You have been forewarned

Therefore, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.
2 Peter 3:3-18 NIV

The Lord isn’t delaying His promise, as some might perceive delay. Rather, He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

While we await the day of judgment and the destruction of the ungodly, the current heavens and earth are being preserved for fire. Remember this, dear friends: To the Lord, a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.

The Day of the Lord:

In this chapter, the apostle Peter urgently reminds his readers about the prophecies concerning the day of the Lord. This day refers to the future event when God will bring about His final judgment and the culmination of human history. Peter emphasizes that this day is certain and should not be dismissed or doubted.

The day of the Lord will arrive unexpectedly, like a thief. The heavens will vanish with a loud noise; the elements will be consumed by fire, and the earth and all its works will be exposed. Given that everything will be destroyed in this manner, consider the kind of lives you should lead—lives of holiness and godliness, eagerly anticipating the day of God and hastening its arrival. But in accordance with His promise, we are eagerly awaiting a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness resides.

False Teachers and Scoffers:

Peter presents this message as a challenge to those who doubt the promise of Christ’s second coming. These doubters include false teachers and scoffers.
These individuals mock the idea of Christ’s return, questioning why it hasn’t happened yet. They argue that everything continues as it has since the beginning of creation.

Peter warns against being misled by these false teachings and encourages believers to remain steadfast in their faith.

A New Heaven and Earth:

Peter looks forward to the day when the present heavens and earth will be destroyed by fire. However, this destruction is not the end; it paves the way for something new.

Therefore, as you anticipate this, strive to be found without spot or blemish in His sight, and at peace with Him. Keep in mind that our Lord’s patience signifies salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you with the wisdom God granted him.

Paul’s letters, which discuss these matters, are written in the same manner. His letters contain some difficult concepts, which those who are ignorant and unstable distort, as they do with other Scriptures, to their own downfall.

Let’s delve deeper into the context of the passage from 2 Peter 3:3-18. This chapter is a powerful and thought-provoking segment of Scripture that addresses several key themes:

God’s Patience and Salvation:

Peter acknowledges that some find it difficult to understand certain aspects of God’s plan. He compares a day to a thousand years and vice versa, emphasizing that God’s timing is beyond human comprehension. Despite the apparent delay, Peter assures his readers that God is not slow in fulfilling His promise. Instead, God’s patience is an expression of His desire for all to come to repentance and salvation.

The day of the Lord will indeed arrive, and believers must be prepared.

Between Life and Death

Are you a doubter? Are you a scoffer, or a mocker? Is your doubt one hundred percent solid? What if you are wrong? Where will you end up? According to Jesus those who reject him and his Word will at the time of judgment will be sent to the lake of fire, eternally tormented and separated from God. Revelations 20:10 states that Satan and his angels will be thrown into the lake of fire and tormented day and night. Then “Revelations 20:14-15 says “Then death and hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone’s name is not found written in the book of life he was thrown into the lake of fire.” So, if you have rejected Jesus your name will not be in written in the book of life and you will be tormented day and night along with Satan and his angels in the lake of fire for eternity.

Are you sure you want to continue doubting, scoffing and mocking what the bible says and rejecting Jesus. If you are right, then no-one has anything to lose because when we die, we won’t know anything, so won’t have anything to lose. However, if you are wrong, consider what you will be losing, spending eternity with Your creator God instead of spending eternity in the lake of fire (called hell) eternally tormented with the fire that does not consume, but torments you with an excessive heat you’ve never experienced before in your life.

Deuteronomy 30:19: says: “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you, life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore, choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.”

Moving forward

If any of the above has changed your mindset and if you are at the point in your life where you are ready to make a personal commitment to follow Christ, all you have to do is reach out to Him now in prayer. He is listening and waiting to come into your heart and help you live a better life. Will you invite Him in now? If you’d like to pray and receive Christ as your Savior, you can use this simple prayer as a guide:

Speak This Prayer Out Loud

“Lord Jesus, I ask You to come into my life and forgive me of all my sins. I confess my sins before You this day. I denounce Satan and all his works. I confess Jesus as the Lord of my life. Thank You for saving me. I believe with my heart, and I confess with my mouth that You rose from the dead. I am saved. Write my name in the Lamb’s Book of Life. Today is my God-day with the Lord Jesus! I pray this prayer to the Father in the name of Jesus. Amen.”

Salvation Verses

Romans 10:9:  “That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and shall believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you shall be saved.” 

Romans 10:10:  “For with the heart man believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”