Are
You Looking For And Hastening Peter tells us the Lord will come “like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up” (2 Pet. 3:10). Then he concludes, “Since all these things are to be destroyed
in this way, what sort of people ought “Looking For” the Coming of the Day of God The Lord will come like a thief in the night, surprising people, as in the days of Noah. But as Christians, we’re alert and ready, expecting the Lord to come each day (2 Pet. 3:10; Matt. 24:37, 42-44). “Hastening” the Coming of the Day of God The phrase, “hasten the coming of the day of God” means that we eagerly desire His return, so much we’d speed it up if we could. It’s like a child who eagerly desires for his birthday to come, because of the wonderful presents he’ll receive. He’d make his birthday come that very day, if possible. We Want the Lord to Come Today “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself” (Phil. 3:20-21). When the Lord Comes, We’ll Love His Appearance This is one of the distinct differences between the saved and lost. The saved love to see the day Christ comes, because they receive their reward. Paul says, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing” (2 Tim. 4:7-8). We’re Looking For New Heavens and a New Earth Continuing in the context of 2 Peter 3, Peter says, “But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells” (2 Pet. 3:13). Are You Looking For and Hastening The Lord’s Coming We must guard against loving this world, and keep our minds fixed on heaven. Paul says, “Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory” (Col. 3:2-4). Are you looking for and hastening Christ’s coming? Or, do you want Him to delay His return? Three Things You’ll Do You’ll patiently await His return, while diligently serving God, “diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation” (2 Pet. 3:14-15). You’ll reject false teachers and their doctrines, “on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness” (2 Pet. 3:17) You’ll “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Pet. 3:18). How? “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.” “Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love” (2 Pet. 1:2-3, 5-7).
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