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2nd Peter 3
2nd Peter 3
So now we just finish chapter 2 in 2nd Peter, what did we learn from 2nd Peter 2? what was the problem the early church was facing at the time? Peter was warning the early church of potential false teacher that will come into the church to cause trouble. the church still deal with this problem even today. now that we have a recap of chapter 2 we can now look at chapter 3 in 2nd Peter 3:1
Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking.
Just from the first part of the verse 1 here in chapter 3 we see that Peter is acknowledging that this is the second letter to the early church. so we can see that the first letter was written shortly before this one. we can also see that that Peter was address this second letter to same group of people because he states that this is the second letter, epistle. which leads us to the second part of this verse here which was Peter goal? what was the goal for peter here in this chapter 3? his goal was to stir up their minds and to get them to think about what was being taught to them, we can see that in 2nd Peter 1:13
I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body,
From this verse here in 2nd Peter we see that Peter is trying to remind the early church were their teaching authority comes from, and we can also see that exact same kind of thinking from Paul in Phil 1:10
so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,
Here in Philippians we see that Paul stress the things that are excellent, which are the things that Jesus Christ taught to his disciples, and his disciples went out to teach others the as Jesus taught them. with this all in Mind we see that Peter main objective in this chapter is to stir up his readers and to remind them of the teachings of Christ. this allow us to move on to verse 2 in 2nd Peter 3:2
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.
what do we see that Pete is trying to tell his readers here in this verse? Peter is remind they early church that should be mindful of the teaching that were pass down from the old Prophets to Apostles. we can also see this throughout some of Paul’s letters too, Eph 2:20
built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.
Paul is explaining that because of the teaching from the Prophets and apostles, we understand that it all came from Christ who was the cornerstone of this foundation. another example comes Eph 3:5
which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets.
we see that Paul is explain were all the knowledge of the prophets and the apostles came from, it came from the Holy spirit which is the spirit of God. another example we can also see comes from Eph 4:11
So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers,
As christian’s there are roles that every christian’s has a part to play in this foundations of kingdom of God. today we no longer have the apostles and the prophets because of the Bible. As christian’s it our job to go to the loss and to explain who Christ is Matt 28:18-20
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
As Christian's is our Job to teach the truth, and to stand by the truth. there are going to be people who are going to deny the truth because they seek out their own desires of the flesh, were those who teach the truth know that flesh is weak. along with these examples from the letters of Paul we can also look at some of Luke’s writing’s also in Acts 11:27
During this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch.
and Acts 13:1
Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul.
Along with 1st Cor 14:29
Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said.
all of these verse here a line with 1st Peter 1:10-12
Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.
and with 2nd Peter 1:19
We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.
From all of these verse here Peter wants his readers to really think about what is being taught, and reminded them that they need to remember the teachings that come from those who were teaching what Jesus Christ was teaching. today many people want the feel good lessons, and some of them don’t actually look at what is being taught and studying the scriptures to see if these things were true. People want a God that will conform to them. as Christians we understand its not God who has to conform but its us who have to change, and think about how God wants his people to live, and learn. in other word Peter was reminding early Christian's to study and to test to see what was true, and what is false. This allow us to move to 2nd Peter 3:3
Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.
From this verse here Peter talks about those who mock about coming of Christ will eventually have to face their own mockery. because if you go back to 2nd Peter 1 :20
Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things.
its not for our debate on what scripture says. Peter here is explaining that scripture is not up for debate, because it is God’s word. people today want to add or twist scripture to fit their goals or lifestyle because it comes back to how we live and mankind kind does not like to change from their own ways. we can see this from the Gospel of John 3:19
This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.
Mankind has always love being in sin, because they become to comfortable in sin. these types of men walk in worldly desires of their own flesh. with this in mind this allow us to move on to verse 4 2nd Peter 3:4
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.”
We see that Peter is warning that there will be people who mock christ and his coming. the problem is that these people probably do not understand that we do not know when he will return nor the hour because only God know these things. even today there many who believe that he is no longer coming back. Lets go ahead and look at 1st Thess 4:13-18
Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.
From this passage here we see Paul is explaining to the early church that there are going to be people who do not believe in the coming in Christ, and that christian’s need to be ready when the time does come. another example is just a few chapter down to 1st Thess 5:12-13
Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other.
another passage we can also look comes from 2nd Thess 2:1-7
Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us—whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter—asserting that the day of the Lord has already come. Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.
Don’t you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things? And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way.
Many people want to prepare for when the Lord does return, but we all understand that is not going to happen. When Peter talks about how these mockers think. These mockers make uses because they were expecting to happen right away, or soon. they begin to mock those who have died before because of how they continue to wait for the lord. think back to when Mary had called for Jesus when Lazarus was on his death bed. John 11:11-13 the disciples though Lazarus was taking a nap but in reality he was dead. through out the Bible writes relate the nature of sleep to death, and we see that here in John
After he had said this, he went on to tell them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.”
His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.” Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep.
Here in this passage in John we see a conversation between the disciples of Jesus and Jesus, many of the disciples believe that Lazarus was taking a nap, but in reality Lazarus was dead. Many people take their life for granted, we continue to live a life full of sin, and not change until the last min. which will not work for us . this allow us to move to verse 5 in 2nd Peter 3:5
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.
The first half of this verse we see that Peter talks about how these people who continue to deny God, and Christ who is coming back, how they are willing to forget certain point with in the scriptures, then if we move on to the second half of this verse here we see that Peter talks about Gen 1:1-3
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.
the question is how do you forget God a being who is able to create the very universe with just words? we see the whole creation of the heavens and Earth Gen 1:7-10
Thus God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament; and it was so. And God called the firmament Heaven. So the evening and the morning were the second day.
Then God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear”; and it was so. And God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters He called Seas. And God saw that it was good.