Session 13
2 Peter 3:8-18
Memory Verse: 2 Peter 3:9
Nothing can be more hopeful for Christians than the second coming of Jesus. It’s a promise made by the Son of God Himself to His followers. The thought of reuniting with our Savior and finally giving rest to our souls is enough to cause a warm, peaceful feeling of joy in our hearts. The second coming encourages Christians because it gives us hope for a better tomorrow and helps us remain steadfast in our faith.
But it’s not just the anticipation that uplifts us. Instead, we also get a sense of purpose, since His return could occur at any moment. It should inspire us to live to the fullest in preparation. As you study this last session of this quarter, reflect on your thoughts about Jesus’s return. Consider the role it plays in your life each day and what you can do to let it have a greater impact. Pray for the adults in your Bible study, asking God to help them gain a better understanding of Jesus’s return.
We spend a lot of time waiting for good things to happen. We wait for a vacation. We wait for a child’s birth. We look forward to a new football season. Waiting builds anticipation but can give us time to make preparations. Waiting for a child’s birth, we may get the nursery ready. The time leading up to a vacation can give us an opportunity to research and get the most from our destination. This week’s Bible passage encourages us to live in expectation of Christ’s return. (PSG, p. 118)
Peter’s second letter is meant to shock the church into sharp thinking and alert living. The apostle wanted his readers to grasp the message of the Old Testament prophets so they could better understand key doctrinal truths, including the return of Jesus and the implications for everyone on earth. The very existence of scoffers or mockers, as well as false teachers who denied the truths of the gospel, provided all the proof one needed to see the truth of the Old Testament prophets and the validity of their teaching regarding the Day of the Lord.
Peter was not the only early church leader to fight this battle. Paul described the return of Christ in terms of a meeting in the air (1 Thess. 4:16-17). The dead would rise, and they would meet the Lord in the air. He took comfort in the fact that when Christ appeared at His return, Christians would appear with Him in glory (Col. 3:4). Likewise, in the book of Revelation, John offered a consistent description of Jesus’s return and the results of what have been called “end times.”
Beginning in 2 Peter 3:5, Peter argued against the view that no judgment day would come. That God created the world demonstrated that He is fully capable of intervening in the world’s events. Creation presumes His involvement from beginning to end. God did not create a world and set it into motion without Him.
The flood account in Genesis is but one of many places to which Peter could have pointed as evidence. Therefore, Peter concluded that history will end in a great moment of salvation and judgment. Rather than a deluge of water, judgment would come through fire which will consume the unrighteous (2 Pet. 3:7).
With those points made, Peter looked ahead to the certainty of Christ’s return and the holy living that must take place as a result. The promise of His second coming should be marked by two main qualities: anticipation and preparation. On one hand, believers are challenged to live in hopeful anticipation. They should live with the confidence of knowing Jesus’s promise and His faithfulness in keeping promises. Because He said it would happen, His people could be sure His words were true.
On the other hand, Christians should view the second coming with a spirit of preparation. Because Jesus is coming back, all of creation lives under an “expiration date.” That means believers should make the most of the time they have been given, both in growing closer to Christ themselves and in drawing others toward Him.
As you read 2 Peter 3:8-18, identify the promises related to Jesus’s second coming. Then identify the practical implications of those promises. (PSG, p. 119)
EXPLORE THE TEXT
8 Dear friends, don’t overlook this one fact: With the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. 9 The Lord does not delay his promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief; on that day the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, the elements will burn and be dissolved, and the earth and the works on it will be disclosed.
In the opening verses of chapter 3, Peter noted that this was his second letter. It is reasonable to assume that 1 Peter was his initial correspondence. But many of the same problems existed, including a rejection of the Old Testament prophets and of apostolic authority. Scoffers were planting themselves into the churches and raising doubts about both Jesus’s return and impending judgment. But Peter assured His audience that Jesus was coming back and that the God who had judged the world in the past would judge it again.
(v. 8) One day is like a thousand years: Verse 8 is a reference to words composed by Moses in Psalm 90:4. Compared to the eternal and holy God, human beings live remarkably brief and inconsequential lives. That God created time-and therefore transcends time-is applied by Peter to the doctrine of Jesus’s inevitable return.
When we consider that time holds no power over God and that He exists beyond its confines, the delay in Christ’s coming should not trouble us. To the omnipotent and Almighty God, a thousand years passes as swiftly as one day. Peter instructed us to anchor our faith in this timeless truth. Even though thousands of years have passed since Jesus promised to return, we should not be disheartened by the passage of that time.
(v. 9) Delay: The Greek wording suggests loitering or unnecessary hesitation. Contemporary readers might compare it to being late for an appointment because of negligence. But God has a reason for the apparent delay in the coming of Christ. While the heretics cast dispersions by emphasizing a thirty-year delay, they did not grasp His larger plan. The delay meant redemption for many.
(v. 9) Patient: Jesus’s supposed delay is rooted in a heavenly Father who is patient toward us. It God’s expressed will that all come to repentance and enter a personal relationship with Him through Jesus. He does not want anyone to perish, so He delays final judgment until as many as possible come to Him.
Some scholars believe Peter was not referring to every person, though God’s desire for their salvation is clear. Instead, he was focusing on those who were being deceived by the false teachers. In that case, Peter would agree with Jude that believers have a responsibility to snatch wandering souls from the fire (Jude 23).
(v. 10) Like a thief: Such patience is not a license for indifference, but a call to fervent faith until the day of the Lord. Jesus will return like a thief, coming when people least expect it and feel secure. Jesus used similar language to describe His return, which Peter heard (Matt. 24:42-44).
Peter’s words remind us of the danger of seeking “signs” of Jesus’s return. If Jesus is to come like a thief, no definite sign can point to the time or season. The signs in Scripture are warnings to always stay alert and to be found faithful when Jesus does come back (24:46).
EXPLORE THE TEXT
11 Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, it is clear what sort of people you should be in holy conduct and godliness 12 as you wait for the day of God and hasten its coming. Because of that day, the heavens will be dissolved with fire and the elements will melt with heat. 13 But based on his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness dwells. 14 Therefore, dear friends, while you wait for these things, make every effort to be found without spot or blemish in his sight, at peace.
The Greek word (lou) suggests something that is breaking apart or falling apart at the seams. It is being untied or unraveled and is useless. A similar term was used in John 11 when Jesus commanded that Lazarus’s graveclothes be removed.
Peter had used the word in verse 10 to illustrate the melting of elements that would take place on the day of the Lord. Here, he used it to set the stage for a statement of practical living. Since believers knew the end was coming and the earth would be dissolved, they needed to consider how Jesus’s return should affect their lives in the here and now. He would return to it again to define the total devastation of creation in verse 12.
(v. 11) What sort of people: The return of Jesus did not just have implications for the future and the end of the world. It should have a profound influence on the lives of believers each day. The truth of His return should determine what kind of people we are and how we should live our lives.
(v. 11) Holy conduct and godliness: Peter answered his own question about how believers should live knowing that Jesus could return at any moment. But it wasn’t a new answer. It could be traced back to the reception of the law and God’s commands to be a holy people.
Knowledge of the world’s imminent end should inspire Christians to pursue holy conduct and godliness with a passion. God has held back nothing His children need to live accordingly.
(vv. 12-14) You wait: The idea of waiting or looking permeates verses 12-14 and deserves special attention for the role it plays in shaping a Christian’s behavior and posture in this life. First, Peter taught that there is a sense in which, in waiting, believers hasten (speudontos) the return of Jesus. There is a relationship between our prayerful waiting and the timing of Jesus’s return. As is the case in so many texts, the Bible is not shy to hold the sovereignty of God and the will of man in a tension that only makes sense when filtered through faith in Him.
Second, we wait not only for the destruction of this earth, but for the arrival of the new one where righteousness dwells. There is salvation in Jesus’s return, as well as judgment. Finally, our waiting makes room for energy and effort to go toward the pursuit of holiness: to be found without spot or blemish. Of course, we cannot muster enough righteousness to reach this on our own. We can only do it as we rely on the righteousness of Jesus working through us and changing us.
(v. 14) Peace: If we walk in holiness as we wait for Jesus’s return, we will have peace. The peace that believers have is not an emotional tranquility or absence of outside pressure. Rather, it is the peace of knowing that they have been reconciled with God (Rom. 5:1) and that He is in control of their destiny. This is the peace that Jesus promised (John 16:33) and that Paul included when He spoke of the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23).
EXPLORE THE TEXT
15 Also, regard the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our dear brother Paul has written to you according to the wisdom given to him. 16 He speaks about these things in all his letters. There are some things hard to understand in them. The untaught and unstable will twist them to their own destruction, as they also do with the rest of the Scriptures. 17 Therefore, dear friends, since you know this in advance, be on your guard, so that you are not led away by the error of lawless people and fall from your own stable position. 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.
(v. 15) Patience of our Lord as salvation: Peter returned to an important point he had made in verse 9. While the false teachers were reviling the apostles and gospel because Jesus had not yet returned, he reminded his readers that God’s patience meant more individuals would embrace a personal relationship with Him through Jesus. During His time on earth, Jesus had compared Himself to a good Shepherd whose primary concern was to protect and provide for His sheep (Matt. 9:36-38; John 10:11-15). Peter was indicating that God’s deliberate approach to justice fulfilled the role. The Shepherd was still going out to find lost sheep.
The teachings of Paul concurred with what Peter was sharing with his audience. Living a godly life in order to confidently receive the salvation one has in Christ is something both Paul and Peter espoused. It is a great sign of unity that the apostle to the Gentiles and the apostle to the Jews were on the same page when it came to salvation and righteous living.
That Peter would call out Paul’s teachings in his letter implies in part that the false teachers were using Paul’s letters to their advantage, distorting them to influence people away from the gospel. Therefore, Peter’s reference to these letters simultaneously affirms Paul and aligns him with the gospel message and its realities espoused in Peter’s letters.
(v. 16) Hard to understand: Peter admitted that some of the teachings in Paul’s letters were hard to grasp. But, as noted, the communication problem was not related to the sender, but to the receivers. Paul was clear enough in his explanation of the gospel and its implications for practical Christian living. In reality, the distortion came from those who Peter called untaught and unstable. They took delight in twisting his words and making things more confusing for the people they were trying to deceive. Peter assured his readers that these false teachers would experience destruction for their sins
(v. 17) Be on your guard: With knowledge comes an extra measure of accountability. As Peter moved toward the conclusion of his second letter, readers see that the purpose in large part was to help the believers maintain their faith like sentinels at watch on the wall. Because they had heard the truth and embraced the truth, they were responsible to live it out each day in a way that would point others toward the Messiah.
Grace cancels out works for faith, but it does not negate works as a means of proving our faith. We gain confidence in the grace of God to the extent that we fight diligently for it. Firmly grounded in the Old Testament and the writings of the apostles, Peter expected true believers to remain steadfast in their position and not to follow the teachings of those only trying to justify their own sinfulness.
(v. 18) Grow in the grace: Peter wrapped up this letter where he began: the grace of God in Christ. By its very nature, grace is a gift from the Lord (see Eph. 2:8-9). Yet, it is a gift that we are encouraged to nurture in our lives. We grow in our knowledge of the Savior, and He receives abundant glory as we point others to Him.
Review these points from Apply the Text on page 126 of the Personal Study Guide:
Briefly discuss the questions raised in the Engage activity. Allow volunteers to share responses based on today’s verses.
Guide the group to discuss the first set of questions on page 126 of the PSG. Encourage adults to identify one spiritual goal they will pursue in the next few months. Talk about how adults can be a support system for one another.
Close in prayer thanking God for His provision of Scripture to guide and encourage us in our journey toward spiritual maturity. Pray for each group member by name and his or her obedience and faithfulness to God’s purpose and plan.
Reinforce the session by reflecting on the challenges of false teachings in the world today. Send the group an email or text thanking them for participating in the study of 1,2 Peter and Jude. Looking ahead to a new Bible book, share your anticipation of studying together once again. Encourage the group to offer an invitation to people they know who are not involved in a Bible study group. Also, be in personal touch with adults on your group list who have not attended recently.
According to His promise, Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly in glory to the earth; the dead will be raised; and Christ will judge all men in righteousness. (See 1 John 3:2; Revelation 1:7.)
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Read the entry for “second coming” in a Bible dictionary and make notes of your findings. Ask God to give you a fuller understanding of the implications of the second coming for your present life.