Incentive to Spiritual Duty
1 Peter • Sermon • Submitted
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· 8 viewsThis is to help believers understand the importance of righteous living.
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The end of all things is at hand
(1 Peter 4:7)
The word rendered end, here, means “consummation,” “fulfillment,” “a purpose attained,” or “a goal achieved.”
In this context, it refers to the Rapture.
“of all things” indicates he is speaking of the Lord’s return
(2 Thess. 1:10; 2 Tim 4:8).
when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed.
Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.
The verb translated is at hand (ēggiken) means “approaching.”
Christ’s return is imminent, it could occur at any moment
(Matt. 24:37–39; Rom. 13:12; 1 Thess. 5:2; Rev. 16:15).
But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.
For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark,
and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.
The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.
For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.
“Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.”
Believers are to live with an ongoing attitude of anticipation or expectancy, as a mark of faithfulness.
Numerous other references stress the importance of believers’ anticipating the Lord’s imminent return
(Mark 13:35–37; Luke 12:40; James 5:7–9).
Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming—in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning—
lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping.
And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!”
Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”
Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain.
You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.
Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door!
The apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians concerning the suddenness of the rapture of the church
(1 Cor. 15:51–53).
Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—
in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
At that event God will clothe every Christian in immortality
(Phil. 3:21)
who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.
That event is both sudden and a mystery, which tells us He has not yet revealed all its details, including the time.
Concerning the rapture, Paul instructed the Thessalonians
(1 Thess. 4:15–17)
For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.
For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
The apostle John, as he neared the end of his life, wrote in
(Rev. 1:3).
Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.
If we knew the specific date of the Lord’s return was far off, believers could lose motivation and become complacent or, if they knew it was near, engage in frenzied, panicked activity as the day approached.
Paul described to Timothy in detail the spiritual atmosphere of the last days.
(2 Tim. 3:1–5; 2 Tim 4:3-4; 1 Tim. 4:1–3)
But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come:
For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good,
traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers;
and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.
Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons,
speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron,
forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.
The church is now in the final days.
Peter’s exhortation is that believers ought to live holy lives expecting Christ’s return.
(1 Cor. 1:7; 2 Peter 3:11–13; 1 John 2:28).
so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,
looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?
Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.
Christ warned believers to be alert and prepared
(Matt. 24:42–44)
Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.
But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.
Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
...because we do not know the precise hour or date of His appearance
(2 Peter 3:10).
But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.
Paul asserted that the characteristic of every true Christian is a desire to please the Lord
(2 Cor. 5:9–10).
Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him.
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.
He will not judge them for their sins because His sacrifice on the cross has already cleansed those away.
At that judgment the Lord will reward all believers for works, assessing their effectiveness, dedication, devotion, and usefulness in serving Him
(1 Cor. 3:10–15).
According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it.
For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,
each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is.
If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward.
If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
A realization of that future reality ought to instill within every believer a desire for constant purity
(2 Peter 3:14)
Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless;
We, as believers, should have the attitude of Paul and John
(Phil. 3:14; 2 Tim. 4:7–8; 1 John 3:2–3).
I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.
Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.