The Cross Won

2 Peter 3:17-18 (ESV)

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. 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.

(17) Lawless or unprincipled -athesmon- “without law or custom” and sometimes used to mean “morally corrupt”. The false teachers forsake the clear teachings of the Apostles and morality of Scripture to fulfill their desires. Peter warns the believers not to be “carried away” by their deception/enticement, or they will fall from their secure (steadfast) position. If you have an inclination towards the sin they are justifying, and you listen to them long enough, you can start to justify it in your own mind and end upbacksliding, enslaved to sin all over again.

Here is what appears to be eternal security side by side with the loss of salvation. Secure Position – sterigmos means “firm footing”, but of course the  Calvinist would say it means loss of doctrinal stability. One could argue either case: “carried away” -synapago- is used in regards to the unredeemed in idolatry (1Cor 12:2), but also of wrong doctrine (Gal 2:13). I’d suggest that if you are contemplating sin, you see it as being carried away from your salvation. But if you are worried about failing or contemplating some unorthodox new teaching, that you see it as falling away from sound doctrine. Either way – look out!

(18) The grace of God has forgiven us and keeps us, so we feed on Scripture and commune with Jesus and our knowledge of Him increases. 1Pt 2:2 Col 3:1-4; Jude 25; Isa 42:8;  Glory and salvation belong to God – but equally to Jesus! Peter begins and ends the letter with an affirmation of Jesus deity. That is the main reason this letter is challenged by skeptics. Peter is encouraging his readers to look away from our light afflictions and persecution and look to what is eternal.  Romans 8:18

I was going to follow this with a study of Jude, but Jude is making the exact same points. The difference is that Peter is speaking of persecution that is coming, and Jude speaks of it having arrived. That is because Peter wrote mid 60s AD and Jude around 68-70 AD. Hope you’ve enjoyed this study of 2Peter!

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2 Peter 3:14-16 (ESV)
¹⁴ Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace. ¹⁵ 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, 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.

Are you looking forward to the destruction of this world? Probably not unless you can see the curse of sin and how it has brought death to every physical thing. If our eyes are on God – we look for the new heavens and new earth, the home of righteousness. So “make every effort” (2Pt 1:5) to be spotless, blameless at peace with Him – iow in Jesus! Phil 4:6-7; John 16:33; Ro 15:13 spotless-is about character   blameless- is about our reputation

While anxiously waiting for the parousia (appearing of Jesus) and while daily greeting one another with “Maranatha” (Lord come quickly!), Peter wanted them to see the purpose of the delay so they would continue to share what they had found in Jesus. 2Cor 5:16-20 God’s patience should encourage our desire to share Him with the lost at every God given opportunity.

It had been 20 years since Gal 2:11-21 when Paul called out Peter for hypocrisy, but Peter did not hold it against Paul, rather he calls him a dear brother.

Peter appeals to Paul’s wisdom as a confirmation of what he is saying. That is like the way they often refer to the Old Testament Scriptures! He goes on to say “the other Scriptures” making it clear that he considers Paul’s writings as inspired as Torah! Exactly which of Paul’s writings he was referring to isn’t clear, but Paul wrote to the same region about endtime events.

hard to understand -dusnoetos – means difficult to interpret.  False teachers were apparently distorting what Paul predicted.

Untaught denotes a lack of information, and unstable a vacillating spiritual character. Distort speaks of wrenching someone’s body on a torture rack. The term vividly pictures how the false teachers manipulated certain prophetic issues, twisting them to confuse and deceive the undiscerning. Such distortion often continues today regarding prophetic revelation.— MacArthur New Testament Commentary, The

God does not take lightly the distortion of the Scriptures to manipulate and control others for personal benefit. He will severely judge those who distort His word.  I don’t believe that applies to those who have misunderstood a passage (God sympathizes with our weaknesses), but is meant for those who purposely do so for personal gain.

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old earth

2 Peter 3:10-13 (ESV)
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. ¹¹ Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, 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! ¹³ But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

Why do Christians keep trying to predict when Jesus will return? You’d think we might learn a thing or two from history. We are to live in a state of constant readiness for that day. I was engrossed in last day things and trying to estimate when it would take place when a humble man asked me what difference it makes? I finally realized we are to live every day as if it were our last. The church has always expected Jesus’ return at any moment. That keeps us living in expectation and helps us avoid sin. Jesus’ parables teach us to live in that “any moment” mode. Matthew 24:44 (ESV) ⁴⁴ Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.  Like a thief, unexpected, while people are out in the field, etc. So enough of the dating the return – live as if it was today.

Day of the Lord is in two stages, Tribulation – Rev. 6:27 and Millenium Rev. 20:2-10, then God creates the new heaven and earth. Rev. 21:1 That day is also called “the day of vengeance” or “doom” and in the New Testament, “the day of wrath” or “visitation” and “the great day of God, the Almighty”. It’s a fearful event accompanied by fire that destroys all unrighteousness. It comes like a thief 1Thess 5:2 and ends in a roar as every thing is uncreated. Mt 24:35 Roar- rhitzedon – the sound of a crackling, hissing fire. Elements – stoicheia ones in a row, like the periodic table.  Heavenly bodies will be exposed or burned up – probably both ideas.

The devastating earthquake hit Haiti recently. One man said, “Things that were important suddenly became unimportant.” That sums up this verse. Only in that day, there will be no more arguing about creation and faith, no more trying to get through to people; Jesus will be manifest, undeniable, in glory! This moves into a new section of how we should live because of the salvation and future hope we possess.

“what sort of people” translates a unique Greek word- potapous, it could also be translated:  “how astonishingly excellent you ought to be.”—  Phil 3:20; 2:15; Heb 11:10-11 Holiness and godliness here implies internally (heart and desires) and externally (way we live).

Day of God is imho the end of the Millennium, when we receive the new heavens and earth. Rev 8:7-11; 16:17-21; 18:8-10 new kainos -new in quality/different/ unlike anything previously known. Dwells katoikeo – to settle down and be at home/ permanent comfortable residence. Rev 21:1-4, 22-27 Are you living in expectation,  looking forward to that day?

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