2 Peter Chapter 3
1 This is now, beloved, the second letter I am writing to you in which I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder,
2 that you should remember the words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior {spoken} by your apostles.
Peter took pains to remind you of this. So make sure that you do keep these things in mind.
3 Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with {their} mocking, following after their own lusts,
4 and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For {ever} since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation."
5 For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God {the} heavens existed long ago and {the} earth was formed out of water and by water,
6 through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water.
The false prophets and false teachers, and the people who follow them will see that they are not immediately judged and they will think that no such judgment will come.
Note how Peter says that the heavens existed long ago, but doesn’t say the same thing about the earth. This matches with science that tells us that the universe is about 13.8 billion years old, but the earth is only about 4.5 billion years old.
Peter also says that the earth was formed out of water and by water. Science tells us that when the earth was formed it was covered with water. Then came a single continent called Pangea due to volcanic activity. In this sense the earth was formed out of water. And then later, water formed many of the earth’s features due to erosion. In this sense the earth was formed by water.
7 But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the Day of Judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
8 But do not let this one {fact} escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.
9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.
10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.
As far as God is concerned, time is like putty – He can make it appear long or short. This is the Bible’s allusion to Special Relativity, long before Einstein figured it out!
God is not slow or lazy when it comes to doing what He promised. Rather, He is trying to give people many chances to repent.
But when He acts, the end will come very quickly.
Peter is describing fusion and fission nuclear reactions in the atom bomb and hydrogen bombs long before scientists realized that such a thing was possible. This is how things will end on the earth and heaven.
11 Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,
12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat!
Since you know that judgment is coming you should really take spiritual things seriously, instead of focusing on accumulating wealth that will be burnt up in the end.
Verse 12 is another reference to nuclear reactions.
13 But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.
There will be a new heavens and a new earth! This matches with what the apostle John says in the book of Revelation.
In that place, people will not sin.
14 Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless,
15 and regard the patience of our Lord {as} salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you,
Your job is to make the most of the time you have to focus on becoming more and more like Jesus. Keep God on your side, and keep yourself spotless and blameless.
You prevent sin spots by overcoming sin, and you remove sin spots by seeking forgiveness for all known sin. You keep yourself blameless by keeping a clear conscience – that is, every time you sin you ask for forgiveness and you make restitution.
16 as also in all {his} letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as {they do} also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.
Paul preached the same thing. Peter acknowledged Paul’s words as Scripture.
Some people couldn’t understand Paul.
Distorting Scripture leads to destruction.
If you haven’t learnt something from (i.e. you are untaught by) the Holy Spirit then don’t teach on it. Otherwise you will distort Scripture and destroy yourself spiritually.
17 You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness,
Don’t get carried away by these unprincipled false prophets and false teachers. Consider yourself warned about their existence and their plan, so be on your guard against them.
An unprincipled person doesn’t operate based on what is right and wrong but for them the end justifies the means. When you see such people in the church leadership you should stay away from them.
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.
You focus on becoming more like Jesus by knowing what Jesus is like and getting God’s help (i.e. grace) to become like Him.
Do that to make God look good.
In summary, Peter tells us what to focus on after we become a Christian, and that there will be an organized effort to distract us from focusing on those things. He urges us to not fall into the trap.
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