Wrath to Come

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V.1-2
 This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder,
Peter is writing to them not to just give them a general announcement but to move them to action, and to change their mind.
He wishes to see them grow into spiritual maturity as they deal with the attacks that have come against their faith.
What is he reminding them of?
that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles
Remember the promises of God that came from the prophets of old.
Remember what God promised to do and has already done.
Remember the commandments that come from the apostles
What command? to be formed into the image of Christ.
These truths are crucial and the foundation that Peter wishes for believers to be reminded, because it is remembering who God is and what He commands of His people that stirs us to faithfulness.
V.3-4
knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires.
Peter is reminding the people because in their day, and until Christ comes back people will doubt God and His promises.
They will twist the Words of God to see their purposes fulfilled.
These people are doubters of a certain sort though, for they not only attack the moral commands of God, but they attack the promise of the Second coming.
 They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.”
Just as we have seen earlier there is a particular doubt that these people doubt that God will come back, stating that everything will just continue as it always has.
This attacks the very heart of Christianity, and Peter is about to bring a harsh rebuke to them.
V. 5-6
For they deliberately overlook this fact,
This is necessary to point out before we continue, for these men were not denying out of ignorance but out of sin.
This is how all of God’s promises are attacked, people don’t deny God out of ignorance, but because of their longing to be their own God.
What is it that they are denying?
that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God,
These men first in doubting the second coming, are also overlooking the fact that it was God who created this world by HIs powerful Word.
The world would not be, had it not been for the magnificent creative acts of God.
and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished
The world has not just gone by like a mechanistic system, with time ticking by, but Giod in HIs wrath, destroyed it once by the flood.
It is out of sinfulness that men overlook this, but the reality is that Christ will come back, but with that something else will be coming as well.
V. 7
But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.
This world will face its demise, for God is preserving it for a day that will come.
What should the believer make of this?
V.8-10
But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.  The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.
This little text is so rich, but there are some key points to be drawn out for Christians.
God is patient with this world, for He is waiting until all that the Father has given to the Son are called into His Kingdom.
Christians must be sure that we are vigilant in our lives, examining ourselves making sure that we are not caught with an unbelieving heart.
This is not to say that salvation is wishy washy, but instead it is a warning to people who claim to follow God, but have not repented and followed Him.
Be vigilant and don’t put your hope in this world, for it is destined for destruction, instead set your mind on the things above, and those that are unseen, for it is what is unseen that is eternal.
Discussion Questions:
Read Psalm 14:1-2. Why do you think people deny God and His promises?
How should we live knowing that the sinful things of our world will be destroyed?
Does hearing the warning at the end of our passage motivate you to share the gospel? Why or why not?
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