Witnesses to God’s Judgement and Salvation

2 Peter 3:1-7 

1 Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), 2 that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, 3 knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, 4 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.” 5 For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, 6 by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. 7 But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

Peter’s second letter is a reminder that builds on the first to stir up purity in our minds, to think on the things of God in Christ.  We should be paying attention to follow all God’s word has told us by example as well as command and principle.  This includes the Old Testament and its prophets where commands  and the coming of our Messiah were told, as well as the apostles who were eyewitnesses and followers (disciples) of Jesus the Christ.  We are warned that many will scoff at the gospel and the judgement at His coming because they do not see Him yet, and because they live for their own sinful desires and deny the truth.  They see the past and refuse to learn from it, reading of the judgement (and salvation) of the flood and sneering at what they call a fairy tale.  They “willingly forget” the creation of the heavens and earth, not to mention mankind, which earth we live on was raised out of water, only to be flooded with it again in judgement for our sin.  They do not want to face these things of God’s wrath and sovereign power, for then they must also face the fact that is is only God’s forbearance holding back the destruction of these same heavens and earth with a reservation of fire to consume them in fearful and final judgement.  The ungodly ignore and explain away God’s word to avoid admitting accountability and judgement on their sin, choosing in their blindness to turn a deaf ear to all God says to their own destruction.  This is why we are ever mindful of God’s word from Genesis to Revelation, that we may live for Him with a pure mind and conscience that aims to bear witness to God’s work in judgement and in salvation through the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Amen.