The Second Letter of Peter- 11

Subtitle: The Impact of Judgment Day

A link to the audio can be found at the bottom of this article.

2 Peter 3:11-13.  This sermon was preached by Pastor Marty Bonner on Sunday, October 4, 2026.

Peter has reminded us that the Day of the Lord will come upon the world like a thief.  They will not be ready for it, even though they have been warned for twenty centuries and more.  He even warns us that these heavens and this earth are going to be melted down in which all bonds are broken apart.  He then ties this to the promise that God will create new heavens and a new earth (generally understood to be from the same material).

Let’s look at our passage.

The proper response to this (v. 11-13)

In verse 11, the phrase “all these things” refers back to all that he has just mentioned about God’s judgment and the melting down of the universe.  It is then followed up with an exclamation declaring how we should then live in the light of those things.

Some versions translate this as a question, “What manner of persons ought you to be…?”  The sentence goes through verse 12, so the question mark is generally found at the end of it.  It is true that a word is used that implies a question.  However, there is another word present that causes this to be more of an exclamation and exhortation simultaneously.  This has a more powerful exhortative feel to it as opposed to a simple question that he seems to answer for them within the question itself.  “What manner of people ought you to be…!  Peter can see no other proper response to the judgment of the universe than to embrace the holy conduct and godliness of Jesus himself.

This is in contrast to the earlier response of the scoffers to these matters.  They did not believe it, and so they are among those who will be caught by surprise.  Our response is in contrast.  We do believe it, and it affects how we live our lives in the present.  We are not among those who will be caught by surprise at these events.

What sort of people ought you to be is not so much a question but a declaration that we should be inspired by these things to follow Jesus with even greater zeal.

He first mentions that we should respond in holy conduct or behavior.  It should be holy because we have been called to God’s purpose in Jesus.  Our life should be to accomplish his purpose and for his glory.  Technically, all of humanity was created for such a holy purpose.  However, in our sinfulness, it takes the redemption of Jesus and our response of faith in that redemption to secure our holy purpose in this life.

Holy conduct also carries the connotation of being pure.  The destruction of all that we see and is around us should inspire a conduct that is different from those who do not believe.  This is not a holier-than-thou attitude.  Rather, it is a head down, doing what Christ told us to do, which is to love people with the same love that Christ gave to us.  Jesus told his disciples to love one another as he had loved them.  Jesus loved them, loved us, sacrificially and at his own cost.

Peter adds another description of our life, Godliness.  The underlying word refers to the good response (good piety) of a person to God.  Godliness is a reminder that we were created as image bearers of God.  We can fight against this nature and use this imaging ability to image the devil, but it is our true nature to image God, regardless.  The man Jesus was the perfect imager of God the Father.  To see him is to see the Father.   Doing things the way that Jesus would do them is the definition of godliness.  We could also recognize that this is the same thing that the Spirit of Christ, the Holy Spirit, leads us to do from within us.

I know that a new believer may feel like praying is unnatural.  However, that is more a product of your upbringing than it is of your true nature.  It is a product of the broken way of life that you have lived for so long.  There is nothing more natural than to address the Creator who made us all.  Just like a newly wed couple may feel strange in each other’s presence for a while becoming accustomed to one another, so we can come to enjoy talking with God about our lives each day.

In verse 12, Peter mentions that we should live with an expectation of the coming of the Day of God.  It is not just a looking of trying to find something, i.e., when is this going to happen.  It is a looking forward to in the sense of an excited expectation that affects our life today.  This is a promise given to us from God which gives us great hope in the present.

This is not so much an expectation that He is supposed to come today.  This is not about a daily disappointment that He didn’t come back today and then pinning our hopes on tomorrow.  No.  This is a deep-seated confidence that it is coming.  It is a deep-seated confidence that our response is proper.  It is a confidence that we do not need to fear that day but can rejoice as God removes wickedness from our daily experience.

It is important to realize that the things around us are not as real and solid as they seem to us now.  In a moment, everything on this planet could melt down at God’s command.  Yes, we must deal with them as they are substantially here, but we want to be on the good side of the future melt-down that is coming.  In fact, God wants us to be on the right side of that as well.

It is good to note that Peter refers to the “coming” of the Day of God.  The word here speaks of a coming of presence.  Christ is here by the Spirit of God, but on that day, his presence will come to this earth to deal with the rebels and their rebellion.  Such a coming has several stages to it.  It is not so much about an instant in time when he arrives.  It is a series of events that initiates the removal of wickedness and the recreation of all things.  Christ is coming back physically.  This will initiate a series of events that will eventually lead us into new heavens and a new earth.

Peter also mentions that we should be “hastening” the coming of the Day of God.  Hastening is the idea of speeding something along as opposed to slowing it down or as opposed to being an observer only.  Our holy conduct, godly lives and looking forward to his coming will actively participate in the coming of Christ and the Day of God.  Somehow, it speeds up this coming.

We may not know all the ways that it speeds it up, but we can use Scripture itself to gain some understanding.  Jesus mentions that the end of this age will not come until the Gospel goes to the ends of the earth (Matthew 24:14).  Thus, as we take the Gospel to the ends of the earth, we bring the world closer to the end of this age.

Another aspect to note is that Scripture speaks of God restraining the devil’s plans for this earth (2 Thessalonians 2:5-12).  As we take the Gospel to the ends of the earth, it not only triggers the end of the age in the coming of Christ, but it also triggers the end of the restraint of great evil.  The breaking forth of the Antichrist with multitudes taking his mark and pledging allegiance to him will also speed up the coming of the Day of God.

The Gospel saves some, but it also provokes others.  Satan does not like humans at all, but he hates true Christians deeply.  Many who side with him will become channels of his vehement vitriol.

Though the destruction of this universe should inspire godly living today, there is a good hope on the other side of that judgment.  Verse 13 reminds us that we are looking for (excitedly expecting) the fulfillment of God’s promise of new heavens and a new earth.  God is not just going to judge all things.  He is also going to re-create all things in which no evil thing can reside!

Though we are excitedly looking forward to such things, it should not inspire an attitude that discounts this world, e.g., “Good riddance!”  Jesus did not do that.

I have seen some Christians accuse those who promote righteousness as trying to “polish the brass on a sinking ship.”  Jesus taught his generation the truth.  They crucified him for it.  However, he taught them knowing what they would do to him.  He laid his life down for them knowing that many of them would not believe.  Was he polishing brass on a sinking ship?  Or what was he doing?  He was offering the love of God to people who didn’t deserve it, to people who would cast it aside.  Yet, many did believe.

There is a tension between this world being your hope and this world being the field in which you labor for Christ.  If all of your hopes are on the things of this world, then maybe you are simply polishing the brass on a sinking ship.  However, if you are attempting to save some of the people on that ship so that they do not perish, then you are doing more than polishing brass.  You are being a channel of the love of God to a perishing people.

We are to share the Gospel and demonstrate right living to the world.  How this impacts our neighbors, city, Republic, or world, is between them and God.  Our is to be faithful.  This life is good and meaningful when it is lived in Christ.  Yet, God has something even better ahead!

Notice that Peter describes the new heavens and new earth with the phrase, “where righteousness dwells.”  This description of them reminds us that God will have removed all unrighteousness.  The word “dwells” may even intentionally tie back to Peter’s theme of Christians being sojourners in this world.  We are only passing through this temporary world.  While we live here for a season, we witness to the world around us of a city, a universe, whose builder and maker is God.  A place where no wicked thing is allowed (see Revelation 21:27).  It is a dwelling place for The Righteous (those who believe in Christ) and for only righteousness.  Imagine a place where we will never experience evil from another person or spirit again!  Or even better, where we will be made perfectly like Jesus and not interested in giving ourselves to wickedness at all towards one another!

This is God’s plan for us, for you!  Let us be the righteousness of Jesus sojourning on this planet until He brings us into our permanent and perfect home!

Impact audio

Faith in Action

Hebrews 12:12-17.  This sermon was preached by Pastor Marty Bonner on August 20, 2017.  Today we will continue in looking at Hebrews 12 and the importance of faith in the life of a Christian.  We have looked at how faith is a long-distance, endurance race, which includes times of discipline from the Lord.  In the verses we will look at today, we are given instructions that will help us to keep living by faith and what that looks like.

Prepare yourself for God’s work

As the Holy Spirit instructs us to lay aside the weights and sins that would hold us down (vs. 1) and to keep our eyes on Jesus (vs. 2), here we are given further instructions in verse 12.  Before we get into what those instructions are, it is imperative to recognize that faith involves doing what God has for us to do.  These instructions are teaching us how to prepare ourselves so that we can do His work by faith.  Running the race of faith is a series of actions in life that flow from our confidence in Christ (his commands and direction), as opposed to doing our own thing. 

So we start with strengthening our hands and knees for the work.  Both of these aspects of our body are important to many tasks of life.  We use them to move, touch, and help others in so many ways.  Of course other body parts could be mentioned as well.  The point is really about strength to obey Jesus.  In fact the word for “feeble knees” could be translated as “paralyzed knees.”  Why would I have my hands hanging at my side and my knees paralyzed when Jesus has given me my marching orders?  It could be because of fear and discouragement, whether from past failures or present threats.  It could also be from the temptation of sin, its debilitating effects, and even deception.  The devil loves to get us in a position where we are neutralized from doing God’s will for any reason possible.  We need to first know what our Father’s business is, and then we must strengthen ourselves to do it.  I believe keeping our eyes on Jesus (vs. 2) and praying for the help of the Holy Spirit will go a long way to giving us the strength we need to obey Jesus.  However, don’t think that means you will feel strong.  The flesh often “feels” weak when you are exercising faith in God.  So trust God to help you as you step forward in faith.

Next we are told to straighten our path with others.  A straight path is an important image in the Bible.  In fact it reminds me of John the Baptist who quoted from Isaiah when he called himself, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness:  Prepare the way of the LORD; make His paths straight.”  This image of building a road could be seen as making a path for the Lord Himself to walk on.  However, it can also be seen as straightening our lives because they belong to Him.  We have been purchased by Jesus and our lives (the way we live them) should take on the same form as the Lord himself.  My flesh makes me want to go to the left and to the right.  My flesh doesn’t want to go through the hassle of tearing down the high and proud places in my life, or the hassle of letting him lift up the low places (humble or weak) in our life.  To build a life that walks straight with our fellow man and is flat before them and the Lord is not easy.  In fact, without God it is impossible.  Repentance is the first step in asking God to help us in this endeavor, and believe His Word, He will.  Don’t let your flesh, or the world, dictate how you live among others or for what purposes.  Instead focus upon Jesus and the path you walk will be straight (correct).  His way must become our way.

Pursue peace with others and holiness with God

The next steps come in verse 14.  We must pursue peace with others and holiness with God.  A common thing in the Bible is the three aspects of self, others, and Jesus.  In verses 12 through 13 the instruction is focused on what we should do in ourselves.  Here we deal with the other two aspects “others” and “God.” 

When we are told to pursue peace with all people, it assumes that it will be hard to achieve for both internal and external reasons.  It is easy to quit seeking peace with others.  But that door is not left open for us.  No matter what we are to pursue peace.  Yet, peace cannot be contrived.  It must be real.  On one hand it is God’s will for His people to dwell in peace together, and it is His will for us to live peacefully among unbelievers.  However, Romans 12:18 gives us more information on this command.  “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.”  It even goes on to tell believers that they must refrain from seeking revenge for wrongs done to us.  Instead we are to trust God’s judgments.  So recognize that though peace is the goal, we must not become people pleasers in order to get it.  We are to remain God pleasers always.  Thus for our part we act peacefully towards others, even though they may reject us and act without peace back towards us.  In those cases, we pray for them and wait for God to bring them around.  One of the surest ways to snuff out faith in others is to seek your own revenge, or to be overly obsessed with peace.  Both extremes side step the power of the Gospel and replace it with human power.

Now the holiness part needs to be looked at.  Holiness with God cannot be skipped in our lives.  It is often the first thing to be jettisoned when dealing with others.  What do I mean by that?  The essence of “holiness” is that we are not just another person.  We belong to the Lord and thus are to use our lives for his purposes only.  This is a holy thing.  But hurt and anger tempt us to reject holiness and choose to use our lives as we please.  We cannot continually reject our Lord and think such a life will end in our salvation.  I am not saying that our works save us.  But I am saying that the Lord has saved us for us to follow Him.  If we say we are following Him, but do whatever we want, we are simply lying to ourselves and the world around us.  Without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6), and faith involves learning to follow Jesus.  Praise God that He helps us and knows that we are weak.  Trust His love and His instructions and He will bring you through.

In verse 15 we are told to watch again.  In verse 2 it was to look to Jesus for direction and encouragement.  But here we are told to watch for those things that are hazardous to our faith, and pitfalls spiritually.  As a band of brothers and sisters we must not only watch out for ourselves, but for one another.  We don’t want anyone to fall short of the grace of God, that is, to quit the race for one reason or another.  One of those hazards is bitterness.  Bitterness is likened to a root that starts out deep in our heart.  Someone wronged us somehow.  It can even be bitterness at God for allowing something to happen in our life.  We become frustrated and angry of how things went and can hold on to grudges and anger.  Like the roots of a weed, the roots of bitterness can go deep quickly.  We must be ruthless in digging it out of our own lives.  We must be careful in helping others who are dealing with bitterness because trying to force them to do it can become another source of bitterness for them.  In fact the writer says that bitterness can grow up and come to the surface.  We can be defiled through the turmoil and dissension caused by it.  It is good to be able to recognize wrongs, but we must not let self-pity and fear have a place, or we will become another part of the problem.

In fact the writer brings up Esau as an example of what not to be.  He grew up in a home that worshipped and served God.  He was the eldest and thus stood to be the inheritor of the birthright and blessings of his father.  Now two words are used.  “Fornication” is any sex outside of a marriage between a man and a woman.  It is sometimes connected to food in a metaphorical sense because both are appetites of our flesh.  Proverbs says that those who go to a harlot have been reduced to bread.  Both by being the means of her obtaining the money to buy food, but also the sexual act itself is simply two people satisfying their fleshly appetites.  Sex is something far greater than a means of satisfying our libido.  The word “profane” means to treat or use something that is holy for common or selfish purposes.  Esau stood to inherit a great spiritual blessing, but He treated it as if it was merely a commodity that he could trade for a meal.  Later his repentance was only a physical repentance.  In other words, his flesh was sorry that he would not get the blessing.  His tears are not about his own sin, but the effect of that sin.  True repentance is not just sorry because of the effects of sin.  It is also sorry that it chose the wrong path in the first place.  Though he sought to blessed by his father Isaac with tears, Isaac would not repent of giving the blessing to Jacob.  We cannot obtain the blessing of God without a life of faith in Jesus and avoiding those materialistic pitfalls that find a place in our heart.

Take time today to examine your heart and life.  Have I become profane and am I using the life that God has given me simply to please my flesh?  The good news is that even now if we recognize it to be true, we can have true repentance.  May our lives be filled with strength, straightened, peaceful, and holy.  May we be the saints of God!

Faith in Action audio