2Peter 3:1-2
Lest We Forget
In chapter 1, Peter pointed out that we have "a more sure word of
prophecy." That would be the Bible. Then he immediately began to
warn us in chapters 2 and 3 about the dangers of the false prophets.
Why? Because even the teaching of the Word of God can be corrupted
in the hands of false prophets.
In this chapter, Peter moved from warning about the dangerous false
prophets who abide within the church to the dangerous false prophets
who abide outside of the church. Peter not only points out that the
attacks against God and His word will not be limited by location but
also by time. Indeed, these attacks will only increase as time
progresses.
I. \\#1-2\\ Peter’s Purpose
A. \\#1\\ To remind them. This is the same purpose Peter had
stated in \\#2Peter 1:13\\. This was important to him. If
it was important to him that those people not forget these
things, it should be important to us.
B. But also to stir up.
1. The word means to wake up, to get up, to arouse.
2. I’m not too sure what God expected out of the church
considering it is made up of frail, sinful humans, but I
often think He must want us to wake up and do something.
C. What does Peter want us to remember and be stirred up about?
II. Peter’s Reminders
A. \\#3-7\\ The Scoffers Are Coming.
1. \\#3\\ Peter described these scoffers by two traits.
a. They will be last-day" scoffers.
(1) Scoffers describes their actions.
(2) That means they would not only be unbelievers,
but they would mock what they did not believe.
(3) And Peter was not speaking about what was
happening in his life time.
(a) These are a special kind of "false prophet."
(b) They should be outside of the church, and
they will be something new, different.
b. "walking after their own lusts"
(1) This describes their motives.
(2) They will reject the teaching of the Bible
because it condemns their lifestyles.
(3) Their motive will not be new.
(4) As with the false prophets of Peter’s day, they
will be lustful, covetous, and self serving.
2. What things will they scoff?
a. Peter does not give a lot of details, but he mentions
four:
(1) \\#4\\ They scoff at the promise of Jesus’
return.
(a) I think the coming that the scoffers is
referring to here is the rapture.
(b) Why? Because I don’t think Peter would
repeat himself in verse 6 where he is
speaking of Jesus’ coming as King.
(2) \\#5\\ They will scoff at creation.
(3) \\#6\\ They will scoff at the flood.
(4) \\#7\\ They will scoff at Jesus’ return to
establish His kingdom.
b. All four of these vents have to do with man’s
accountability and judgment.
c. All of this will mean that these scoffers have at the
least have been exposed to some major Bible
doctrines.
3. While it might not seem like it, these are major, Bible
doctrines.
a. As I have said before, we are blessed in this
generation and in this church.
(1) Not because I am the pastor, but our people have
the opportunity to hear the Word of God being
taught in a more comprehensive manner than most
preachers hear it taught in Bible colleges.
(2) Because of that, we might take what we are
exposed to for granted.
b. Most of the last 2,000, the true church was in the
Dark Ages.
(1) The first 250 to 300 years of the Church Age was
filled with persecution, but the church was
faithful in spreading the gospel around the
globe.
(2) The around the beginning of the 3rd century, the
Roman Catholic Church kept the Bible and its
teaching from everyone, even its own priests.
(3) The penalty for having a copy of the Bible or
even studying it was death, usually to be burnt
at the stake.
c. The Reformation (late 1500’s) began to awaken people
to the truth of the Bible and study began afresh, but
persecutions continued.
(1) To this day in many countries, Catholics still
threaten, beat, and kill Bible believers just
like you.
(2) Those kinds of persecutions are the very reason
the pilgrims fled to America in the first place,
and largely because of the birth of this country
and the freedom it has offered, the Word of God
could be studied, understood, and taught to
others.
(3) Even so, our understanding of these kinds of
doctrines has come slowly.
(a) Many of the end-time prophecies were not
accepted as literal prophecies until Israel
became a nation in 1948.
(b) And even since then, it has taken time to
understand what you and I now take for
granted.
(c) I don’t mean to say that Peter’s prophecy
could not be fulfilled until recent days,
but I am saying Peter’s prophecy takes on
new light when we consider just how
recently some of our Bible doctrines have
been understood, accepted, and preached to
the people.
4. And what will be the reaction to these Bible truths?
a. \\#3\\ They will scoff.
(1) Could I say that Peter’s prophecy has been
completely fulfilled?
(2) Scoffers are in secular colleges and
universities.
(3) Scoffers are in our national Congress, on our
Supreme Court, and there have been some in our
White House.
(4) Scoffers are in our classrooms.
(5) Scoffers are in Christian colleges and
universities.
(6) Scoffers are in our pews.
(7) Scoffers are in our pulpits.
(8) I do not know if you use the internet for Bible
study or not; but if you do, be very careful for
scoffers are there too.
b. \\#5\\ These scoffers will not be just ignorant.
(1) They will be willfully ignorant.
(2) That means they are purposely ignorant.
(3) They have heard and been exposed to the truth,
but they will not accept it.
(a) Perhaps they will not even consider it.
(b) Perhaps they will not study it.
(c) Perhaps they will be blinded and can not
believe it.
i. \\#2Thess 2:11\\ tells us that God
will send a strong delusion that
some will not be able to believe.
ii. While that is a prophecy of what will
happen AFTER the anti-Christ is
revealed, there is nothing to say
that God will not do the same thing
to others who blaspheme Him and
reject His Word.
B. \\#8-10\\ Judgment Is Coming.
1. \\#8\\ God’s judgment will not come on our clock.
2Peter 3:8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this
one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a
thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
2. God will not forget.
2Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his
promise, as some men count slackness; but is
longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any
should perish, but that all should come to
repentance.
a. \\#9\\ God’s not a slacker, one who forgets or fails
to do what He has promised.
b. What God is, is long suffering. That is, God is
merciful waiting for sinners to be saved.
3. \\#10\\ God’s judgment will be unexpected.
2Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as
a thief in the night; in the which the heavens
shall pass away with a great noise, and the
elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth
also and the works that are therein shall be
burned up.
a. Interesting but this will be at the end of the
tribulation and people still will not be expecting
it.
b. There has never been a generation on earth who
expected God’s judgment when it came.
4. God’s judgment will be by fire.
C. \\#11-18\\ We Must be faithful. We will look at that
topic next week.
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