“The Lord does not delay [as though He were unable to act] and is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is [extraordinarily] patient toward you, not wishing any should perish but for all to come to repentance.”
2 Peter 3:9 (Amp.)
• Some people think God is slack concerning His promise, but He is not, He is only long-suffering (Romans 2:4,5).
- God wants everyone to come to repentance, He does not want anyone to perish (2 Peter 3:9).
- Hell was not made for mankind, it was made mainly for the devil and his angels.
“Then He will say to those on
His left, ‘Leave Me, you cursed
Ones, into the eternal fire which
Has been prepared for the devil
And his angels (demons).”
Matthew 25:41 (Amp.)
• Scoffers
- Some scoff about the second coming of Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:3).
- Every prophesy, word spoken in the Bible about Christ and the ones spoken by Himself will surely come to fulfilment (Matthew 24:35; Luke 21:33).
“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.”
Matthew 24:35 (NKJV). - Some say nothing has changed since creation, the promise of His coming, Jesus’ second coming, is a lie, not true (2 Peter 3:4).
- Some even say the Scripture mentioned it that we may comfort one another with it, that is, it is not a reality, it may never come to pass (1 Thessalonians 4:17,18).
• Heaven and hell
- You have heaven to gain and hell to shun. The ball is in your court, you have the responsibility to determine where you spend your eternity (2 Peter 3:10; Revelation 20:15).
“And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.”
Revelation 20:15 (NKJV) - If you believe the Scripture that says, all the things we see will be dissolved, burned up in fire, then your hope should not be solely on the physical things (Colossians 3:1,2; 2 Peter 3:10,11).
- We should prepare for where we are going through holy conduct and godliness.
- “Since everything around us is going to be destroyed like this, what holy and godly lives you should live,
- Looking forward to the day of God and hurrying it along. In that day, He will set the heavens on fire, and the elements will melt away in the flames.”
2 Peter 3:11,12 (NLT)
- When you live right, in holy conduct and godliness, it means you have hope and you are expectant– you are expecting the coming of the Lord.
- It also means you are hastening His coming (2 Peter 3:12).
• Visions and goals
- It is good to have visions and goals of what God wants us to fulfil on earth planet, but we should not forget we are sojourners– we are dwelling as resident aliens on earth (1 Peter 1:17).
- Plan as if you have many years to live on the earth, however live as if today is your last day on the earth.
- Be alert! Be ready at all time for the coming of the Lord.
• Looking forward for Jesus’ coming
- If you are actually looking forward for Jesus’ coming, then you must be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless.
“Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, BE DILIGENT TO BE FOUND BY HIM IN PEACE, WITHOUT SPOT AND BLAMELESS.”
2 Peter 3:14 (NKJV) - In other words, keep yourself for the coming of the Lord, by being without spot, blameless, and by being peaceable.
• Being without spot and blameless
- Purity is becoming obnoxious, offensive, to people nowadays.
- People want to believe it is impossible to live pure or clean in this world of darkness.
- Living right is possible with the help of the Holy Spirit on the inside of believers in Christ Jesus.
• The Holy Spirit
- Jesus said He will not leave us without a Helper. The Holy Spirit has been given to us as our Helper (John 14:16-18).
- With the help of the Holy Spirit on the inside of you, you can live above sin– you can keep yourself pure without spot or blameless.
- We are sealed by the Holy Spirit for the day of redemption (Ephesians 2:13; 4:30).
- “So I say, LET THE HOLY SPIRIT GUIDE YOUR LIVES THEN YOU WON’T BE DOING WHAT YOUR SINFUL NATURE CRAVES.
- The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.
- But when you are DIRECTED BY THE SPIRIT, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses.”
Galatians 5:16-18 (NLT)
• Ten virgins
- Parable of ten virgins in the Book of Matthew Chapter 25, verses 1-13; talks about believers.
- Remember, the bridesmaids talked about in the parable were virgins; virginity symbolizes purity. It means they were those who keep themselves, those who were not defiled (Revelation 14:4).
- However, through being carefree; unpreparedness and nonchalance, five of them missed the arrival of the bridegroom– Jesus Christ.
- They were not living in blatant sin per se, but they were not circumspect– they were not discerning or watchful.
- They were not serious about their Christian lives to keep their lamps burning.
- They were not mindful of their lamps, that is, their spiritual lives.
- They ran out of oil because of carelessness, they thought the coming of the Lord could be predicted. They thought the oil in their lamps was enough, they were not mindful of taking extra oil (2 Peter 3:10; Matthew 24:42; Luke 12:39,40).
• Holy conduct and godliness
- You claim to be born again, yet your conduct does not show you have met Christ (2 Timothy 3:5).
“They profess to know God, but in their works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.”
Titus 1:16 (NKJV) - The fact that God is condoning your deeds, your sinful acts, even as a Christian, does not mean He is slack (2 Peter 3:15).
- Do not take His forbearance and goodness for granted (Romans 2:4).
• Steadfastness
- Amend your ways and be steadfast in the Lord.
- Be serious with your Christian life. There is no gain or pleasure in sin. Sin makes one stink, it makes one sink, and it kills (Romans 6:20,21; Proverbs 7:23).
• Note: Do not be led away from Christ with the error of the wicked people.
“I am warning you ahead of time, dear friends. BE ON GUARD SO THAT YOU WILL NOT BE CARRIED AWAY BY THE PRESENCE OF ERRORS OF THESE WICKED PEOPLE AND LOSE YOUR OWN SECURE FOOTING.”
2 Peter 3:17 (NLT)
- There are so-called believers who do not have heaven as their goal, they are the ones Apostle Peter called the wicked people.
- There are many in the church of Christ today who are mixed multitude (Exodus 12:37,38; Numbers 11:4). They do not have heaven as their goal, they want to derail those who are ready to go.
- Mixed multitude are not going anywhere, they will only cause you to derail.
- “Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age.
- “The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those that practice lawlessness.
- “and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
- “Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father, He who has ears to hear let him hear!”
Matthew 13:40-43 (NKJV)
• You will not regret at the end of your journey on earth in Jesus’ name.
Peace!