Further Thought: From our perspective, it can seem as if the Second Coming is greatly delayed. Jesus obviously knew that we would feel this way, and in some parables He warned against what could happen if we weren’t careful and watchful during this time. Take the parable of the two servants in Matthew 24:45-51 (mentioned … Continue reading –>
Peter ends his epistle with a theme that has pervaded it from the start: living holy lives and being careful not to be led astray by “the error of the wicked” (2 Pet. 3:17). Read 2 Peter 3:14-18. To whom is Peter appealing, and what is he warning about in this appeal? How interesting that … Continue reading –>
A young man tried to witness to his mother. He told her about the death of Jesus and the promise of His return. He was fairly proud of himself, thinking that he had done quite an eloquent job. When he finished his mini-sermon about Jesus and the Second Coming, his mother looked at him and … Continue reading –>
In 2 Peter 3:8-10, how does Peter respond to the argument that the scoffers will bring? What does he say that even now can help us to understand why Christ has not yet returned? Peter responds to the issue of the unchanging nature of the world. He reminds his listeners that it is not true … Continue reading –>
After seeking to make his readers “mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour” (2 Pet. 3:2), Peter gets into his specific warning. Perhaps, knowing how dangerous this teaching would be, he sought to impress upon it the … Continue reading –>
Peter warned his readers about the kind of dangerous teachings the church would face. He cautioned against those who, while promising liberty, would lead people back into the bondage of sin, the opposite of the freedom that we have been promised in Christ. Unfortunately, this wasn’t the only false teaching that would confront the church. … Continue reading –>
Read for This Week’s Study: 2 Pet. 3:1-2; John 21:15-17; 2 Pet. 3:3-13; Ps. 90:4; Matt. 24:43-51; 2 Pet. 3:14-18. Memory Text: “Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, what sort of persons ought you to be in leading lives of holiness and godliness” (2 Peter 3:11, NRSV). In ages past … Continue reading –>
Further Thought: So often we hear Christians talk about “freedom in Christ.” And, of course, this is a valid concept. To be free from the condemnation of the law and to have assurance of salvation because of what Christ has done for us and not from our own works is indeed to be free. The … Continue reading –>
Read 2 Peter 2:6-16. What other examples does Peter use to give his warning about what wickedness will lead to? The first substantive reference to Sodom in the Bible is Genesis 13:12-13. Lot and Abraham decided to separate for “financial” reasons. Lot chose the Jordan valley, and “pitched his tent toward Sodom” (Gen. 13:12). The … Continue reading –>
Many people have observed that Jude 4-19 largely repeats the message of 2 Peter 2:1-3:7. Whenever Scripture repeats a message, we should be aware that God wants to convey something important. In these similar passages, Peter and Jude take great lengths to notify us of an important truth: God is in control of the destinies … Continue reading –>
