2 Peter 3:14-18

Introduction

2 Peter 3:14–18 ESV

Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace. And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures. You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

Explanation

2 Peter 3:14-15 “Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace. And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him,”

Our waiting should be accompanied by growing in holiness.

Without spot of blemish - Is there any area of your life that you haven’t let Jesus clean up?

Give him that part of you tonight. Often, with Christians, our lack of holiness doesn’t come from what we don’t know. It comes from failing to do what we do know God has asked us to do.

If you aren’t tithing, start tithing.

“Well, I know I need to be more patient.”

Remember that though God calls you to holiness, He is patient.

There is nothing like hearing your mom’s car drove up outside and you’ve forgotten to get the hamburger meat out of the freezer to thaw.

There is nothing you can do then. Your death is nigh.

You can’t thaw out hamburger meat in two minutes.

You can’t clean your room in that amount of time either.

We spend so much of our time laying around and frantically working when we think God is going to show up.

God is patient, but get to work before He gets here.

Delayed obedience is disobedience.

2 Peter 3:16 “as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.”

Isn’t it good to know that even Peter thought Paul was hard to understand.

Yea, he ain’t like us, but what he says is right.

Someone’s educational level - whether higher or lower - is not cause to dismiss what they have to say. This goes both ways.

Seminary friends in small communities with doctorates - “Well, you just think you’re smart, don’t you.”

On the other hand, someone who has no education can be JUST as called by God to the ministry.

Charles Spurgeon only had a bachelors degree. A very educated minister wrote to critique his work. He said, “Mr. Spurgeon’s sermon was so common that even the slaves in the fields could understand what he was saying.”

Charles Spurgeon replied, “You couldn’t have paid me a better compliment if you had tried.

Ministers should attempt to be as educated as they can, but education does not a minister make.

Professional seminarians.

I am in seminary for ministry, and I am not in ministry for seminary.

Some use Paul’s more weighty passages to distort what he is teaching. Peter says, “No, it might take you a little while, but Paul is pretty clear.”

2 Peter 3:17 “You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability.”

Other people can take you to places you don’t need to go.

We are planted in the Word of God, but the moment we begin to listen to others, our roots become exposed.

Be careful of the drift that takes place when you allow the counsel of others.

2 Peter 3:18 “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.”

Grow in grace. What does it mean to grow in grace?

Grow in knowledge. What does it mean to grow in knowledge?

Short Benediction: Now and eternally glorious Christ.

Invitation

Take the next step.

Grow in grace.

Grow in knowledge