16. READ: 2 PETER 3:1-18
[2 Peter 3:1] "Dear friends, this is now my second
letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to
stimulate you to wholesome thinking. [2] I want you to recall the
Words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given
by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.
[3] "First of all, you must understand that in the last
days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil
desires. [4] They will say, 'Where is this
"coming" He promised? Ever since our fathers died,
everything goes on as it has since the beginning of
creation.' [5] But they deliberately forget that long ago by
God's Word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out
of water and by water. [6] By these waters also the world of that
time was deluged and destroyed. [7] By the same Word the present
heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of
judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
[8] "But do not forget this one thing, dear friends:
With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years
are like a day. [9] The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as
some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting
anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
[10] "But the day of the Lord will come like a thief.
The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be
destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid
bare [some manuscripts say, "be burned up"].
[11] "Since everything will be destroyed in this way,
what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and
godly lives [12] as you look forward to the day of God and speed
its coming [or, "as you wait eagerly for the day of God to
come"]. That day will bring about the destruction of the
heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. [13] But
in keeping with His promise we are looking forward to a new heaven
and a new earth, the home of righteousness.
[14] "So then, dear friends, since you are looking
forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless
and at peace with Him. [15] Bear in mind that our Lord's
patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote
you with the wisdom that God gave him. [16] He writes the same way
in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters
contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and
unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their
own destruction.
[17] "Therefore, dear friends, since you already know
this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the
error of lawless men and fall from your secure position. [18] But
grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ. To Him be glory both now and forever! Amen."
a. What are the present heavens and earth reserved for?
b. What does God want everyone to do?
c. What kind of lives should we live?
d. What do we look forward to?
