2 Peter 3
v.1
This is now, beloved, the second letter I am writing to you in which I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder,
The Greek term here is eilikrinē. This literally means something found to be pure when examined by sunlight. A common legend is that the English word “sincere” comes from two Latin words which translate to “without wax.” The story goes that crafty pottery salesmen would sometimes use wax to disguise cracks in their pottery. When held up to the sun, though, light would show through the wax, revealing the deception. A pot held up to the sun and found to be flawless was “without wax,” or “sincere:” hiding no faults. In truth, the word sincere is not based in those Latin terms, and seems to come from words relating to wholeness and purity. As an analogy, however, the story still has some merit.
v.2
I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the commands given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.
See 2022-08-22 21 56 Pages 1280-1300 for other proof-texts that the New Testament apostles were the counterpart to Old Testament prophets.
v.8
But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.
v.9
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
Consistent with his character in Ezekiel 33:11.
One may have a sincere desire that others should not perish, and yet it may be that, in entire consistency with that, they will perish. A parent has a sincere wish that his children should not be punished, and yet he himself may be under a moral necessity to punish them. A lawgiver may have a sincere wish that no one should ever break the laws, or be punished, and yet he himself may build a prison, and construct a gallows, and cause the law to be executed in a most rigorous manner. A judge on the bench may have a sincere desire that no man should be executed, and that everyone arraigned before him should be found to be innocent, and yet even he, in entire accordance with that wish, and with a most benevolent heart, even with tears in his eyes, may pronounce the sentence of the law.
Calvin himself showed moderation and exegetical wisdom, when he suggested that God’s love toward the human race is so wonderful that he wants all of them to be saved, and he is prepared to bestow salvation on the lost. Thus the “you” is addressed to human-kind and “not wanting” is used of his will of desire, not of his will of decree (cf. Eze 18:23; 1 Ti 2:4).
v.10
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.
God could destroy the earth again as He did in the days of the flood. “There is still water enough to drown the earth, and there is iniquity enough to induce God to destroy it and its inhabitants.” (Clarke) Yet God has promised to deal with this world with fire, not flooding.
v.11-12
Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 12as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.
v.14
So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless, and at peace with him.
v.15
Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him.
We are puzzled at the longsuffering which causes so weary a delay. One of the reasons is that we have not much longsuffering ourselves. We think that we do well to be angry with the rebellious, and so we prove ourselves to be more like Jonah than Jesus. A few have learned to be patient and pitiful to the ungodly, but many more are of the mind of James and John, who would have called fire from heaven upon those who rejected the Savior. We are in such a hurry.
v.18
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.
But you will remark that our text does not say anything about grace growing; it does not say that grace grows. It tells us to ‘grow in grace.’ There is a vast difference between grace growing and our growing in grace. God’s grace never increases; it is always infinite, so it cannot be more; it is always everlasting; it is always bottomless; it is always shoreless. It cannot be more; and, in the nature of God, it could not be less. The text tells us to ‘grow in grace.’ We are in the sea of God’s grace; we cannot be in a deeper sea, but let us grow now we are in it.
CharlesSpurgeon related to 1 Corinthians 15:10
No one becomes eminently pious, any more than one becomes eminently learned or rich, who does not intend to; and ordinarily men in religion are what they design to be. They have about as much religion as they wish, and possess about the character which they intend to possess. When men reach extraordinary elevations in religion, like Baxter, Payson, and Edwards, they have gained only what they meant to gain; and the gay and worldly professors of religion who have little comfort and peace, have in fact the characters which they designed to have. If these things are so, then we may see the propriety of the injunction “to grow in grace;” and then too we may see the reason why so feeble attainments are made in piety by the great mass of those who profess religion.
similar sentiment to James 4:6
See knowledge in Philippians 3:8 and Colossians 1:10.
To know the Lord Jesus Christ - to possess just views of his person, character, and work - is the sum and essence of the Christian religion; and with this injunction, therefore, the apostle appropriately closes this epistle. He who has a saving knowledge of Christ, has in tact all that is essential to his welfare in the life that is, and in that which is to come; he who has not this knowledge, though he may be distinguished in the learning of the schools, and may be profoundly skilled in the sciences, has in reality no knowledge that will avail him in the great matters pertaining to his eternal welfare.
Amen Under the law, Amen was only said at the declaration of the curses (Deuteronomy 27:14-26). Under the New Covenant, we say “Amen” at the announcement of a great blessing and praise to God.