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2 Peter 3:13: But According To His Promise We Are Waiting For New Heavens And A New Earth In Which Righteousness Dwells.

2 Peter 3:13 [13] But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. (ESV)   Many people hear of God's return and they can only think to mock. The idea of God is absurd to him. The thought of him coming to bring and end to the earth as we know it is even more preposterous. This is because they do not know him. This is why the false teachers did nothing but mock the coming judgment for their false deeds. They truly did not know God at all. It is very different for those who know the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ. When we think of His return we are filled with joy deep in our hearts. We know that his coming means new heavens and a new earth. It would easy to take delight in the reality of the physical wonder and beauty of new heavens and a new earth, but there is something else that the Apostle Peter describes. This new heavens and a new earth are described as a location where righteousness dwells. There will be no devil, tempt
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2 Peter 3:12: Waiting For And Hastening The Coming Of The Day Of God

2 Peter 3:12 [12] 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! (ESV) When I was a child I could not wait until Christmas. As soon as the month of December started I could not focus on anything else. I remember the three major department stores, J.C. Penney, Montgomery Wards, and Sears, had special Christmas catalogs. I would highlight each item I wanted. I would dog ear the pages. I wanted to make sure that my parents knew exactly what I wanted! This word for hastening that Peter uses here speaks of "eagerly desiring something to happen." Do you eagerly desire for the coming of the day of God? This day of God means an end to the "day of man." It is the time when we will forever be in the Lord's presence. I don't have any special catalogs to look at in expectation of this "day of God." However, I have his holy word which describ

2 Peter 3:11: Since All These Things Are Thus To Be Dissolved, What Sort Of People Ought You To Be In Lives Of Holiness And Godliness

2 Peter 3:11 [11] Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, (ESV) All that we hold dear in this world will be destroyed. If you have ever done traveling across the world you have likely seen beautiful sights. God is a wonderful creator. He has brought into existence things that can literally take your breath away. None of it is going to last. God is going to destroy everything by fire. As the Apostle Peter reminds us, these things are to be dissolved. If you know that God is bringing judgment upon all of mankind, what kind of life should you live? Peter could have posed this to the false teachers who were trying to destroy the church. He knew exactly what kind of lives they were planning on living in light of the coming judgment. Their plans were to continue in immorality, greed, and manipulation of people. Peter's question is aimed at the Christians of his day. His question is an appropriate one for Chr

2 Peter 3:10: But The Day Of The Lord Will Come Like A Thief, And Then The Heavens Will Pass Away With A Roar,

2 Peter 3:10 [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. (ESV) There is a bumper sticker that says, "Jesus is coming back. Look busy." The basic point of the bumper sticker is that Jesus is going to return at a time when we are not expecting. When he does return we want to be about the Father's business. How embarrassing it would be to be engaged in some kind of sinful activity when the Lord returns. When I was a child my father would give me work to do. Perhaps, weeding a number of rows in the garden. At other times, I would be asked to bundle up sticks in the yard. Other times, I would be doing some sort of cleaning inside the house. I would not want to be goofing off. If my father came into the room and I was not busy with the task assigned to me there would be some kind of reprimand.  Consid

2 Peter 3:9: The Lord Is Not Slow To Fulfill His Promise As Some Count Slowness, But Is Patient Toward You

2 Peter 3:9 [9] 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. (ESV) We are sometimes very impatient with God. We struggle with his timing. As Peter told us in the last verse, one thousand years is as a day to the Lord. God does not seem to be in the same kind of hurry that we are in on a regular basis. We ask the Lord to answer our prayers. If he does not give us the answer that we want, or demand, we are upset. Peter tells us the reason that we should not be upset with God's timing. God is not "slow," but rather, he is patient toward us. That is a very different perspective. What is God's patience based upon? His desire that we all would come to repentance. Peter is giving us a glimpse into the character of God that encourages our hearts. He is patient with us, desiring that we would repent. This patience is aimed at those whom he has called unto

2 Peter 3:8: But Do Not Overlook This One Fact, Beloved, That With The Lord One Day Is As A Thousand Years

2 Peter 3:8 [8] 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. (ESV) False teachers were scoffing at the idea of Christ's return. To them, time seemed to just go on and on with no imminent threat of God's judgment. Peter properly reminds them of the error in their thinking. God does not reckon time the same way that man does. Because God exists outside time, as the very author of time and space, he is not restricted by it. This comparison of a day to a thousand years is not a specific ratio, but rather a statement concerning how time is not factored the same way in God's plans. He will return exactly when he intends to. It may seem like forever to us, but God is always right on time! For those that like to scoff about God and his plans, they will find out that he will deal with them in his time. If you love Jesus, you are looking forward to the return of Jesus Christ. Perhaps you are getting di

2 Peter 3:7: But By The Same Word The Heavens And Earth That Now Exist Are Stored Up For Fire

2 Peter 3:7 [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. (ESV) We are limited in our understanding of just how powerful our God is. By his word he created the entire universe. Consider all that we see in our world. God made it all. Consider all of the planets, stars, and galaxies. All of it made by God. The universe is bigger than our finite minds can even conceive. Scientists can measure the universe, but none of us can truly grasp it's immensity. Peter brought up the fact that it was God's word that created the heavens and the earth. By the same word, given by the same God, there will come fire, which is now stored up. This fire of destruction is coming on the world. God is a righteous judge. We know that there will be a new heaven and earth. God will judge the sin of this world, and replace it with a new one. The false teachers were intentionally ignoring the doctrin