Living With Assurance
2 Peter 3:3-14, 17-18
The second coming of Jesus Christ. Do we really care about it? If so, why are we silent about it? Or why do we mention it only as an afterthought in comments such as, “That is, if the Lord doesn’t come back before then”? Or perhaps we care about it more than we show. Maybe we care, but the lack of agreement on all the details involved confuses us. Maybe the different approaches to it cause us to have doubts of our own. Maybe we don’t know how to answer the naysayers who pompously declare their doubts. So we remain silent.
But there’s good news! We can live with assurance about the reality of the second coming – even if we don’t have all the details worked out, and even if we have more questions than answers.
Peter’s world was much like ours in its perception of the second coming of Christ. There were some who believed, some were unsure, and then there were scoffers who outright rejected and ridiculed believers for their faith. Although they recognized the promise of His coming (2 Peter 3:4), they simply discounted it as false. Like today, the consistent argument was, “Everything in the world has been cruising along just like it has in the past, with no sign of His coming. Why should we believe it will ever be different?” As a result, they ridiculed those who believed and rejected any revelation from the Lord to turn from their wicked ways.
Christians are urged to resist their thinking by remembering that the world has not always been as it is today, but that the world was created by the command of God (3:5), was deluged in the flood by the command of God (3:6), and is waiting to be judged by the command of God (3:7). Contrary to the view that life will just continue as it has been, the world only exists by the command of God and by the same word He will judge it through Jesus, who will return (Acts 17:30-31).
In addition to resisting the ridicule of the world, Christians also need to evaluate their behavior in light of the Lord’s return. God doesn’t desire anyone to be lost and therefore has tolerated the wickedness of the world in order that more people will repent (3:9). But God’s delay should not be confused with indifference, for the day of the Lord’s return will come like a thief. Understanding that the Lord Jesus could come at any moment, Christians should use that as motivation to live holy lives (3:11-12). We need to commit to growing in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ until He returns (3:17-18).
Sands– Lessons in the ETB series for the fall quarter are being written by Alex Sands, pastor of Kingdom Life Christian Center, Mauldin.