THE PROMISE OF HIS COMING

II Peter 3:1-18

  1. Intro.
    1. the promise of Christ return is the hope of Christianity
      1. He has not forgotten us; He is coming back to receive us
      2. nothing done for Him is done for naught (there will be a reward)
    2. there are many that doubt the teaching of Christ second coming
      1. this should not surprise us, and it is not new
      2. the God who knows all things has foretold of such thing happening - II Peter 3:2-3
  2. the scoffers
    1. the true reason for their unbelief - 3:3 ("walking after their own lust")
      1. it was a spiritual problem, not an intellectual one
      2. these people do not want to face the reality of a coming judgment
      3. they are willingly ignorant of God’s truth - 3:5
      4. they justify their lifestyle by denying Christ return
    2. the reasoning for their ignorance - 3:4
      1. "where is the promise of his coming" (they accuse God of unfaithfulness)
      2. their proof: "all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation"
  3. Peter’s response to their faulty reasoning
    1. points out what they have "willingly" forgot - 3:5-6
      1. the original creation was "very good"
      2. man became so wicked that God judged this world once
      3. how can the skeptics be so ignorant of such a major event - "willingly are ignorant"
    2. just as God kept His promise in Noah’s day, He will keep His promise of a final judgment - 3:7&10
    3. all things have not continued as they were from the beginning of creation, nor will they
    4. Peter’s responds to their skeptical challenge of "where is the promise of his coming"
      1. it is a matter of time - 3:8
        1. they failed to take into account an important attribute of God
        2. God does not live in the bounds of time
        3. to us it may seem like a long time, but to Him it is less that nothing
      2. His delay is by design - 3:9
        1. God’s reason for delay is people
        2. God wants more people to "come to repentance"
        3. here we see the true heart of God - "not willing that any should perish"
    5. the problem is not the unfaithfulness of God, but our failure to appreciate the long-suffering of God
    6. God’s delay is so that more people will have more time to repent
    7. "repentance" is a NT word - "a change of mind"
      1. it is a requirement of salvation
      2. change of mind about God - He is holy and must judge sin
      3. change of mind about sin - it is as deadly & wicked as God says it is
      4. change of mind about Jesus Christ - He is the one & only Savior
      5. change of mind about self - we are ungodly & unrighteous sinners
    8. a rebuke to their current life style - 3:11-12
      1. "what manner of persons ought ye to be"
      2. "looking for and hasting" - to wait with eager desire
  4. personal application for the teaching of the second coming of Christ
    1. be diligent in our relationship with God - 3:13-14
      1. a constant expectation of His return should have a sanctifying effect on our life
      2. "diligent" - effort, labor, study
    2. realize that the long-suffering of God is salvation- 3:15
      1. the long-suffering of God is an essential truth for the believer & the unbeliever
        1. it should motivate the sinner to trust the Savior
        2. it should motivate the believer to proclaim the Savior
      2. the reason for the delay in the promise f His coming
        1. God wants more people saved
        2. it is not to give us more time to acquire things & fulfill our ambitions
        3. it is to grant us more time to sow more seed
    3. a warning concerning backsliding -3:17-18
      1. beware of the constant temptation of being led astray
      2. backsliding is not a loss of salvation, but a loss of steadfastness
      3. how to prevent backsliding - 3:18
  5. Conclusion
    1. are you looking for the return of Christ or are you scoffing at the idea
    2. what effect does the soon return of Christ have on your life