Introduction and Overview of 2nd Peter

Introduction to 2 Peter and the Need to Hear God’s Word

I'd like to speak to you this morning as we embark on a new journey together and just basically go through what is I would say a small introduction and overview of 2nd Peter. It could be expanded a great deal there's so many factual evidences that we can look at but I don't want to spend too much time on that matter of fact I tried my utmost to end this message and when I was putting this together in my study time to dig into the Word of God itself with reference and reference and let the Word of God speak because what God has to say is why we're here today right.

We want to hear thus saith the Lord not thus saith man. We'll hear what man has to say but God knows how to silence man let what scripture says that God be true and every man found liar. So I'd like to we're going to take this new journey to 2nd Peter.

Please turn with me to this wonderful epistle 2nd epistle of Peter the 2nd epistle of Peter. And to distinguish this epistle from the 1st Peter it was given the Greek title Petro B Petro B meaning the 2nd of Peter the 2nd of Peter as we embark on this wonderful wonderful privilege together.

I'm so looking forward to this and I would like to read to you just the opening salutation from this wonderful book 2nd Peter from chapter 1 verse 1 and 2 this will not be an exposition on this two verses but just to open this up to kind of give us a guideline of where we're going.

Opening Salutation and the Call to Spiritual Maturity

So here the Word of the Living God and I'm reading from the King James Version this morning and this letter begins with him saying. Simon Peter Simon Peter a servant. I love that a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ.

Verse 2. Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God. That's a key word to the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. May God richly bless his holy word to our hearts this morning as we seek his face.

Let's please bow with me in prayer as we seek our God together and ask his blessing upon us as we look into his wonderful word our Father and our great God. Lord as we come to be before you now our first and great desire as has already been spoken this morning is to worship you in spirit and truth and in the beauty of your holiness and to hallow your holy name to hallow your name and all that we do in our worship before you today.

Lord your name is holy your name is majestic. And we pray Lord as we humble ourselves before you would ask that you would glorify yourself and that you also we also pray that your beloved son in whom when you will pleased in would be lifted up for if he's lifted up he would draw men into himself unto you.

So Lord we're here not just to hear information of the factual evidence Lord which that there's a place for that but Lord we were basically here to be transformed its transformation Lord that we need today Lord I need it my own heart and I know our brothers and sisters needed as well.

So father we just pray that your blessed Holy Spirit we pray and wish we so desperately need your help and the glorifying of yourself that we would be holy fully looking unto Jesus the author and finish of our faith.

And Lord in which you are well pleased in Jesus Christ and the only thing that pleases you is faith. So Lord we thank you for that. And we ask Lord that again your blessed Holy Spirit will teach us may the Spirit of God Spirit of God my teacher be showing the things of Christ to me Lord give us understanding remove the scales from our eyes that we may see the truth that's in Jesus.

And we ask this for your glory and for Jesus sake and in his name I pray amen. What a wonderful privilege again we have to embark upon this new transition and this wonderful books only three chapters but it's really packed.

It's really loaded up. We just went through first Peter. I think that was we've been through the book of James. We've been through the book of first Peter. We've really two wonderful books there but this book here is glorious as well.

So we open and began together in this wonderful study. We're not going to get very far today. I'd like to tell you and give you a warning in this text before us even though it's short matter of fact. Lord willing we revisit this very probably next week Lord willing but dig a little bit more deeper into the exposition and look into the content of these two verses and go deeper and expand on it a little bit more and but today at least to give you an introduction and an overview a general overview I'd like to say and are the three chapters of second Peter.

So we look together and it's authorship. I like to see it look at the authorship the background which would go into the purpose and in closing see why the second Peter is so important to us. And last in conclusion I'd like to apply this to our personal lives and to give some personal application to what is said.

The Book’s Theme, Key Verses, and Threefold Outline

Now to begin with let me mention this. I got this from my insight for living on a chart by Chuck Swindoll. I'd like to go ahead and get bring this before you. I wish I really had it on board and a chart before you because it really breaks it down beautifully.

But the introduction here in second Peter basically in chapter 1 verse 1 and 2 is the first section is broken up in what is called an exhortation to spiritual maturity. That is no doubt the theme of this book exhortation he exhorts to spiritual maturity.

That's the first thing we see. It answers the question how can I grow in grace and the knowledge of Jesus Christ. How can I grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ. So in chapter 1 we have the warning be pure be pure.

You see that in verse 4 for the purity that is that is found and then it goes on in verse 5 given all diligence and to your faith virtue in the virtue knowledge. Then we had the reminder which is in chapter 1 verse 12 and 13 the promise is you will never stumble if you do these things.

You see that in verse 10 you shall never fall or rather brother and give diligence to make your calling an election sure. For if you do these things you shall never fall you shall never stumble. The theme is I've already mentioned this is the theme of the book spiritual maturity as the remedy that is the remedy for false teaching and the right response and light of Christ is second coming.

Key verses is found in chapter 3 verse 17 and 18. We'll look at that in a minute and the Christ and second Peter is found actually in chapter 1 verse 19 we we have also a sure word of prophecy where until you do.

Well that you take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place until the day dawn and the day star arise in your hearts that is speaking of Jesus Christ our Lord. The second section is pretty much broken up in what is called which second second Peter chapter 2 did the denunciation of false teachers.

Denunciation of false teachers now answers the question what should I expect. What should I expect from so-called prophets. You definitely came to expect truth. Can you be twist the truth. They add to it and they subtract from it.

The warning is be aware be aware of them. And you see this in chapter 2 verse 1 through 3. The reminder is found in chapter 2 verse 21 through 22. And the promise is the Lord knows how to rescue the righteous.

The perspective is looking back looking back. Then you have the third section and second Peter which is anticipation of Christ's return in chapter 3 which answers the question what sort of people ought we to be.

What sort of people ought we to be. That's a good question isn't it. And he actually answers that. And the warning is be diligent be diligent. Peter speaks about diligence a great deal. The reminder is in chapter 3 verse 1 and 2 and the promise is we are looking for a new heavens and a new earth where righteousness dwells.

And the perspective is looking ahead. So we see in the perspective of chapter 1 how we are to look look within chapter 2 looking back. Chapter 3 looking ahead past present future. And the present of course is looking within but I like that.

So with that in mind I like for us to look at the the authorship the background purpose and see what why second Peter is important. So with that in mind let us begin. First of all let's look at the authorship of this epistle of second Peter.

Peter’s Authorship, Death, and Eyewitness Testimony

Well it's very obvious it begins with Simon Peter a servant and Apostle of Jesus Christ but that has been challenged by some so-called ancient and modern-day scholars and critics on that that which they challenged Simon Peter to identify himself as he identifies himself as the author of this letter and actually he later remarks that this is the second letter to the readers.

You see that in chapter 3 verse 1 a says this second epistle beloved I now write unto you. So we know this is his a second epistle. He mentions the second but there's a first and we didn't. It covers five chapters and we already went through that first letter but there is a second one now this blows my mind how a scholarly person supposedly a theologian would challenge the authorship here and I'm gonna give you the reasons why which is absolutely ridiculous.

But those reasons are really ripped apart from Scripture itself. So this indicates that that Peter is writing to the same believers. If you go back and says beloved I right now right unto you. So we we've even though it begins with those that have attained to them to have attained a light precious faith.

He's also speaking to I believe the same churches in the same group in Asia Minor who were being persecuted for the faith. So we had received his first letter since Peter like Paul was put to death by an edict of the wicked Nero and by the way Nero died and around June of AD 68 AD 68.

So it's most likely that since he put out that edict he had more than likely Peter was in prison in Rome. He wrote that in Rome and and and the date they give us is between AD 66 to 68 before Nero's death so shortly before his martyrdom in Rome.

Speaking of Peter so in chapter 1 verse 13 through 15 let me read that to you he says this yeah I think it me as long as I am in this tabernacle that tabernacle speaks of his body the tent the tent the tabernacle to stir you up.

I love that to stir you up by putting you in remembrance knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle. He knew his martyrdom was coming close. So basically he's in prison. The edicts upon him he's gonna be put to death very soon.

He knew this and then he says this even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath showed me Jesus showed him this. So moreover I will endeavor that you be able after my deceased to have these things always in remembrance to bring these things to you remembered.

So he writes the second letter and it contains several personal allusions to Peter's personal life. It begins with his his name Simon Peter. And there are so many verses and I'd like to show you some of these verses and mentioned that his death which I briefly mentioned in the verse we just read he was close to his death in verse 14 in chapter 1 which we just read he had just had been told by Jesus not long ago by Christ himself.

In John 21 18 and 19 Jesus tells him that he would be martyred in an old age. And that's when you you remember what he said he said. What about John and and Jesus basically. Well what's that to you. In other words mind your own business.

I'm telling you about you Jesus was so to the point. But that you can read that in John 20 chapter 21 he tells he predicts his martyrdom. So in verse 13 through 15 of chapter 1 the words tent tabernacle this is interesting if you notice in the word deceased and Exodus.

Why are these words important. Listen very closely. Every word of God is pure and inspired by the Holy Spirit. These words are used by Luke the writer of Luke in the account of the transfiguration that's found in Luke 9 31 through 33.

And one of the most convincing proofs that Peter wrote this epistle is the reference also that's found in chapter 1 verse 16 through 18 which says this. For we have not followed cunningly devised fables when we and the we is speaking about the other apostles John and James we made known unto you the power and the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.

We were eyewitnesses apostles of his majesty. And he goes on to tell us in verse 17. For he received from God the father honor and glory. When there came such a voice he never forgot that that voice actually rebuked him.

This is my beloved son hear ye him. And when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory called it the excellent glory. This is my beloved son in whom I'm well pleased. Verse 18 this voice this voice which came audibly from heaven he says we heard when we were with him in the Holy Mount.

I got to thinking about why was that Mount holy. Because God's presence was on that mountain in a manifest way. That's why he calls it the Holy Mount. Jesus was there anywhere Jesus is it's hallowed so that that's why he calls it the holy mountains.

But the writer Peter was present on that holy mountain. Chapter 2 verse 14 through 18 we we find the words such as enticing and allure. Enticing and allure. So why are these two words important to us.

Well let me tell you why. Reason being they come from the Greek word de lila ago de lila go probably mispronounced that Greek word. But let me give you the meaning of it. And you can't you get what he's saying.

It means to catch with a lure. To catch with a lure. So it's they are from a vocabulary of a fisherman. Peter was a fisherman and are thus especially appropriate for Peter. That's another convincing evidence that Peter wrote this epistle.

A final word also that speaks of Peters authorship is based upon his personal experience. It's found in chapter 3 verse 17 which says this. You therefore beloved see and you know these things before beware least you also being led away with error of the wicked fall from your own steadfastness.

Now I want you to notice the word steadfastness. This word comes from the same word root word strengthen strengthen. And if you remember correctly and from the gospel of Luke 22 32 Jesus used this word speaking to Peter personally before he denied him.

And he says when you have returned to me strengthen your brethren strengthen your brethren. And it is also found in the word establish. And we saw that in 1st Peter chapter 5 verse 10 establish you. It's the same thing.

And 2nd Peter 1 2. Also one more final note here 2nd Peter 3 15 in which addresses Paul. He addresses Paul as our dear brother our dear brother. That's interesting in it. He had a good relationship with the Apostle Paul and as you well know Paul mentions that he had to confront Peter to his face because of his hypocrisy he had to publicly he did that.

And a lot of people we really come down hard on Peter on that look as look at Paul as the hero. Well really Paul the Apostle was absolutely right and it was not because he was right in himself. He understood the gospel and Peter was struggling with this he compromised.

And when there's compromise in the gospel even though Peter was the head Apostle here's the Apostle Paul brings to his attention he rebukes him openly because of his hypocrisy and yet right here he calls him our dear brother.

Now how much respect this head Apostle had for this wonderful Apostle the Apostle Paul our dear brother. This suggests also that the author was close to Paul Peter that there are some references that that point to Peter as the author of 2nd Peter.

Why Critics Rejected the Letter and Why the Church Received It

So now now let me ask the question here as we as I kind of build up to something why do I bring up these references. Mainly because again as I've already mentioned there have been ancient and contemporary scholars critics that have rejected Peter as the author of this letter and they have their reasons and I must ask why.

And for a reason I won't tell you what why they the way they look at it which is I personally believe wrong. But we're going to we're going to kind of break this down a little about. I won't spend too much time here but I think this is important and you got to realize there's there's quite a few scholars that reject 2nd Peter in the book of Jude they're considered as dark epistles and the main reason they argue for example that the the personal references to Peter's life are a literary device used by someone else who wrote under the Apostles name.

Basically it means it was forged. So they're basically saying these these critics these scholars are saying that this letter has been forged by someone else that called himself Peter. Now I got something to say about this the letter in order to create the appearance of authenticity.

MacArthur in his commentary I'm telling you I wished I had the time to really go in depth on this but you could look it up in your in your time MacArthur. John MacArthur as you well know is a very conservative pastor conservative I believe he's a conservative theologian and I got a little bit to say what he had to say about he.

He goes into five or six pages on this because of the importance of it and basically brings out the truth. And there's so many things that he goes into the ins and outs. But I don't want to take that time.

But I won't give you one quote I wrote down from his commentary. I think it's very important from 2nd Peter commentary. John McCarthy says this quote there are only two possibilities regarding the authorship of 2nd Peter.

Either it was written by Peter as it claims or it is a pseudonymous it is pseudonymous and the work of a forger who pretended to be Peter. If the latter is true then the author would have been a hypocrite as well as a liar a deceiver condemning false teachers for being what he himself was and giving severe warning about divine judgment.

Forgery ain't gonna do that. And then again furthermore if the book was written by a forger MacArthur says it is difficult to see what the forger's motive was. That's so good. The authors of pseudonymous works usually attach the name of a prominent person to their writings to give credence to their false teaching.

That's a good point. And then he says this. But 2nd Peter contains no teaching that contradicts the rest of the New Testament in quote. Now like I said he goes on into it and we could have spent this whole hour just looking into the authorship.

But I believe we need to go on. But I am absolutely convinced beloved from the beginning of the church has always rejected forged documents. Even the scriptures itself speak about this. I looked it up 2nd Thessalonians chapter 2 verse 2 the even the Apostle Paul warned the Thessalonians not to be quickly shaken.

Listen what he says not to be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter. A letter as if from us. In other words there was forgery that was going on at that time.

And then he goes on to say to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. In other words they had erroneous teaching about the day of the Lord. And of course the false teachers. And I really believe this is why the critics is going after this so much.

They do not want to own up and knowing that the day of the Lord is what it is and says it is in the scriptures. And you notice in 2nd Peter and in the book of Jude speaks much about false teachers and the day of the Lord the day that Jesus Christ is coming back to judge the living and the quick and the dead.

So you know that I believe that they want to get escape from that that now also I want to point out very quickly I don't have time to go in the ins and outs on this. But I learned and I didn't know this.

It's more than likely that Peter borrowed from Jude. And if you read 2nd Peter and Jude together I think this would be great in your devotional time if they go parallel especially chapter 2. Chapter 2 goes parallel with Jude.

So their concerns of us as Apostles and it doesn't it make sense that the concern is an Apostle is their love for the truth. The false teachers were coming in and infiltrating the church to corrupt it with its false teachings against the truth to contaminate to infiltrate.

And I tell you I'm so thankful as I was reading this letter over and over again I'm so thankful for this man that was a fisherman that God transformed through Jesus Christ even after denying the Lord.

And here he is being faithful to his call as a servant and an Apostle of Jesus Christ. Isn't it wonderful. Well let's move on so and even at the early stage of the churches and church history foragers were circulating letters throughout the churches to be from Paul so they could easily spread false doctrine.

That's what it's basically saying. So there was forgery going on so. But the bottom line is this great truth. And you're gonna love this. It's so simple. The Holy Spirit of God the Spirit of truth could never inspire forgery.

The Spirit of God's not gonna put his breath on that. 1st Peter 120 to 21 says this knowing this first that no prophecy of scripture is of any private interpretation for the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

This is authentic. He was been moved by the Holy Spirit. So I seriously doubt any forger would even pin that truth down. Therefore even the early church rightly rejected all such words. Now church rightly rejected all these words even though it took many many years.

These two books the second epistle of Peter and Jude even took the Reformers sometime because of some of the critics that was saying what they were saying at the time. So they they had to look into it to make sure that it was authentic.

And it is it is. And if 2nd Peter had been a forgery beloved I'm absolutely convinced that the early church fathers and the Reformers would have rejected it. Thus despite the skepticism and the doubts of modern critics from these so-called scholars I don't think they're real scholars.

I think they're liberal and and they just by name the best answer to the question of who wrote 2nd Peter is found in chapter 1 verse 1. A Simon Peter a bondservant an apostle Jesus Christ. That's enough for me.

So at first Peter deals with the problems of the outside. 2nd Peter deals with the problems from the inside. And that's basically the the setting. And personally also I want to say this when when when he opens up Simon Peter a servant and Apostle Jesus Christ that settles it.

He wrote it so God himself ordained and is is authenticated by the Holy Spirit. So Peter writes to warn believers about false teachers who are peddling damaging damnable doctrine. And you see in 2nd Peter this is what it's about.

So Peter begins his letter his second letter by urging them to keep close watch of their own personal lives. That's absolutely critical isn't it. Next thing is is the background in this of 2nd Peter the background.

False Teachers, Gnosticism, Antinomianism, and the Gospel

It's kind of a survey. So I'm gonna kind of go through this quickly as I can already on the horizon Peter sees false teachers who will bring in the church destructive heresies he speaks of that allow loose and licentious lifestyles.

The second letter of Peter was particularly directed against the Gnostic and antinomian philosophies. The Gnostics and the antinomians those two here heresies which the false teachers taught and I'm gonna touch on that.

What is Gnosticism. What is antinomianism. It's basically the Gnostics taught that in addition to believing in Jesus Christ one must also receive the historic knowledge. This heresy was repudiated not only by the writers of the New Testament epistles but also the church fathers who lived in the period after the early church.

Gnosticism's been around a while. And as you well know Gnosticism basically says it separates matter from thought. They basically conclude that matter was evil. Matter substance is evil. A formulated idea that the possession of knowledge was the only requirement for salvation beloved.

This is why they did not want to attribute the humanity of Jesus Christ that he was in flesh because they felt that and they believed that flesh substance anything that was matter is absolutely evil. So Peter refuted this idea by stressing the fact that they had already received the true knowledge which is in Jesus Christ and by which he came.

The word was made flesh. They witnessed him. He handled. They handled and they touched and they seen him. So second Peter 116 through 21 basically covers that. Next is another damnable heresy. Gnosticism is one.

Antinomianism is another. As you well know antinomianism believes that since salvation was by grace alone the requirements of the moral law were irrelevant. In other words without the law. So they did not believe.

And what we believe in the moral law of God. Paul says the law of course cannot save us. It's a schoolmaster. It's a tutor to lead us to Jesus Christ. Right. It condemns us. But it shows us our sin. There's a great reason and a purpose for the law of God is critical and we don't get enough of this today.

Basically speaks of his holiness as his purity and the standard. So they throw that all out. Paul says the law is good and the law is holy. But it's only a schoolmaster to lead us to Jesus Christ. It shows us our sin.

But the antinomian is they. They believe in throwing out the law altogether. It's just this cheap grace. Basically that's an antinomian. See a lot of this today. In our day the gospel of Jesus Christ stands alone beloved.

Doesn't it. A matter of fact the Apostle Paul anyone even warns anybody that tampers with it will be a curse. They'd be damned. This is strong words Galatians 1 6 through 10. Let me read it. Bold statement to anyone who would dare tamper with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Because the gospel is not to be tampered with it's not to be added to. And it's not to be subtracted from. He says I marvel. I marvel. In other words I'm surprised at you. That's what he's saying. That you are so soon removed from him talking about Jesus Christ that called you into the grace of Christ God unto another gospel.

Another gospel. Then he says which is not another. There's only one true gospel. But they're purporting another one. But there be some who's to some is he talking about the false teachers. Some that would trouble you that would pervert the gospel of Christ.

We see this today. That's what false teachers do they pervert the gospel. But though we he's speaking about him as an apostle or an angel from heaven. This is the seriousness of it folks preach any other gospel unto you.

Let him be accursed. Let him be damned. Let him be damned as we said before. So say now again he repeats it. That's how serious it is. If any man preach any other gospel unto you then which you have received let him be accursed.

And then he says this. And I love this statement from Paul. For do I now persuade men or God. Do I persuade men or God. Or do I seek to please men. This man was not a man pleaser folks this man was I.

He had a single eye and pleasing God. And he answers that. For if I yet please men I should not be the servant of Christ. Now let me move on. How does the second Peter begin. It begins by Simon Peter a servant bond or bond servant of the oven and an apostle of Jesus Christ.

So Peter devotes his second chapter of second Peter to attacking the licentious lifestyles that naturally resulted among those who held this belief. Paul also addressed this philosophy in Romans 6 and denied the accusation that he himself held within this view in Romans chapter 3 verse 8.

And brother Keith brought out a very good point from his defense of his apostleship which he he hated even mentioning himself in it. But that's why a lot of times he speaks in the third person he is defending the gospel.

But he had to defend his apostleship some way or another. So I'm telling you it was relentless. And in that day in the early church. And doesn't it make sense. Satan was doing everything he can't. He could to bombard the church with false teachers.

Because he figured if he can get at the root of it the foundation of it he could destroy it. I'm telling you these apostles had to suffer and defend the faith that was once delivered to the Saints. They had to stand in the truth.

And that's why I was so critical. So the words that they wrote it's all inspired of God from these Apostles. So wonderful. Aren't you thankful these are preserved for us. Now the third chapter of second Peter.

The Day of the Lord, the New Heavens and New Earth, and the Call to Diligence

He reproves them for their skepticism about Christ's return included within the discussion in which he corrects their faulty perception of this event. He gives one of the most detailed descriptions of in time events I believe and all of Scripture.

It's absolutely awesome. I'm gonna read some of it to you. But it speaks about the delay of Jesus in which he reproves him of the Jesus's return. We still have this today. How people are skeptic. They're mockers.

They're scoffers. In the last day saying where's his return. Well it's very apparent. He explains because God is long-suffering and patient does not exist within the concept of our time frame. Let me read it to you second Peter 3 8.

But beloved be not ignorant of this one thing. What one thing. That one day is with the Lord as a thousand years. And a thousand years is one day according to God he dwells in the eternity. He does not necessarily he's not ruled by time.

He created time he created all that he dwells in eternity. Our timetable our calendar is a lot different than God's. And he's basically saying like a thousand years is one day and and a thousand years is one day in a thousand years.

One day is a thousand years. I'm sorry I'll get it right in just a few minutes. But Peter also tells them that when the day of the Lord comes it would be accompanied by a total destruction of physical universe.

Now isn't it interesting. The Gnostics denied what they believed about believed that matter was evil. And he really lays it on hard with the truth that everything physical everything material is going to be destroyed to be burned up.

And I like the let me insert a parentheses here not with atomic and hydrogen explosions which many false teachers in our day speaks of that the world's going to end up with atom bombs. And look I won't tell you as powerful as those bombs are.

They're firecrackers to God. God himself is going to destroy the earth. According to the Bible God himself is going to destroy it with intense heat. And you read in this in chapter 2 he speaks about Sodom and Gomorrah was turned to ashes.

Fire and brimstone came out of heaven. Now people say well how that's going to happen. What God calls fire. When Elijah prayed on the Mount Carmel he prayed he prayed the fire of God to come down. And it came down and licked up the whole altar that stones to sacrifice the water and everything.

It was intense heat. And that was a small demonstration of what God's going to do to this earth and this universe in the end matter of fact let me read it to you. 2 Peter 3 10 and 12 says 10 through 12.

But the day of the Lord you know what you want to hear a little bit about the day of the Lord will come as a thief. It's gonna come inspectedly. A thief doesn't give a telegram say I'm coming to rob you.

He's going to sneak in. He's going to come unexpectedly. And that's the way the coming of Jesus. The second coming of Jesus is going to be in the night like a thief in the night in which the heaven shall pass away with a great noise.

It's gonna be a powerful loud noise. And the elements listen at the elements. What's the elements. Well you know your chemistry and you know your chemicals atoms and neutrons and protons and electrons and all that.

Or it's going basically disintegrate. Can God do that. Well he created it. He can do it. Hey all the matter in this world it's amazing. You look outside you see this world. It's going to be burned up beloved.

God is going to literally burn everything up with intense heat. It's going to melt. And the earth also in the works that are therein shall be burned up. The entire universe will be consumed by fire by the fire of God.

It does not the scripture say that God is a consuming fire. It's amazing. People deny this. But it's this. This is going to be how it's going to all in seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved.

What manner. Now since this is going to happen he said what manner of persons ought you to be in all holy. Conduct your conversation your you're. You're the way you walk and live and in godliness. And then he says looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God.

We're in the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved and the elements shall melt with fervent heat. Nevertheless what's going to happen afterwards. Verse 13 of chapter 3. Nevertheless we according to his promise notice how many times he says look look for the new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness.

That's what we're looking for. We're for beloved seeing that you look for such things. Be diligent that you may be found in him and peace without spot and blameless. That's powerful. Now that's just a quick jet tour through second Peter.

I just covered some main highlights but let's move on. Well let me ask the question why is second Peter so important. Why is it so important where the churches of Asia Minor we're not just struggling with the persecution on the outside and suffering addressed in Peter's first letter.

But they also had strife. They had dissension within the ranks within the churches and the effort to stem the tide of heresy false teaching among the Christians. Peter emphasized the importance of learning knowledge of the truth.

This is so critical clinging to a proper knowledge of God. The knowledge of the Holy reminds me of Proverbs 30 verse 3. I neither learned wisdom nor have the knowledge of the Holy. Reminded me of a quote by a W Tozer in his book actually titled knowledge of the Holy that did a wonderful job on the attributes of God.

He said. This the decline. Listen this the decline of the knowledge of the Holy has brought on our troubles. It's brought on our troubles. And he says. And then he gives a solution. A rediscovery of the majesty of God will go a long way toward curing.