2 Peter 3

CHAPTER 3

Jesus’ Second Coming (3:1-18)

1-2 Peter wrote both of his letters to remind Christians of the teachings of the Old Testament prophets and the New Testament apostles. Both the prophets and the apostles were inspired and carried along by the same Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:21). Christ’s church is built on the foundation of the prophets and apostles (Ephesians 2:19-21). The command given by our Lord and Savior,² which Peter mentions here in verse 2, refers to the main teachings of Jesus which have been passed on through the apostles.³

3-4 … in the last days⁴ scoffers will come. These scoffers are the false teachers mentioned in Chapter 2. They do not believe that the world will ever come to an end. They insist that things have remained unchanged since the creation of the world. They say that from the time of their fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, everything has been going along the same. “Where is the end of the world?” they ask mockingly. They don’t believe that Christ will come again to judge all men. People who follow their own evil desires don’t like to think about a final judgment!

5 The scoffers who say the end of the world will never come forget that at one time God, through His word, created the earth (Genesis 1:1-2,6-10; John 1:1-3). If God could create the earth in this way, then surely He can also destroy the earth.

6 Not only that, the scoffers should remember that God once destroyed all the evil men of Noah’s time by sending a flood upon the earth (Genesis 7:17-24). God cannot tolerate man’s sin; He must punish man for it. And just as God punished men in the days of Noah, so will God punish men again at the end of the world, when Jesus Christ comes the second time (see Matthew 24:37-39).

7 By the same word—that is, by God’s word—the present heavens and earth will be destroyed by fire (verses 10-12), and all ungodly men will be judged and condemned (see Isaiah 66:15-16; Malachi 4:1-2; 1 Corinthians 3:13; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-8).

8 At the time Peter wrote this letter, many believers had begun to wonder why Jesus had not yet come. And the scoffing false teachers were saying, “See, He’s not going to come.” Therefore, Peter says to these believers: “Do not be agitated; do not think that God has delayed Christ’s coming. In God’s sight, a thousand years is like one day” (Psalm 90:4). Compared with an eternity, a thousand years is but a moment.

Not only that, in God’s sight one day is like a thousand years. God can do the work of a thousand years in one day. Therefore, what God does He will do in His own time, and not according to our thoughts; we need not worry. What God has promised He will fulfill. Our job is only this: to watch, to pray, and to obey.

9 Therefore, let us not think that God is delaying unnecessarily in sending Christ to earth a second time. Rather, He is being patient and merciful. He is giving men and women more time to come to REPENTANCE, before Christ returns again as judge. It is not God’s desire that anyone should perish. When men perish, it is not because of God but because of their own sin. They perish because they have rejected God’s Son, our Savior (see Ezekiel 18:23; 1 Timothy 2:4 and comment). However, after Jesus comes again there will no longer be any chance for men to repent. And no one knows when Jesus will come (Mark 13:32; Acts 1:7). This is why men should repent now without delay, and place their faith in Christ. For if Jesus comes tomorrow and they have not repented, they will be lost (see Mark 13:3337). I tell you … now is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2).

10 The day of the Lord (the day of Christ’s return) will come like a thief. Christ will come suddenly when no one is expecting Him (see Matthew 24:4344; 1 Thessalonians 5:2-3; Revelation 3:3; 16:15). When Christ comes again, the earth and heavens will be completely destroyed (Isaiah 34:4; Mark 13:24-25,31; Luke 21:25-26). Just as God once judged the world by water (verse 6), so He will again judge the world by fire; and by that fire the earth will be utterly destroyed (see 1 Corinthians 3:13-15; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-8; Hebrews 10:26-27; 12:29).

11-12 Knowing that Jesus will soon come to judge the world, we ought to live holy and godly lives (verse 11), lest we also be condemned with the world (see Romans 13:11-12; 1 Thessalonians 5:4-8). If we each fulfill God’s will in our own lives, the day of God—the day of Christ’s return—will come sooner; we shall speed its coming (see Acts 3:19-21). God is waiting for us to spread His Gospel to all nations; then the end will come (Matthew 24:14). We must not only repent and obey and preach the Gospel, but we must also pray this prayer: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. … (Matthew 6:9-10).

13 Believers do not need to fear Christ’s second coming. This old earth will be destroyed, but the righteous will enter a new heaven and a new earth (see Isaiah 60:1922; 65:17; 66:22; Matthew 13:40-43; Revelation 21:1-4).

14 Since only the righteous will enter this new heaven and earth, we should make every effort to be found righteous—that is, to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him (see Hebrews 12:28 and comment). John writes: … continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming (1 John 2:28). Those who look forward to Christ’s coming and also desire to lead holy lives (1 John 3:3).

Let us each ask ourselves this question: If we suddenly learned that Jesus was going to return in one year, would we live our lives any differently? Our answer should be no! If we are at present living our lives according to God’s will, then learning that Jesus will return in a year should make no difference in our behavior (aside from canceling long-range plans). We should be living each day as if the Lord were about to return.

15 As long as God waits patiently, that many more people will have the opportunity to repent and be saved (see verse 9 and comment).

Paul also wrote about Christ’s second coming in many of his letters. In particular, Paul wrote many times that Christians must be holy, patient, and steadfast as they wait for the Lord to come.

16 If Paul’s letters seem to us hard to understand, let us not be discouraged: even Peter found some of what Paul wrote hard to understand. But many people also distort Paul’s meaning. In particular, they distort Paul’s teaching that men are saved through faith and not through works. These ignorant and unstable people say that since we are saved only through faith, we no longer have to do any good works; we can do what we please. In this way, they fall into all kinds of sin.

17 Therefore … be on your guard (see Mark 13:5,22-23). Let no believer fall from [his] secure position (see Hebrews 3:12; 4:1; 10:36-38 and comments).

18 … grow in the GRACE and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In order to obtain grace, we need to have a knowledge of Christ—that is, we need to know Christ (see 2 Peter 1:2 and comment). The Christian religion does not consist in merely being happy or having good feelings. The Christian religion consists in following Christ. Christians do not follow a religion; they follow Christ. Christ Himself is our way. To be a Christian means to know Christ personally and to obey His commands. If we do this, we will certainly grow in grace (see 2 Peter 1:5-8,10-11 and comments).

To him (Christ) be glory both now and forever! It is not only to God we give glory but also to Christ, so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father (John 5:23). Christ is our example; Christ is also our goal. And He is coming soon. Therefore, Peter says in verse 17, be on your guard.

¹ Messiah means “anointed one” in the Hebrew language. The equivalent word in the Greek language is “Christ.”

² In 2 Peter 2:21, this command is called the “sacred command.”

³ After the apostles’ teachings had been written down, they could then be passed on to all future generations in the form of the New Testament.

⁴ The last days are the days between Jesus’ first coming and His second coming. Thus we are now living in the “last days” (see 2 Timothy 3:1; Hebrews 1:2).