Sermon Tone Analysis

2 Peter 3:1–7 (NKJV) — 1 Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), 2 that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, 3 knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, 4 and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming?

For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.”

5 For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, 6 by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water.

7 But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

Introduction:

Deism

Deism (derived from Latin “deus” meaning “god“) is a philosophical belief that posits that God exists as an uncaused First Cause ultimately responsible for the creation of the universe, but does not interfere directly with the created world.

Equivalently, deism can also be defined as the view which posits God’s existence as the cause of all things, and admits its perfection (and usually the existence of natural law and Providence) but rejects divine revelation or direct intervention of God in the universe by miracles.

It also rejects revelation as a source of religious knowledge and asserts that reason and observation of the natural world are sufficient to determine the existence of a single creator or absolute principle of the universe.

(The Lexham Bible Dictionary)

The history of deism

In his "Autobiography" Franklin wrote that as a young man "Some books against Deism fell into my hands; they were said to be the substance of sermons preached at Boyle's lectures.

It happened that they wrought an effect on me quite contrary to what was intended by them; for the arguments of the Deists, which were quoted to be refuted, appeared to me much stronger than the refutations; in short, I soon became a thorough Deist."[44][45]

Like some other Deists, Franklin believed that, "The Deity sometimes interferes by his particular Providence, and sets aside the Events which would otherwise have been produc'd in the Course of Nature, or by the Free Agency of Man,"[46] and stated at the Constitutional Convention that "the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth— that God governs in the affairs of men."[47]

Thomas Jefferson is perhaps the Founding Father who most clearly exhibits Deistic tendencies, although he generally referred to himself as a Unitarian rather than a Deist.

His excerpts of the Biblical gospels, for example, now commonly known as the Jefferson Bible, strips all supernatural and dogmatic references from the Christ story.

Like Franklin, Jefferson believed in God's continuing activity in human affairs.[48]

Thomas Paine is especially noteworthy both for his contributions to the cause of the American Revolution and his writings in defense of Deism alongside the criticism of Abrahamic religions.[49][50]

In The Age of Reason (1793–1794) and other writings he advocated Deism, promoted reason and freethought, and argued against institutionalized religions in general and the Christian doctrine in particular.[50]

The Age of Reason was short, readable, and is probably the only Deistic treatise that continues to be read, and to be influential, today.[51]

The problem of erosion

Background:

A new section is clearly marked in terms of both content and structure.

Peter’s long discussion on the false teachers (chap.

2) concludes, and he turns afresh to his readers.

The new section is introduced with the affectionate words “dear friends” (agapētoi), better rendered “beloved.”

The purpose of the second letter is to arouse the readers from lethargic thinking and to remind them of the words of the Old Testament prophets and the command, that is, the moral requirements of Jesus Christ—as these commands have been transmitted by the apostles.

The particular reason the readers were to remember such teachings is explained in vv.

3–4.

Peter reminded them that the arrival of mockers in the last days was prophesied.

Hence, their immoral lifestyle and their rejection of the Lord’s coming should occasion no surprise.

The arrival of the false teachers fulfilled predictions that must come to pass before the Lord returns.

The opponents rejected the second coming, arguing that from the beginning of time (i.e., since the time of the patriarchs) history continues without cosmic interventions from God.

Peter had a three-pronged argument against this view in vv.

5–7.

First, the very creation of the world represents God’s intervention in the world.

The opponents had failed to see the implications of their own view, for by appealing to creation they concurred that there was a beginning, a time when God brought the world into being.

Second, the opponents might object that God set the world in motion but did not intervene cosmologically thereafter.

But such a view does not account for the flood, which involved a cataclysm for the entire world.

Third, history will end with a great conflagration, when the present heavens and earth will be burned, and the ungodly will be judged.1

Proposition: We must deal with doctrinal problems.

Interrogative: How do we deal with doctrinal problems?

I.

We must be attentive to the problem of false doctrine(3:1-3)

2 Peter 3:1–7 (NKJV) — 1 Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), 2 that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, 3 knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts,

A. The Objective: I stir up your pure minds by way of a reminder - 1

Stir Up

2 Peter 1:13 (NKJV) — 13 Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you,

Mark 4:38 (NKJV) — 38 But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow.

And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”

2. Your Pure Minds

pure, sincere

Mind: disposition, intention

3.

By way of a reminder

3:1 The words “dear friends” mark a transition in the letter.

The NIV translation is too weak since the term is “beloved” (agapētoi, cf. also 3:14, 17).

“Beloved” signifies that the readers were the recipients of God’s saving love and perhaps also communicates Peter’s tender concern for his readers.

Peter remarked that he wrote his second letter to the readers.

Scholars have postulated at least four different possibilities regarding the first letter.

(1) Some think 2 Peter is not a unity, that its present composition stitches together more than one letter.

McNamara, for example, argues that chap. 1 is the first letter, and chap.

3 is subsequent to the letter composed in chap.

1.2

There is no textual evidence, however, for any partition theory in 2 Peter.

The letter has come down to us as a unity.

The transition in chap.

3 to a new subject is not surprising in a letter; in fact, chap.

3 continues to refer to the opponents criticized in chap.

2. (2) Other scholars have suggested that the first letter was Jude and the second one is 2 Peter.3

Such a view would hardly be apparent to the readers since Peter wrote in his name, while Jude wrote under his.4

How could the readers possibly recognize both letters as Peter’s when they have different names on them?

Furthermore, it is difficult to explain, if this theory is correct, why Peter would change the wording of Jude.

(3) More plausible is the idea that Peter wrote another letter that has since been lost.5

We know that Paul wrote letters that were lost (cf. 1 Cor 5:9), and most scholars believe that he wrote a severe letter that also has been lost (2 Cor 7:8).

Furthermore, Paul wrote a letter to the Laodiceans (Col 4:16) that has perished.

Peter may have written other letters that have not survived as well.6

This theory is certainly a possibility, and it may be the best answer.

It appeals, however, to correspondence that has never been found and isn’t mentioned elsewhere.

Hence, I think the fourth option is still preferable.

(4) Peter referred to 1 Peter.

This is still the majority view among commentators.7

The main objection to this view is the content of 1 Peter.

Peter seems to have known his readers well in 2 Peter, but the same kind of knowledge is not apparent in 1 Peter.

This argument is not particularly compelling.

In fact, the degree of Peter’s experience with the readers is not readily apparent from either letter.

A more significant objection is that 1 Peter does not seem to be a call for “pure thinking.”

But perhaps we have failed to see the parallel with 1 Peter here.

In his first exhortation to his readers he said, “Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed” (1 Pet 1:13).

Peter used the same word for “mind” (dianoia) as we find in 2 Pet 3:1.

In addition, from our commentary on 1 Peter in the first part of this volume, it is evident that eschatology is central for the entire book, and the adversaries in 2 Peter denied the eschatological judgment and the coming of the Lord.

But in 1 Peter the readers were exhorted to fix their hope on the eschatological coming of Christ.

Indeed, all of the exhortations in 1 Peter flow from 1:3–12, where eschatology takes center stage.

So we could summarize the argument of 1 Peter in such a way that he encouraged his readers to right thinking in light of the eschaton.

The parallels between 1 and 2 Peter are closer than many scholars concede.

I conclude that 1 Peter is the letter referred to here.

Peter returned to the theme of 1:12–15, namely, that he wrote to arouse the readers’ “wholesome thinking” by means of reminders.

The adjective “wholesome” (eilikrinē) signifies that which is pure, right, and good.

Believers need reminders about the truths they already know and accept precisely because such reminders, though including the mind, address the whole person.

In biblical thinking reminders grip the whole person, so that we are possessed again by the gospel and its truth, so that we are energized to live for the glory of God.

B. Purpose #1: That you may be remember the truth revealed - 2

1. of the words which were spoken before by the Holy Prophets

Luke 24:44 (NKJV) — 44 Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.”

2. and of the commandment of us,