Chapter 3

2 Peter 3:1-9

2Pe 3:1 This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance:  Whether questioned about the authorship of his first epistle, or desiring to tie this effort with the first as companion teaching, he reminds us this is the second letter, expresses his love toward us as believers and elect in Christ, and again states his purpose of penning down these thoughts. 

2Pe 3:2 That ye may be 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: Both the testimony of the old testament scriptures, and the letters being now written, by men such as Paul and Peter, and the soon to be known gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are to be held in view of God’s children as inspired by the holy spirit. 

2Pe 3:3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, Peter details a prophetic revelation of his own and may have been of the same opinion as John that the last times were here. 

1Jo 2:18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. 

And he well describes this generation: scoffers, mockers, people walking after their own lusts, who deny themselves nothing when it comes to pleasure. 

2Pe 3:4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? Ironically, in 2017, as I write this, the current pope of the Catholic church is expressing his opinion that Christ is probably not returning. 

for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. The cycles of nature continue, the sun rises and sets, we still have seasons.  Gen 8:22 While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease. 

2Pe 3:5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, Meaning the scoffers and mockers and deniers of Christ’s soon return.   

that by the word of God the heavens were of old, (Psalm 33:6) The explanation and mechanics of our universe dictated by modern science and taught to our children hides a completely different cosmology than that revealed in Genesis.  In the beginning, the earth was void and without form – and we never find record of ‘form’ being added to it.  Modern science and their 4.6 billion year universe and big bang theory are needed to support the lie of evolution. 

and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:  Gen 1:6  And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. :7 And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. :8 And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day. 1:9 And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. 

2Pe 3:6 Whereby the world that then was,  The world that then was, made perfect by God for man, was polluted by man and sin.  From a natural standpoint, the absence of rain, the unbroken water canopy providing protection from untraviolet rays made the world that then was, that is, before the flood, ideal for man and beasts.  

being overflowed with water, perished:  (Gen 7:10-23) Water covered the peaks of the highest mountains, so that no flesh was left alive except the 8 souls and numerous animals placed aboard the ark.  The perfection of that world now gone, the protective canopy removed, life would change for men from then on. All things in nature decay, and this is where that decay began.   

2Pe 3:7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store,  By the same creator God, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.   (Matt 24:35)  Man panics and thinks he can destroy this world with nuclear weapons, global warming, over harvesting of our forests, abuse, pollution and more, but these are all held in check by a gracious God who has reserved the end unto himself. 

The final destruction of this world, as Peter relates further below, and Paul agrees, is by fire.  2Th 1:7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,:8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: :9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; 

2Pe 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.  (Psa 90:4) Adam, who lived to be 930 years old, died a physical death in one day of the Lord. But the greater meaning is that time means nothing to the one who created it and he is not constrained by it as is man. God does not need time as we do, for all eternity is his, and in eternity, the name itself reveals there is no time. 

2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness;  As Peter tells us in the verse previous, time with God is not comparable to our understanding, and as for slackness, we know the promises of God are yea and amen.  

but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance Psa 86:15 But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth. 

Here is another popular scripture for the works salvation supporters of the Christian world, who insist that this verse teaches a long-suffering God waiting for sinners to accept him and his gift of eternal life.  But the context of this verse, as well as the majority of the 2nd letter by Peter tells us he is speaking of repentance.  Who is it that is capable of repenting?  Only one who is subject to the law of God and has turned from it: only a child of God. The wicked have no desire or capacity for the concept of repentance.  Peter clearly establishes in verse 11 that he is speaking about and to children of God, capable of repenting, and not the wicked or unregenerate.