What are you waiting For?

 Read 2 Peter 3.

If believers are to grow in their faith, they need more than dependence on God's grace.  They also need knowledge of the truth (3:18).  In chapter two, Peter helped his readers to identify false teachers, who were disguising themselves as followers of Christ.  Here, in chapter three, the attention turns outside the church to the scoffers of our faith.

A scoffer is one who mocks, jeers or derides the Scriptures.  They do this, not because they have done a reasonable investigation and come to a sound conclusion.  No, they talk like that in order to protect and defend "their own sinful desires" (v.3).  What believers should remember (v.1) is that there will always be scoffers.  One of their chief errors in thinking is that history has always been linear and uninterrupted by God (v.4).  Therefore, if there is a God, then He does not care and will not intervene.  But Peter reminds his readers that this is willful ignorance.  "They deliberately overlook" (v.5) the fact of the world-wide flood in the days of Noah.  According to Genesis 6-9, the earth and its atmosphere experienced catastrophic changes.  But more than that, the flood was a world-wide judgment on sin.  God did intervene and He will again!

The admonition for believers is that we "should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles" (v.2).  Ignoring the prophecies concerning the second coming of Christ will stunt spiritual growth in us personally and in our congregations.  Yet, the imminent anticipation of our Lord's return has unparalleled impact on our daily lives. 

1. It reminds us of the patience of God. (v.9)
The scoffer asks, "If God is going to judge the world, why has He not done so?"  The answer is that in His mercy the Lord is giving every opportunity for "all" to repent of their sin and turn to Him for salvation.  This is why in the eternal judgment no one will have an excuse for not giving their lives to Jesus.

2. It reminds us that this world is not our home. (v.10)
One day, every one of us will leave all our stuff behind.  And, in that day of God's judgment, everything on earth "will be burned up and dissolved".  Sin will be eternally gone as believers will live in a "new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells" (v.13 and Revelation 22).

3. It reminds us of how we are to live now. (vv.11-12a)
God's expectation of us in the meantime is that we conduct ourselves in ways that are marked by "holiness and godliness".  "And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure." (1John 3:3)  The one who says they believe in Jesus must examine themselves by that standard and then take the necessary corrective measures.  Because we do not know when our Lord will return, we are to live each moment "waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God".

So, today, what are you waiting for?