2 Peter 3

Once again there was not natural break in the thought or point Peter was making.  Therefore we again get to do the entire chapter.

2 Peter 3
Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. ² I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.

Study your Old Testament. The recipients of Peter's letter would know exactly what Peter was speaking of because the would have been studying the Torah.  We also need to study the gospels and all the words written the New Testament.
 
³ Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. ⁴ They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” ⁵ But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water. ⁶ By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. ⁷ By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.

We really don't need to look far for scoffers do we?  I think of Chic-fil-a and the Christian family that owns the franchise.  They stood up for traditional and Biblical marriage and are being torn apart by the media and by politicians.  

Most do not care about the power of God's word.  They do not believe in creation or the flood.  Sadly far too many Christians fall into this category as well.

⁸ But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. ⁹ The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

God's time is not our time.  When we go through troubles we wish God would "hurry up and deliver us".  When I look back over the past 16 months, the hardest times were the times I was closest to God.  As things started looking brighter, I let my devotion and dedication slip because "I could handle it." and "Did not 'need' God for these 'lesser' problems."  God's desire is that everyone come to him.  When he seems slow it is because he is giving us slow stubborn humans a chance.

¹⁰ But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.
¹¹ Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives ¹² as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. ¹³ But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.

None of us know when the Lord will return.  We're to live as if it were today.  If we believe scripture to be true, why spend this life gathering "stuff" that will be destroyed?  We need to be looking toward the new heaven and the new earth.  These are some of the promises we read about in chapter 1.

¹⁴ So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. ¹⁵ Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. ¹⁶ He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.

The Christian life requires effort.  We study, learn and apply what we learn.  Some days the choice is easy and others it is hard.  Also take note that understand some of scripture is hard.  Many times in the blog I have told you I was not sure what a passage was saying.  Don't use this as a reasons to quit.  Keep reading.  Keep studying.  Remember that we who have accepted Christ's payment for our sins have received the Holy Spirit.  The Spirit of God.  Who better to help us understand what scripture says that the Spirit of the author?  Also by studying yourself you will be better equipped when others attempt to swindle you with falsehood claiming it is the word of God.

¹⁷ Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position. ¹⁸ But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen. 

We cannot live this Christian life in a passive mode.  Guarding involve vigilance.  If you don't know the word, you can be deceived and mislead and you may find yourself doubting the security we have in Christ.


God Bless.