Standing on the Promises - A Study of 2 Peter Lesson 7 - Standing & Anticipating the Future
Recap: Some call the coming of Jesus a myth, and live as if things will continue as they are. Peter made the point that at the fall of angels, the flood, and Sodom God allowed a sudden massive shift in “the way things are” to happen. He will do this once again in the future, and we would be wise to consider how this massive future event shapes our present life.
2 Peter 3:10-13 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. On that day the heavens will pass away with a roar, the elements will be dissolved as they burn with great heat, and the earth and what was done on it will be burned up. 11 Therefore, since all these things will be destroyed, what kind of people ought you to be, living in holiness and godliness, 12 as you look forward to and hasten the coming of the day of God? That day will cause the heavens to be set on fire and destroyed, and the elements to melt as they burn with great heat. 13 But according to his promise we look forward to new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.
1. If the day of the Lord is so super important; why not tell anyone that it is about to happen? 2. What are the heavens that will pass away with a roar on that day? What are the elements that will be dissolved? 3. Material can burn, but not actions. How will “what was done on the earth” burn up? 4. If people are the ones who have rebelled against God, and they are the ones to be judged; why destroy all other components of the present universe? (including heavenly bodies, the air itself, the elements and everything made out of them; plants, animals, etc) Why not just destroy and judge people and leave the rest of the universe alone? 5. If a company is about to go broke, and they ask you to invest in them, what would you say? 6. So, in view of the coming end, be holy people. Does this mean you better get busy doing a bunch of religious things to appease God so that when he destroys everything he’ll spare you because you’ve been doing so many holy things? If not, what does it mean to live a holy life?
7. Why would you look forward to a day in which everything you’ve ever known will be destroyed? 8. How do you hasten the coming of the day of the Lord? 9. Someone says, “The whole idea of Judgment Day is repulsive. Why should I want to believe in a God who burns up everything and condemns many to hell?” How would you respond? 10. Someone says, “It’s so impractical to be living in view of a future judgment day. It makes you miss so much of what this life has to offer.” How would you respond? 11. Of all the things he could have said about the new heavens and new earth; why bring up “in which righteousness dwells”? 2 Peter 3:14-16 Therefore, dear friends, as you look forward to these things, make every effort to be found in peace, spotless and blameless in his sight. 15 Regard the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as also our dear brother Paul wrote to you, according to the wisdom that was given to him. 16 He spoke about these things the same way in all of his letters. There are some matters that are hard to understand in his letters, which the ignorant and unstable distort, as they also do with the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. 12. A mom finds her teenage kids doing some things that are sinful. She says, “Is that what you 13. I thought we were saved by grace, why would we need to “make every effort” to be found in peace, spotless, and blameless in his sight? 14. “Regard God’s patience as salvation.” What role does God’s patience play in your salvation? 15. Some Scriptures are harder to understand than others. What should you do with a hard to understand section of Scripture?
2 Peter 3:17-18 Therefore, dear friends, since you already know these things, be on your guard so that you do not fall from your own firm position by being led astray through the error of the wicked. 18 Instead grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory, both now and forever. Amen. 16. Be on your guard, instead grow. How can you be on guard and grow at the same time? 17. Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Imagine you were talking to a brand new believer, someone you really cared about and were invested in, and they asked you to help them form a plan to grow in grace and knowledge. What kind of plan would you form? 18. To Jesus be glory, both now and forever. Amen. What is different about the glory that Jesus has compared to the glory that any other heroic person has (George Washington, Leonardo de Vinci, Socrates, etc)?