Monday, February 8, 2016

2 Peter 3:11-13

2 Peter 3:11-13
In this way, while all things are destroyed it is necessary to become this kind of person in holy conduct and piety while anticipating and while advancing the coming of the day of God, for the sake of which the heavens will be destroyed while burning in fire and the natural elements of nature are being melted while being burned.  And we anticipate new heavens and a new earth according to his promise in which righteousness dwells.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Now that Peter has given good reason to not doubt the Lord because we cannot understand His great timing, we now also focus on how to go forward.  We acknowledge that an end will come.  If there will be an end, then it is only prudent that we live up to that end as best we can.  We know that we will never be perfect.  We also know that God is a forgiving God.  So we go forward, trying our hardest to conduct ourselves in holiness and piety.  We do our best trying to live for God knowing that when we fail we can genuinely repent and we will be forgiven.  That is how we live.

How well does this generally describe your life?  Are you living daily in piety and holy conduct?

Second Thought:

We must also acknowledge that there will be a destruction of the natural world.  The creation is tainted with sin.  The creation knows destruction and imperfection.  Therefore, it must be destroyed.  It must be cast away in the end.  The fundamental elements of the world – I believe Peter is talking about the inorganic elements like carbon and oxygen and hydrogen – will be cast aside.  The earth as we know it will come to an end.

How does it make you feel to know that in the end the world as we know it will be cast aside?  Is it easy to mourn this reality?

Third Thought:

The reason that we need not mourn the loss of the natural elements of the creation is that there will be a new creation.  God will give us a new place in which to dwell.  In this place righteousness will dwell.  In this place we will not know the taint of sin.  This place will not suffer from the wage of death.  We will be free from sin indeed.  The world as we know it may cease, but God will bring a new world to us.  In it we shall dwell with Him.

How do you feel about this new world?  When you think about it, what do you think it will be like?


Passage for Tomorrow: 2 Peter 3:14-18

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