was not to be a cause for discouragement, but an opportunity for witnessing. Verses 10 through 14 read, But the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. On that day the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, the elements will burn and be dissolved, and the earth and the works on it will be disclosed. Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, it is clear what sort of people you should be in holy conduct and godliness, as you wait for and earnestly desire the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be on fire and be dissolved, and the elements will melt with the heat. But based on his promise, we wait for new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness will dwell. Therefore, dear friends, while you wait for these things, make every effort to be found in peace, without spot or blemish before him. So far in Peter's letter, he described this day as the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men chapter 3 verse 7, the day of the Lord chapter 3 verse 10, the coming day of God chapter 3 verse 12, and in the very last verse, chapter 3 verse 18, it is the day of eternity. Peter says that the realization that this day is coming should lead believers to lives of holiness and righteousness, because our new dwelling place is the place that only the righteous will dwell. Edwin A. Blum said, Christians are to make intense efforts to be morally pure like Christ. The two Greek words used here occur in reversed order in 1st Peter chapter 1 verse 19, without blemish or defect, where they refer to Jesus. This also helps to affirm that Peter wrote both books. Peter then speaks briefly about Paul in verses 15 and 16. Also regard the patience of our Lord as an opportunity for salvation, just as our dear brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you. He speaks about these things in all his letters, in which there are some matters that are hard to understand. The untaught and unstable twist them to their own destruction, as they also do with the rest of scriptures. First, please note that Peter described Paul as our dear brother Paul. Sometimes we think that they were enemies because of the confrontation Paul had with Peter in Galatians chapter 2 verses 11 through 13. But keep in mind that in Acts we do not see any conflict. We also know that Paul had conflict with Barnabas, and they reconciled as well as with John Mark. So it may just be one of Paul's character traits. I like what Michael Green said. It is comforting to think that Peter, too, found Paul's letters hard to understand or obscure or ambiguous. For me, the first thought I had was when Paul said that women need to be silent in church. But Green said Peter probably is alluding to Paul's justification by faith, which was, we know, twisted by the unscrupulous to mean that once justified, a man can do what he likes with impurity. People did with his letters as they did with the Old Testament scriptures. They twisted them to make them say what they wanted it to say. And that is why context is key, ladies. One thing that has been extremely clear to me as we have read through the Bible this year is that as Christians, people of faith, our actions should reflect that. And if they do not, we need to take a hard look at our own faith. Peter seems to be saying that Paul's writings are now held up to the same category as scripture. Peter concluded, therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you are not led away by the error of the immoral and fall from your own stability. It does not say salvation, but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. To him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Green also said the Christian life is like riding a bicycle. Unless you keep moving, you fall off. Peter calls this letter a forewarning because the believers are to be on guard and watch their Christian life. We are also to grow in God's grace because none of us are perfect. And we need his grace, his unmerited favor. And then we are to grow in knowledge of Jesus because only he is worthy of glory today, as well as forever. So ladies, what do you find as you examine your life of faith? Are you growing in it? How is your grace level? Please heed the warnings of this book and let's get right with Jesus, our Lord and Savior. Let's be ready for the day of the Lord. And may our faith bring Christ's glory when he comes again. Until next time, and thank you so much for listening.