The Devil's Ambassadors in God's Domain

Scripture: II Peter 2:4-9

C.I.: False Teachers & the Second Coming

In this series we have seen…. – Today Peter is going to end his letter by using the Lord's Coming as his final exhortation to us!

•  Five Things We Need to Know before “The End of the World,” (II Peter 3)

A. #1: We Need to Know the Word of God, (vs. 1-2)

1. ( vs. 1-2 ) – “This is now, beloved, the second letter I am writing to you – in which I am stirring up your sincere mind by way
of reminder, that you should remember the words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets - and the commandment of
the Lord and Savior – spoken by your apostles.” - Some things are just worth remembering…
a. Have you ever forgotten your wife's birthday, or your anniversary? – How did that work for you?
1) How much worse would it be to forget the word of God???! 2) In 1:12-15 , Peter said 3x – our being “reminded” of God's word was a “good thing”!

b. The reasons why we need to “remember” God's word – is because of what it is & what it does for us…
1) God's word is true – Jn. 17:17, “Sanctify them in truth, Thy word is truth.”
2) God's word produces faith – Rom. 10:17, “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word….”
3) God's word provides salvation – Rom. 1:16, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is….”
4) God's word gives us hope – Rom. 15:4 , “The things written in earlier times were written….”
5) God's word is inspired and provides us with everything we need – II Tim. 3:16-17 , “All
scripture is given by the inspiration of God, and is profitable for teaching….”

B. #2: We Need to Know that Mockers will Come, (vs. 3-7)

1. ( vs. 3-4 ), “Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts,
and saying, ‘Where is the promise of His coming? – For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was
from the beginning of creation.'”
a. Scientists today have a word for this “…all continues just as it was…,” = Uniformitarianism.
1) In other words, the processes we see in the world today – have continued like this from start.
2) Grand Canyon = >1 billion years old – “Ancient Moon”? (show lunar shoe print) - Old earth?

b. The problem with “uniformitarianism” – is that it denies God the opportunity to work in His creation.
1) When Jesus fed 1,000s did He give them dough & roe – or bread & fish?! ( “ Apparent Age ” ).
2) Some say, “Apparent age makes God a deceiver!” – Only true if He didn't tell us what He did!
3) Did those fed believe they had been deceived or they saw a miracle?
4) In the same way – do we see the apparent age of the earth as a deception – or a miracle?

2. ( vs. 5-7, 10 ), “For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago
and the earth was formed out of water and by water / through which the world at that time was destroyed, being
flooded with water. / But the present heavens & earth are being reserved for fire, - kept for the Day of Judgment and
destruction of ungodly men.” – “…and the earth and its works will be burned up.”
a. Obviously, “all [does NOT] continue just as it was from the beginning” !!!
1) “Earth” = gae ( gh ); “World” = Kosmos ( kosmos ) ,
2) I Pt. 1:4; 2:20; Jn. 3:16 , “…having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust” – “…having
escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of…” – “For God so loved the world ….”
3) Our J.W. friends tell us God will do to the “world” with fire what He did with water.
4) Yet notice here that God is not going to destroy the “world” – but rather the “earth” !

b. We can either choose to be intimidated by the mockers (and share their fate) – or trust in God's word!

C. #3: We Need to Know Why Jesus has Not Yet Returned, (vs. 8-9)

1. ( v. 8 ), “But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord 1 days is as 1,000 years, and 1,000 yrs...” a. Note: we are NOT talking about the days of creation – but rather the time before the day of Judgment!
1) This is teaching us that “time” is irrelevant to God. – He moves across time as we do space!
2) Thus, God can explore a moment for an eternity – and explore eternity in a moment!
3) So Jesus NOT returning – has NOTHING to do with TIME! – (Beware you date-setters)!

2. ( v. 9 ), “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient towards you, not wishing for any to
perish but for all to come to repentance.”
a. “…slow about His promise” = ( v. 4 ), “Where is the promise of His coming?”
1) As long as our Lord delays – the worst sinner still has the opportunity to repent, ( Rom. 2:4 )!
2) However, He won't wait forever, ( Rom. 2:5 ), “But because of your stubbornness & unrepentant...”
3) That Jesus has not yet returned – should be seen as a sign of God's love, patience & mercy!

D. #4: We Need to Know What will Happen “Before,” “During” and “After” the Lord's Coming, (vs. 10-13)

1. “ During ” = ( v. 10 ), “The day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the
elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up .”
a. All that God created in Gen. 1:1 – is what is going to be destroyed at our Lord's coming!
1) A “thief” does not announce his coming – but after he has arrived everyone knows, I Th. 4:16 .
2) SO one thing we DON'T need to KNOW is “WHEN”!

2. “ Before ” = ( vs. 11-12 ), “Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy
conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of the Lord.”
a. Remember, “godliness” (Christ-likeness) is what we are to be adding to our character, 1:6 ; Lk. 19:10 .
1) “Holy conduct & godliness” are only possible for those who live according to God's word!

b. But how does someone “…hasten the day of the Lord”?
1) Simple. – Ask yourself, “What is it that is keeping Him away?” – Remember, v. 9!
2) All of us – need to get busy teaching others about our Lord (their sakes & ours – Lk. 24:47 ),
“…that repentance for forgiveness of sins be proclaimed to all the nations.”

3. “ After ” = ( v. 13 ), “But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness..
a. God is creating an entirely new system of things, ( Jn. 14:2f ), “In My Father's house are many dwelling….”

E. #5: We Need to Know How to Assure Our Salvation before God, (vs. 14-18)

1. Strive for holiness, ( v. 14 ) – “…be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless & blameless.”
a. Reason is because of those who would make us “spotty,” ( 2:13 ), “They are stains & blemishes…”

2. Use our time wisely ( v. 15a ) – “…regard the patience of the Lord to be salvation.” – ( cf. 3:9 ).

3. Avoid false teachers, ( vs. 15b-16 ), “…just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him,
wrote to you, as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, / in which are some things hard to understand,
which the unstable and the untaught distort, as they do the rest of the scriptures, to their own destruction.”
a. Remember, 2:3 , “…they will exploit you with false words ” = “Plastic words.”
1) They “distort/twist” God's words to make them say what they want… DESTRUCTION!!!

4. Beware & Grow! ( vs. 17-18 ), “…knowing this beforehand, be on your guard , lest being carried away by the error of
unprincipled men, you fall from your own steadfastness, - but grow in the grace & knowledge of our Lord & Savior
Jesus Christ.” – Grace = Theme of I Peter; Knowledge = II Peter. – WE NEED BOTH! – Lk. 24:47; Mk.
16:16, “…that repentance for forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed…” – “He who has believed and….”