2 Peter Chapter 3 - An Intimate Reminder to Stand.

Well here we are at the end of Peter, at the end of Summer! It's amazing how 2 little books took me all summer to finish, but OH how I have loved this study! As I type this I am sitting in one of my favorite places. A campground in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan! It is so peaceful here! Our whole family enjoys it, and it's a great place to end the summer, as well as this study.

I Peter 3:1-2

When you think of the Apostle Peter, what are the first words that come to mind to describe him? Impulsive? Rash? Uneducated? Weak? You name some. Through this study I have come to see how he has grown in so many ways. In this chapter I see how he gained such a love for the people in his care. I am struck by the way Peter begins this 2^nd letter. He uses the word “beloved” to describe his readers. Peter goes on to use the word “beloved” 3 more times when speaking directly to them(us). I have never thought of Peter as someone who easily shows affection, but here he is showing the great love he has for these people. Oh how the Lord can change us!

Peter again reminds his readers to remember the Prophets predictions and the commands of Jesus through the Apostles. Remember that he reminded us of that early in the passages: 1 Peter 1:10-12 and 2 Peter 1:18-21). Peter reiterates the need to KNOW scripture. This is a very important theme that is throughout the books of Peter! Know the word of God! We just finished the section on the false teachers, where we saw how important it is to know the word. We will learn more about that as we finish chapter 3. I believe what Peter is doing here in this Chapter is summarizing all his teaching, and reminding us of what is most important. 1 Thessalonians 5:20-22 says “Do not despise prophecies, but test everything, hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil” Test what you hear and hold fast the the truths of scripture!!

2 Peter 3:3-7

Just as in 2 Peter 2, Peter reminds these believers that scoffers(mockers) WILL come. They will completely ignore and overlook All that God has done. They try to place doubt in the minds of the believers by saying “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”. I love how in verse 5 it says “they deliberately overlook, this fact” ~

• The heavens existed long ago

• the earth was formed out of water

• and through water (now here is the important part) BY THE WORD OF GOD.

Then it says “by means of these (THE WORD OF GOD) ~

• the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished.

Then a future prophecy ~ By the same WORD ~

• the Heavens and earth that exist now are stored up for fire.

God is faithful! He is true! As my kids learned last week at our local community fair, there are 3 things God cannot do:

• He cannot associate with sin (Habakkuk 1:13)

• He cannot lie (Hebrews 6:18)

• He cannot go back on his word (Timothy 2:13)

These scoffers, as well as the false teachers will do their best to discredit God. But those who know Him, and his completely perfect track record can rest assured that everything he says he will do, he will do. Because he has done everything he said he would do.

We read a great verse in Proverbs 28 that I thought fit here too. It is verse 10:

Whoever misleads the upright into an evil way will fall into his own pit.

These scoffers are following their own evil desires (vs. 3), and will pay the consequence of that.

Questions:

1. Are you aware how much you are loved in the Lord? Do you understand the rich treasure you have in His written word? Are you growing yourself in love for the Lord and for His people?

2. Are you prepared for the certain attacks that WILL come against God and the gospel? Do you see it happening already, and are you standing firm? Are you confident in God's ability to take care of the situation?

In my next post we will finish this study. I hope that it not only has blessed you, but that it has given you the desire to dig into God's word, and to grow in the knowledge of Him.