Introduction
Peter most likely wrote this, his second letter (2 Pet. 3:1 ) to the churches of Asia Minor (1 Pet. 1:1 ), from a Roman jail a short time before his martyrdom (some time during the period AD 64-67).
If 1 Peter has as its main focus a defense against threats from outside the church, namely, persecution, then 2 Peter has as its main focus a defense against threats from inside the church, namely, false teaching. For example, Peter writes in this second letter:
• “For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Pet. 1:16).
• “But false prophets…arose among the people [of former days], just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction” (2 Pet. 2:1).
• “…Scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires” (2 Pet. 3:3).
Since this letter was written so close to the time of Peter’s death, it may be viewed as a farewell discourse, in which he (1) announces that he is near the end of his earthly life (2 Pet. 1:13-14 ), (2) reminds his followers of what he has taught them (2 Pet. 3:1 ), (3) commands his followers how to live (2 Pet. 1:5-8 ), and (4) predicts what will happen in the future (2 Pet. 3:10 ). Doug Oss and Thomas R. Schreiner write in their comments in the ESV Study Bible: “In a farewell discourse, a leader has his last chance to influence his followers in the right direction for the sake of the movement in which he has been a guiding light.”
Our study today covers the first thirteen verses of chapter 3. In this part of his letter, Peter addresses the issue of Jesus’ second coming (parousia), a promised event which the false teachers claim will never take place (3:4 ). Peter explains their “deliberate oversight”—they alter doctrine in an attempt to justify “their own sinful desires” (v. 3)—and helps his readers understand the actual reason the Lord’s return seems to be delayed. The passage may be outlined as follows:
2 Peter 3:1-13
There is a wrong way and a right way to look at the Lord’s apparent delay in coming again.
Introduction: Why Peter Is Writing [3:1-2]
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, that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles…
Why is the Lord delayed in His coming? How shall we think about that?
I There Is a Wrong Way—the Way of Unbelief [3:3-7]
A. Faulty Explanation [3:3-4]
Assertion: God does not intervene in His creation.
…Knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. 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.”
B. Factual Explanation [3:5-7]
Correction: God has intervened in a cataclysmic way twice already and will intervene again.
1. First Intervention: Creation [v. 5]
For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God,
2. Second Intervention: the Flood [v. 6]
and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished.
3. Coming Intervention: Judgment [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.
Why is the Lord delayed in His coming? How shall we think about that?
II There Is a Right Way—the Way of Belief [3:8-13]
A. What God Is Doing [3:8-10]
1. He Is HOLDING OFF in Patience for Sinners [vv. 8-9]
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.
Some have used verse 9 as a proof text to invalidate the doctrine of election. Two responses we might make to that are:
a. God offers through the proclamation of the gospel a sincere and well-meant invitation to all to turn from sin (to repent) and come to Christ (to believe). Anyone who puts his or her faith in Christ will be saved.
b. This verse does not necessarily teach that God has not elected some to salvation. When Peter says that God is “patient toward you,” the you refers to his first readers, who are believers. The next clause could easily be read, “not wishing that any of you should perish, but that all of you should reach repentance.” In other words, there are some God means to save who are not saved yet. Aren’t you glad He waited for you? Yes? Then rejoice that He is delaying judgment for the sake of still others.
2. He Is HOLDING TO His Plan for Sin [3:10]
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.
B. What God’s People Are to Do [3:11-13]
1. We Are to HOLD UP a Holy and Godly Example [v. 11]
Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness…
a. Lives of holiness: Our conduct is in view here. Hebrews 12:14 says, “Strive…for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.” Holiness refers to separation. We are “set apart” by God and belong to Him. Our thoughts, attitudes, actions, and words—that is, the fruit of grace in our lives—and our beliefs, affections, desires, and fears—that is, the root of grace in our lives—are to bear witness to the fact that we are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession” (1 Pet. 2:9).
b. Lives of godliness: Our reverence for God and our devotion to Him is in view here. It may be stretching the meaning of the terms “holiness” and “godliness” too far to say they refer, respectively, to our outer life and our inner life, but both ideas are understood and are in force in the life to which the Scriptures summon us.
2. We Are to HOLD ON in Waiting and Hastening [vv. 12-13]
…waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! 13 But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
a. Waiting: This means to look for something with eager expectation. Peter uses some form of this verb (prosdokao) three times in three consecutive verses in this, the third chapter of his letter:
v. 12: waiting for and hastening the coming day of God…
v. 13: But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth…
v. 14: Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace.
b. Hastening: This word means to “hurry by means of extra effort.” God has foreordained the day of Jesus’ return (Matt. 24:36; Acts 17:31), so, from a divine perspective, we cannot “hasten” that day. But from a human perspective, there are things we are to be doing that, in a sense, “hasten” that day’s arrival:
(1) We are to pray that God’s kingdom will come (Matt. 6:10; Luke 11:2 ). With John, we are to pray, “Come, Lord Jesus!” (Rev. 22:20).
(2) We are to evangelize the nations. Paul writes in Rom. 11:25 that “a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.” The term “Gentiles” (ethnos, from which the English language derives the word “ethnic”) can be rendered “nations” or even “tribes” or “people groups.” God has determined that a certain number of the elect from among the people groups of this world ("the fullness of the Gentiles”) will come to faith in Christ before the end. Therefore, we must be busy getting the gospel to all people groups, so that the elect among them may hear the gospel and turn to the Lord. (See Rom. 10:11-15. ) Thus, from a human perspective, we have a role in “hastening the coming day of God.”
A Vision of How Grace May Change You
How will God use this passage from 2 Peter in your life to transform you more and more into the likeness of Christ. As you apply this passage to your life, you may one day find that...
You are a consistent, diligent student of God’s Word, and your heart is submissive to the truth it reveals. Therefore, you have a keen ear for falsehood and error. You know when someone is misrepresenting the truth as it is laid out in Scripture.
You are not naïve. You are not surprised that there are people—even people in positions of authority—who are misguided themselves and are trying to lead others astray. If they are due respect, you show it, but you do not embrace their teaching. Jesus told his disciples, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat, so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach but do not practice” (Matt. 23:2-3).
If you are ever in a church where the pastor is teaching false doctrine, you see it as your responsibility quietly to exit and find a church where the truth is upheld. Paul writes in Rom. 16:17, “I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them.” Of course, you may raise the issue of false doctrine with the pastor and, if necessary, with the appropriate body of authority. But you do not allow yourself to remain under the authority of someone who is teaching error.
You are also equipping yourself, little by little, “precept upon precept, line upon line” (Isa. 28:10) to understand the truth as taught in Scripture, assured that, if you know the truth, you will recognize the lie. (Those trained to spot counterfeit bills do not study counterfeit bills; they study authentic bills. Since they are thoroughly familiar with the real thing, the phony bills are easily recognizable.)
You look forward with eager anticipation to the day of the Lord and pray regularly that God’s kingdom will come, that the Lord Jesus would hasten the day of his return. As a means of preparing for that day, you practice sharing the gospel with others and support those who seek to reach the people of this and other nations. What is more, you maintain a deep and rich intimacy with God (you are godly) and conduct yourself as one who has been set apart for Him (you are holy).
When you fail at any of these commitments, you repent, confess your sin to the Lord, and trust that you are covered by the blood of Christ. You do not presume on grace, however, seeking all the more diligently to be “wise as serpents and innocent as doves” (Matt. 10:16). In other words, you are a maturing believer, growing in the power of discernment.
What Are the Drawbacks to Being a Discerning Believer?
1. Discernment is not something you master. You must consistently work at knowing and applying God’s truth to your life and to every situation. This will take time and energy. There is a cost attached.
2. You will at times find yourself in opposition to others. Some will be innocently misguided; these may be persuaded by your explanation of the truth. Others will be “deliberately” off track, and they may take offense at your preoccupation with truth. Not everyone will approve of your stance on things.
3. You may become overzealous and lose sight of the fact that some particulars of belief and practice are not necessarily binding on others. The doctrinal system to which you subscribe may not be the same as that of others who are just as conscientious as you are about truth, or certain practices may be objectionable to you though they are not forbidden by the Bible. You may become strident rather than loving in your passion for truth. You will need to watch for this possibility.
4. Can you think of other drawbacks?
Why Then Seek to Be a Discerning Believer?
1. Scripture counsels us to be alert, aware, and mindful of error so as not to be led astray.
2. False doctrine usually masks what Peter calls “sinful desires” (2 Pet. 3:3)—either that, or it leads to sin. Peter says of false teachers that “many will follow their sensuality” (2:2). We want to avoid being sucked into error because it will often lead to being entangled in sin.
3. The more stable we become in our knowledge of the truth, the more confidence we have with others. People may not always agree with us, but they will respect the discipline we have exercised in becoming more and more refined in our knowledge. They will know that they cannot use faulty logic with us and expect to prevail.
4. Growing in our knowledge of the truth also gives us confidence with God. We are more able to resist temptation because we are not so easily deceived, and we will gain a sense of greater dependence on God and a greater closeness to Him.
5. Can you think of other advantages?
How Can I Become a Discerning Believer?
1. Establish and practice a routine for reading, studying, and meditating on Scripture.
2. Make prayer both a daily practice and a continuous habit. Depend upon the Lord in all things. Keep your heart supple and tuned to His heart.
3. Read whatever you can to build up your understanding of the truth. The best practice is to develop and maintain a reading plan. Books you may want to read (and study) are:
• Everyone’s a Theologian by R. C. Sproul
• From Creation to New Creation by Tim Chester
• God’s Big Picture by Vaughan Roberts
• Developing a Biblical Worldview by C. Fred Smith
• 5-Minute Apologetics for Today by Ron Rhodes
• Confident Faith: Building a Firm Foundation for Your Beliefs by Mark Mittelberg
4. Learn how to bear witness to Christ and then make it a regular practice to talk to others about Him.
5. Read about and pray for the gospel witness in nations around the world.
• Log on daily to the website of Operation World [http://www.operationworld.org/] and pray for a different nation or people group every day.
6. Consider financial support of someone who is actively engaged in a ministry of evangelism, whether near or far.
7. Consider involving yourself in “passive evangelism” through The Story Film. How?
• Log on to https://thestoryfilm.com/ and create an account (click on “sign up”). Then share The Story Film on your social media networks (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.). It’s easy, but it works. And it is well done. You won’t be ashamed to have it associated with your name. When you share the film, be sure to pray that people will view it, and pray that God will use it to bring many to Christ.
