Series: 2 Peter
Title: Christ Shall Return
Text: 2 Peter 3: 1-14
Date: October 14, 2012
Place: SGBC, New Jersey
In this
epistle, the chief end for which Peter writes is to stir us up to live a holy life,
in all godliness, as we watch and pray for our Lord’s return. The Lord Jesus will return very soon. Believe Christ, live godly, watch and pray.
Title: Christ
Shall Return
2 Peter 3: 1: This second epistle, beloved, I
now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of
remembrance:
BELOVED
is a title Peter uses this 3 times in this chapter. Every believer is “beloved” of God.
·
Chosen by God the Father
·
Redeemed by God the Son, Christ Jesus
·
Regenerated by God the Holy Spirit
Believers
are beloved of one another—they were Peter’s beloved.
1 John 5:1:…every one that loveth him that begat loveth
him also that is begotten of him.
·
Born of same Spirit, same heavenly Father
·
By same precious blood of Christ
·
Given like precious faith
·
Of the same household of God
Application: We want those we love to be established in the truth so
they will be safe in Christ. If you love someone you don’t keep back the truth
from them, you remind them of the precious promises of God. That was Peter’s
purpose in writing his first epistle and this epistle—to stir up your pure minds.
Our natural
mind is defiled by sin. None can make his mind pure. But the believer’s
mind—conscience—has been made pure—purged, cleansed—by the blood of Christ by
the Holy Spirit in the washing of regeneration--“as we walk in the light we
have fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son
cleanseth us [continually] from all sin.” (1 John 1: 7)
We are
reminded—established—stirred up—through this gospel.
Philippians 3: 1:…To write the same things to you, to me
indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe.
2 Peter 3:
2: That ye may be mindful of the words
which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the
apostles of the Lord and Saviour: [or of the commandment of the Lord and
Savior delivered by us the apostles.]
The
whole Bible has one unified message because it is God-breathed from the same
Holy Spirit. The message is Christ.
Luke 24: 44: [The Lord Jesus said] all things must be
fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in
the psalms, concerning me.
2 Peter 3: 3: Knowing this first, that there
shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,…
We live
in the last days. The last days began
when Christ came the first time and shall continue until Christ returns.
1 John 2:18: Little children, it is the last time: and as
ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists;
whereby we know that it is the last time.
So what
do scoffers say?
2 Peter 3:
4: And saying, Where is the promise of
his coming?
The
prophets declared Christ would return. Christ promised it.
John 14: 43: And if I go and prepare a place for you, I
will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye
may be also.
Angels
declared it as his ascencion. His apostles declared he would return.
But the
chief lust of the natural heart is for God to be a liar and man to be
true. Man hates God and hates the
thought of having to meet God. Let God
be true and every man a liar.
Next we
see the scoffers argument.
2 Peter 3: 4:…for since the fathers fell
asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the
creation.
Man
looks at how long the world has been in existence and thinks this world shall
continue forever.
2 Peter 3: 5: For this they willingly are
ignorant of,…
Proposition: Natural man’s ignorance is willful ignorance. He refuses to believe the clear word of God. Here are four things men are willfully
ignorant of.
I. FIRST, NATURAL MAN IS WILLFULLY IGNORANT
OF THE FACT THAT GOD, BY THE WORD OF GOD, CREATED THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH.
2 Peter 3: 5: For this they willingly are
ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth
standing out of the water and in the water:
God
is Eternal
It is
not the earth that is eternal, it is God that is eternal. Instead of looking at creation as everlasting
look at the Creator.
John 1: 1: In the beginning was THE WORD, and THE WORD
was with God, and THE WORD was God. 2: The same was in the beginning with God.
3: All things were made BY HIM; and WITHOUT HIM was not any thing made that was
made. 4: IN HIM was life; and the life was the light of men.
Psalm 33:6: By THE WORD of the LORD were the heavens
made; and all the host of them by the breath of HIS MOUTH.
Colossians 1: 16: For BY HIM were all things created,
that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they
be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: ALL THINGS WERE CREATED
BY HIM, AND FOR HIM 17: And HE is BEFORE ALL THINGS, and BY HIM ALL THINGS
CONSIST.
God made all things.
So we would be wise to listen to God and believe God.
Hebrews 11:3: Through FAITH we UNDERSTAND that the worlds
were framed BY THE WORD OF GOD, so that things which are seen were not made of
things which do appear.
Natural
man makes a huge mistake thinking this world made itself and that this world
will last forever. God made it. Only God
is eternal.
Application: Turn to Romans 1.
If there be any scoffers here this day, you listen carefully to this
verse of scripture. You may pass from
this life having willfully trying to ignore God’s eternal power and Godhead,
but when man meets God he will not be able to plead ignorance with God.
Romans 1: 20: For the invisible things of him from the
creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are
made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
So
first, men are willfully ignornant that “by the word of God the heavens were of
old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water.”
II. SECONDLY, NATURAL MAN IS WILLFULLY
IGNORANT OF THE FACT THAT ALL THINGS HAVE NOT CONTINUED AS THEY WERE FROM
CREATION. GOD DESTROYED MAN FROM THE FACE OF THE EARTH.
2 Peter 3: 6: Whereby the world that then
was, being overflowed with water, perished:…
The End from the Beginning
God has
shown us the end from the beginning. He
has shown us that in the end he shall destroy the world with the ungodly. Learn from the scoffers in Noah’s day. In their day, indeed all things had continued
the same from creation—for 1656 years. Millions
of people lived on earth. Several kinds
of industry existed: metal industry, agriculture, arts and sciences. Various classes existed in society just like
today: wealthy men, middle class and poor men. Vain religion was thriving. Mankind looked upon themselves as far
advanced just as they do today. But what man considers advancement is more and
more ungodliness. The earth was as corrupt and violent as it is in our day
Genesis 6:11: The earth also was corrupt before God, and
the earth was filled with violence. 12: And God looked upon the earth, and,
behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. 13:
And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth
is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the
earth.
Noah
declared to them that all would perish except they get in the ark—just as I
stand here declaring that all shall perish except you get in Christ. But they
scoffed and continued walking after their own lusts, saying, “Where is the
promise of his coming?...All things continue as they were from the beginning of
the creation.” WAS GOD
TRUE TO HIS WORD?
Genesis 7:11: In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life,
in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all
the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were
opened….19: And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the
high hills, that were under the whole heaven, were covered. 20: Fifteen cubits
upward did the waters prevail; and the mountains were covered. [25-30 ft. above
the tallest mountain]…22: All in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all
that was in the dry land, died. 23: And every living substance was destroyed
which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping
things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and
Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark.
Application: Sinner, don’t be willfully ignorant. 1) God made the earth, he is eternal, not the
earth; 2) All things have NOT continued as they were, God has clearly given us
an example of how he will one day again destroy this world and all who are not
in Christ.
III. THIRDLY, MAN IS WILLFULLY IGNORANT OF
THE FACT THAT BY THE SAME WORD OF GOD, THIS WORLD IS NOW HELD IN PLACE, AND SHALL
BE DESTROYED AGAIN.
2 Peter 3: 7: But the heavens and the earth,
which are now, BY THE SAME WORD, are kept in store, reserved unto fire against
the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
The Everlasting Covenant Word is Sure in
Christ the Word
After
that flood of judgment fell upon the ark in Noah’s day, God made a covenant
that he would never destroy this world with water again—as a token, he set a
rainbow in the sky. The rainbow—seven colors--is a type of the everlasting
covenant between the triune God and Christ. That word of covenant is holding
this world in place. When John saw
Christ seated in the throne of God—he saw “a rainbow round about the throne.”(Re
4:3) It means, because Christ came, bore
the judgment of God, satisfied justice and rose again—justifying those for whom
he died—so the everlasting covenant between the triune God and his Christ
assures us that not one of his elect shall be lost.
The
Word, Christ Jesus, who is God, the Word who created all things, the Word who
was made flesh and dwelt among us, the Word who fulfilled all the everlasting
covenant word of God for his people, the Word is seated in the throne of God
now is hold all things in place. Right
now, “the heavens and the earth, which are now, BY THE SAME WORD, are kept in
store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.” The scoffer may despise the gospel Word. But by that same Word—the word of his
everlasting covenant of grace—the word of his power--this world is held in
place. For one reason…
IV. THE EVERLASTING COVENANT WORD OF GOD IS
HOLDING ALL THINGS IN PLACE UNTIL CHRIST, BY HIS GOSPEL WORD, CALLS THE VERY
LAST ELECT CHILD TO HIM.
2 Peter 3: 8: But, beloved, be not ignorant
of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years,
and a thousand years as one day. 9: The Lord is not slack concerning his
promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not
willing that ANY should perish, but that ALL should come TO REPENTANCE.
The ‘Usward’ Shall Never Perish
The ‘usward’
are the beloved, the elect of God, those he chose by his everlasting Word of
covenant grace. God is longsuffering,
waiting for one reason, God is not willing that any should perish. When it says God is not willing that any
should perish—it does not mean that God wishes all would come to
repentance—though God takes no pleasure in the day of the wicked.
It
means because God shall be glorified in the salvation of every one he elected
unto salvation in Christ, because Christ shall not fail, because righteousness
demands it, not ANY for whom Christ shall perish but ALL SHALL BE BROUGHT TO
REPENTANCE. That is why Peter says in verse
15: And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation.
John 6:
37: All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I
will in no wise cast out.
John
6:45: It is written in the prophets, And they shall be ALL taught of God. Every
man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.
In
Adams day:
the only reason that the LORD did not immediately destroy the world when Adam plunged
the entire human race into spiritual death is because God had a chosen elect
remnant which he had given to Christ before the world began--"Therefore will the LORD wait, that he may be gracious to
you"
In
Noah's day:
"the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a
preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water." (I
Peter 3: 20)
In Lot's Day: the LORD waited before destroying Sodom and Gomorrah is
until his chosen child was delivered. 2 Peter 2: 9: The Lord knoweth how to
deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of
judgment to be punished:
In
Isaiah's day:
the only reason God did not immediately destroy Judah when the majority looked
to Egypt is because the LORD had a chosen remnant in Judah. Isaiah 1:9: Except the LORD of hosts had left
unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have
been like unto Gomorrah.
In our day: the only reason God has
not destroyed this world is because he has an elect remnant scattered
throughout the world. "Therefore
will the LORD wait, that he may be gracious to you.”
Application: Acknowledge what God is
teaching in HISTORY—it is HIS STORY! The
time of quickening and conversion of each child of God is set by God. Each one Christ redeemed shall be brought to repentance.
And when Christ our King and Savior has called out his last elect child, after
that the Lord will come.
No One Knows the Hour
2 Peter 3: 10 But
the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens
shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent
heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
No man
knows the hour of the Lord’s return. The Lord said plainly:
Matthew 24: 36: But of that day and hour knoweth no man,
no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
God the
Son stood on this earth 2012 short years ago and said,
Luke 17: 26: And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall
it be also in the days of the Son of man. 27: They did eat, they drank, they
married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into
the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.
Sinner,
heed this word. Noah and his
family—survived because God called Noah and shut them up in the ark. Noah believed God. Do you? In all those different
kinds of animals—see a picture of all the elect people of God—which shall be
saved from every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people.
Sinner, oh, that you would hear God speaking
this hour! There is salvation in Christ Jesus.
And everyone under the sound of my voice needs salvation. Repent from
your scoffing. Beg God to have mercy on you.
If the Spirit of God has broken your heart, if he has given you a
willingness to cry to Christ for mercy, then know this—Christ delights to show
mercy to sinners.
“The word of faith, which we preach; that if thou shalt
confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that
God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man
believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto
salvation.” (Rom 10: 8)
Believer, here is the word to us who believe.
2 Peter 3: 11: Seeing then that all these things shall be
dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and
godliness, 12 Looking for and hasting
unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be
dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? 13: Nevertheless we,
according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein
dwelleth righteousness. 14: Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such
things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and
blameless.
Amen!