WHAT OUGHT [WE] TO BE?
“Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.” — II Peter 3:11-14
Given the state of the world, both the reachable world around us and the world at large, brought to our attention day by day by the dubious benefit of the media, we are often tempted to perplexity, if not doubt, by reason of God’s seeming indifference to all that is taking place. Like David, long ago and in a much simpler time, we may be crying, “Lord, how long wilt Thou look on…Thou hast seen, O Lord: keep not silence…” (Psalm 35:17, 22).
Under such circumstances our nugget for today and the remarkable chapter from which it is taken are invaluable. First, the trends that trouble us are clearly predicted (v.3-5a). Second, assurance is given: “The day of the Lord will come…,” but on God’s timetable, not ours (v. 8-10a). Third, God’s seeming indifference springs, in fact, from His mercy toward both the unsaved world and the sluggish church (v. 9).
Years ago I heard this last verse paraphrased, “He is giving us (i.e., the church) time to get the gospel out.” The commission was given to the church to “preach the gospel to every creature,” and the Savior once said, “…This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness to all nations; and then shall the end come [Mt. 24:14].” As we long for the return of Christ as, for us, an escape from “this present evil world,” we need to keep in mind that it will be an awful day for those who know not the Lord. God in His mercy to them extends the day of opportunity, as He did for 120 years before the great flood of Noah’s day.
All that having been noted, our nugget focuses on how we as believers are to behave ourselves while the night shadows are drawing nigh. The first emphasis is on the futility of living for the world. “All these things shall be dissolved.” In another place God alerts us, “The world passeth away and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever [I John 2:17].” For all our professed disenchantment with the age, it is incredibly easy to become distracted from God and the things of God by “the things of this world.” not one of which will survive the coming judgment. When we go out we will take nothing with us for which we have lived and labored. All will be “burned up” but our spiritual investment.
“What manner of persons,” then,”ought [we] to be?”
First, we ought to be wholly holy. Elsewhere we are exhorted, “Exercise thyself rather unto godliness. For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable in all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come [I Tim. 4:7-8].” As we used to hear from time to time, “Only one life, ‘twill soon be past. Only what’s done for Christ will last.”
Toward that end we should maintain our confidence in the return of Christ. The scoffers will say, “Where is the promise of His coming?” Believers must guard against that ungodly skepticism. We are warned again and again in scripture to be patient in our waiting for the coming of the Lord and that expectation should condition our values and our behavior. Israel, given the promise of a coming Messiah, grew weary of waiting and wandered away from the principles and practices God had commanded them to follow. “But when the fulness of the time was come [when the time was right] God sent forth his Son…to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons [Gal. 4:4-5].” And when the time is right, He will come again!
We are further assured that the God who made all things is going to make all things new, hence let us live with faith that “the best is yet to be.” Time, in its best state, will pale to insignificance when we behold the glories of eternity. “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him [I Cor. 2:9].” Perspective is everything in the walk of faith.
Finally, from that perspective we should “be diligent that [we] may be found of Him,” when He comes, “in peace, without spot, and blameless.” “True hearted, whole hearted, faithful and loyal,” wrote the poet. This should characterize us as believers in Christ, living in anticipation of His return and “the things that shall be hereafter.” Half hearted “Christianity” will not see us through. Let us so live that when He appears “we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before Him at His coming [I John 2:28].”
For readiness of heart,
"Pastor" Frasier
Given the state of the world, both the reachable world around us and the world at large, brought to our attention day by day by the dubious benefit of the media, we are often tempted to perplexity, if not doubt, by reason of God’s seeming indifference to all that is taking place. Like David, long ago and in a much simpler time, we may be crying, “Lord, how long wilt Thou look on…Thou hast seen, O Lord: keep not silence…” (Psalm 35:17, 22).
Under such circumstances our nugget for today and the remarkable chapter from which it is taken are invaluable. First, the trends that trouble us are clearly predicted (v.3-5a). Second, assurance is given: “The day of the Lord will come…,” but on God’s timetable, not ours (v. 8-10a). Third, God’s seeming indifference springs, in fact, from His mercy toward both the unsaved world and the sluggish church (v. 9).
Years ago I heard this last verse paraphrased, “He is giving us (i.e., the church) time to get the gospel out.” The commission was given to the church to “preach the gospel to every creature,” and the Savior once said, “…This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness to all nations; and then shall the end come [Mt. 24:14].” As we long for the return of Christ as, for us, an escape from “this present evil world,” we need to keep in mind that it will be an awful day for those who know not the Lord. God in His mercy to them extends the day of opportunity, as He did for 120 years before the great flood of Noah’s day.
All that having been noted, our nugget focuses on how we as believers are to behave ourselves while the night shadows are drawing nigh. The first emphasis is on the futility of living for the world. “All these things shall be dissolved.” In another place God alerts us, “The world passeth away and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever [I John 2:17].” For all our professed disenchantment with the age, it is incredibly easy to become distracted from God and the things of God by “the things of this world.” not one of which will survive the coming judgment. When we go out we will take nothing with us for which we have lived and labored. All will be “burned up” but our spiritual investment.
“What manner of persons,” then,”ought [we] to be?”
First, we ought to be wholly holy. Elsewhere we are exhorted, “Exercise thyself rather unto godliness. For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable in all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come [I Tim. 4:7-8].” As we used to hear from time to time, “Only one life, ‘twill soon be past. Only what’s done for Christ will last.”
Toward that end we should maintain our confidence in the return of Christ. The scoffers will say, “Where is the promise of His coming?” Believers must guard against that ungodly skepticism. We are warned again and again in scripture to be patient in our waiting for the coming of the Lord and that expectation should condition our values and our behavior. Israel, given the promise of a coming Messiah, grew weary of waiting and wandered away from the principles and practices God had commanded them to follow. “But when the fulness of the time was come [when the time was right] God sent forth his Son…to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons [Gal. 4:4-5].” And when the time is right, He will come again!
We are further assured that the God who made all things is going to make all things new, hence let us live with faith that “the best is yet to be.” Time, in its best state, will pale to insignificance when we behold the glories of eternity. “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him [I Cor. 2:9].” Perspective is everything in the walk of faith.
Finally, from that perspective we should “be diligent that [we] may be found of Him,” when He comes, “in peace, without spot, and blameless.” “True hearted, whole hearted, faithful and loyal,” wrote the poet. This should characterize us as believers in Christ, living in anticipation of His return and “the things that shall be hereafter.” Half hearted “Christianity” will not see us through. Let us so live that when He appears “we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before Him at His coming [I John 2:28].”
For readiness of heart,
"Pastor" Frasier
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