Holding off God's Judgement (2 Peter 3 / Matthew 5:13-16 Salt of the Earth - Part 3)

Thank you for listening to this message from the ministry of Morse Corner Church in Leverett, Massachusetts. Morse Corner is a non-denominational church that is committed to the preaching and teaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Our church was founded in 1896 by two students of the famous evangelist D .L. Moody. We seek to encourage and edify the body of Christ through the proclamation of God's word through the ministries of the local church.

The Day of the Lord, the Flood, and the Delay of Judgment

If you'd like more information, visit our website morsecornerchurch .com. We hope you enjoy the message. So 2 Peter chapter 3, this is Peter talking about the day of judgment and the day of the Lord. Jesus, when speaking about his return in Matthew 24 verse 37, he said, But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.

You remember before the flood there were so few believers on earth, there were so few people living a godly lifestyle, that what did God do? He destroyed the world in a flood. So as long as there is that salt, as long as there are believers in this world living godly lives, that's preserving the world against the day of judgment.

Do you realize that? Once the numbers shrink, and they are shrinking, but once they shrink, shrink, shrink, shrink, at a certain point God is going to say, ok, now is the time. Look at 2 Peter chapter 3 verse 10,.

But the day of the Lord will come as what? A thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat. Both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.

The Corrupt Church, Scoffers, and the Worldwide Flood

Now the book of Revelation speaks of the church in the last days as being so corrupt, the Lord refers to the false church as the harlot of Babylon. That's how bad things will get. Why? Because the church is in bed with the world system.

It's doing whatever, you know, the governing authorities of the world, the church is going along with whatever the world is doing. It's called the harlot, and that's contrasted to the true church, the true believers who are the pure bride of Christ.

So, look at it this way, when the salt loses its flavor on a grand scale, when so few godly people are left, there's no more preservation going on, and then that's when God's judgment falls. Look at 2 Peter 3 verse 3, go back to verse 3, he says, speaking of the last days, knowing this first, that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, where is the promise of his coming?

For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation. Does that describe the time we're living in, scoffers? Jesus, give me a break, he's never coming back.

Things will just continue like this forever, unless climate change ends it all,.

Or something like that.

That's what people say, that's what they believe. Is that true though? Have things just always kind of gone on as is? Verse 5, for this, they willfully forget that by the word of God, the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water.

Now that may sound confusing, what's he talking about? He's talking about the flood. Verse 6, by which the world that then existed did what? Perished, being flooded with water. So, Peter mentions that they seem to forget about this one thing, it's called the worldwide flood.

So, what are they doing? They're walking according to their own lusts. They're scoffing, and they don't believe the flood happened. That's a pretty good picture of the age we live in. And here's the disturbing thing, it's not just that the atheists and the agnostics don't believe in the flood, and they mock and scoff.

That happens within churches. I would say probably half, half of the churches in New England, the ministers don't believe in the worldwide flood. They don't believe that. They don't ever expect to see Jesus coming in the clouds of heaven.

You see, once the church abandons the teachings of the Bible, Christians, there's nothing left, and they start chasing the world. The salt has lost its flavor. And then the preservation just isn't going to happen.

Why the Lord Delays His Return

Look at verse 7, You want to know why Jesus hasn't returned yet? You want to know why the day of the Lord has not happened yet? Because God is patient? God is patient, isn't he? He is really patient. Well, it hasn't happened yet, because there is still a sizable amount of God's people serving God.

God is still working in this world. People are still being saved. But I think the number is shrinking and shrinking, because the Christian church went from 120 people on the day of Pentecost, and it spread all throughout the world.

Somewhere in the 20th century we kind of hit that high water mark, and then it's kind of in the 60s and 70s and 80s, and it's just kind of going downhill. But God, the Lord, has not returned yet, because there's still 7 ,000 who haven't bowed the knee to Baal, so to speak.

But the day is going to come where that last person comes to faith in Christ, and there's just not those numbers, and that's when the Lord will return. So he hasn't returned because there's still work to do.

Look at verse 8. But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Jesus is not going to come back until all of his people are brought into the fold. There's still work to do. So by us living a godly life, that's kind of holding off the day of judgment.

Have you ever thought of that?

Obviously it's not going to depend on you personally, or me personally. One person isn't enough to hold back the tide, but collectively we are, because the work is still getting done. Verse 10. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat.

Both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. So once the work is done, there are so few workers left, once the salt loses its flavor, the church becomes worldly, ineffective, corrupt, that's when the day of the Lord happens.

You know, one of the clearest teachings in the New Testament is that the last days will be marked by religious apostasy. And I think, again, that describes the day and age we're living in. The early church was so zealous.

Christianity spread so fast the first few centuries. But again, it seems like Christianity sort of reached that high water mark somewhere in the 20th century. It really seemed like the knowledge of the Lord has covered the earth like the waters cover the earth.

But now it's going in a different direction. So based on all of this, what should our response be? Well, hey, things aren't going well, let's just join in with the world. You realize that's what a lot of people are doing.

If you can't beat them, join them. That's what a lot of people are doing. But here's what God says. What should our response be? 2 Peter 3, verse 11. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness?

Looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat. Nevertheless, according to his promise, look for a new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

Now, listen, don't get me wrong. I'm all for protecting the environment, and I recycle and all the rest, but the people of this world, they're so worried that the world is going to end with climate change and global warming.

There is going to be global warming. The elements are going to melt with fervent heat. People don't seem as concerned about living godly life and holy conduct. But God's people, this is what we desire.

We've all sinned and have come short of the glory, but this is what we desire. The church needs to be salty. All right, turn back to Matthew chapter 5, and we will close. Because if we're not, if we're just like everybody else, we're good for nothing, God can't use us, and what's going to happen?

We're going to get trampled underfoot. I would argue the Christian church is being trampled underfoot in this country today. People look at us, it's irrelevant. These people are hypocrites. They don't matter.

We're not listening to them, and I'm not saying it's your fault, but it's our fault. It's the fault of Christians. It's the fault of churches. We are not living the godly life that God has called us to live, collectively, because if the salt loses its flavor, it's good for nothing, except to be thrown underfoot and trampled by men.

Salt and Light, and the Call to Holy Living

So what's the solution?

Live a holy life. Live a godly life.

Be salty. Be salt and light, so that when people look at you, they know that guy, he's a Christian. That woman, she is a Christian. Hey, that's somebody who takes their faith seriously. They not only say they believe and say the right thing, they're actually doing the right thing.

People should look at us, and they should see that. And when they see that we're really walking the walk and living an honest and sincere and moral lifestyle, that gets people thinking. That's the Christianity that swept the world.

That's the Christianity that changed the world. When a believer does that, when the church as a whole does this,.

What are we?

We are useful to God. And then, and only then, can we be salt and preserve society and have an impact on our community. Matthew 5, verse 13. What does he say?

You are what?

What are you?

You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its flavor, how can it be made salty again? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.

Let's close.

Prayer for Repentance, Gospel Faith, and Endurance

And Father, how thankful we are that Christ has shown us a better way. Lord, we know that the world doesn't have anything to offer, they have the pleasures of sin for a season. But Lord, it just leaves people coming up dry.

It leaves people feeling empty. And Lord, we are living in a time really marked by religious apostasy. As people look at the church and they don't see any real distinction between us and everyone else.

Lord, we thank you for your word. Thank you that you have given us the doctrine which adorns a faithful life. Lord, we thank you for your patience. Lord, we ask that you would give us the strength to endure, that our practice should be seen and our doctrine should be heard.

May your people be the salt of the earth and may we put to death the deeds of the flesh, purifying our hearts so that we can reflect you and all your righteous attributes. Lord, forgive us for the times where we have failed.

Help us to do better, strengthen us spiritually. And if there's someone listening who has never believed upon Christ and his gospel, may they come to that recognition that you love this world so much that you sent your only begotten son, that Jesus died on the cross for our sins and was raised on the third day for our justification.

Lord, change their heart. Make them willing to believe. And we give you all the glory and praise in this house. It's in Jesus' name.

Amen.

Thanks for listening. I'm Pastor Michael Grant from Morris Cornick Church. If you'd like to listen to the complete message or if you'd like more information about the ministry, visit our website, MorrisCornickChurch .com.

And we'd love to have you join us some Sunday morning here in Leverett. Until next time, with the grace of God be with you.