Judgement is coming. What should we do?

" Knowing what to do, in light of what we know is coming"

2Pet 3:10  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.

2Pet 3:11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,

2Pet 3:12 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?

Knowing what to do, is told us here, and that knowing, is based on our knowing what is coming to the world. There is detailed instruction given to us, as to what to do, in light of what is going to happen.

The false teachers were scoffing/mocking at the teaching that judgement upon the world was coming.  But, Peter lays out the facts surrounding what is called the "day of the Lord" or the time of the end, that period when God is going to bring judgement on the world.

First of all, it will come suddenly, and unexpectedly, like a thief in the night. No one expects a thief to come, and when they do come, they usually come when everyone is asleep. So, the judgement will come suddenly. 

When it comes, a number of things will happen. 

First of all, the heavens will pass away with a great noise.

Secondly, the elements will melt with fervent heat. 

Finally, both the earth and the works that are in it, will be burned up. 

Basically, everything that God has created, all that we can see around us, and the globe that we live on will be gone. 

What Peter does now, is to bring us some application. How should we be living in light of what we know is coming. So, since all these things, ( the heavens and the earth and elements in the earth ) are going to be dissolved, or destroyed, "what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness"

He states the fact of what's coming, and then asks the question of how we ought to live, and then gives us the answer in two 

Biblical principles . Holy conduct, and godliness. He will explain them a little more in a moment. 

But, for now, let's look at Holy Conduct. What does it mean? It means to conduct yourself as someone whose life is set apart to God for His exclusive use. Set your life apart to God, consecrate your life to Him, and then conduct yourself day to day accordingly. Godliness, means the attitude and actions of a person who is a God fearing individual. 

Also, we are to be "looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God" What does this mean? Expecting it to come, living with an expectant eagerness about what the Lord is going to do. Waiting for is the idea. Hastening, is to desire earnestly. And, as some have said, it means, "to cause the day of the Lord to come more quickly by helping to fulfill those conditions without which it cannot come. By faith and by prayer"

Because of which the heaven will be dissolved or melted, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat. So, that's what we know is coming. 

And, these verses tell us how we ought to be living. That our lives would be set apart from the world, and set apart to God, serving Him, being available to Him, and actively involved in all that He might have for us to do in these last days. Serving the Lord is the idea. Being an instrument in the hands of God. That's what we ought to be doing, in light of what we know is coming. 

Pastor Bob Grenier

Calvary Chapel Visalia 

How does God count time, and what does He want for men?

2 Peter 3:8 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.

2 Peter 3:9 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.

Beloved, a favorite word of Peter's to describe his readers, those who had come faith in God through trusting Christ to save them. They are beloved, or greatly loved by God. The word means, to be fond of, to have an affection for. It's a blessing to remember, that this is how the Lord looks at us, and this is how He regards us. We are His "beloved" 

Now, we are called not to forget something about the Lord. Which apparently, we can forget. So, he reminds us not to forget this one particular thing. And, it has to do with what a 1000 years is to the Lord. 

We know what a 1000 years is to us. It's about 9 1/3 longer of a period of time then most of us will live. Most of us will live, or could live up into their 80's or so. But, a 1000 years, is a long time compared to how long we might live on this earth. 

Anyways, to the Lord, a 1000 years is as one day. Now, what does this mean? It means that it is virtually nothing to God. It goes by quickly. A day, compared to a 1000 years, is nothing. So, time with God is experienced, or goes by so much more rapidly then it does for us. If the earth is 6-7000 years old, then, as far as God is concerned, it's only been 6-7 days since Genesis chapter 1. 

And, one day is as a thousand years. Additionally, we are told that one day to the Lord does encompass a long period of time. I can only take this for what it says. God sees and interacts with, experiences ( if you will ) time in a different way then we do. It does help to remember what Peter is talking about, and that is, the fact that while things seem to have dragged on for a long time, God does not consider it a long time. 

Here's how God considers time, and how we ought to as well, along with several other things to consider. 

2 Peter 3:9 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.

First of all.....The Lord is not slack concerning His promise as some men count slackness. That is, God is not careless, lazy or negligent as some men are. So, the apparent delay in the promise of God being fulfilled is not in any way due to slackness on God's part. Not at all. God is not tardy, or late.  God is not someone who makes a promise and then does not keep it. No, He is better then His promise. 

Secondly, He is long suffering towards us . That means, that God suffers along time towards us. He is very patient, He is waiting. 

Thirdly, He is not willing, or does not desire that any person would perish ( by their refusing Christ, and not believing in Christ and then dying and going into judgement ) No, quite the contrary, He wants all to come to repentance, to Him. He wants them to change their minds about Him, and receive Christ whom they have not yet received. They have thought one way about Jesus, God, wants them to change their thinking. To go from rejecting Him, to accepting Him. That's what the Lord wants. 

So, that's how God views and deals with time. That's why the promise of God to judge the world has not yet come about. God loves all men, Christ died for all men, and all men can be saved by coming to Jesus Christ. That's what God is wanting, and waiting for. However, there will come a time when the judgement does come, and Peter addresses that in the next few verses. 

May God bless you greatly today with His grace, mercy and peace. 

In Jesus name, 

Pastor Bob Grenier. 

calvarychapelvisalia's webcam video October 10, 2011 10:06 AM

What will come in the last days......

2 Peter 3:2 knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts,

2 Peter 3:4  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.”

2 Peter 3:5 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,

2 Peter 3:6 by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water.

2 Peter 3:7 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.

The answer......Scoffers. That's what Peter says in 3:2, we know this first, that scoffers, that is those who mock and ridicule. These mockers are said to be in "the last days" Or, that period of time starting with the first coming of Jesus Christ, until His second coming. And, they will be walking according to their own lusts, or living their lives under the power of their fallen nature, ( as opposed to being under the control of, and under the leadership of the Holy Spirit of God ) So, we know that we are living in the last days. 

And, here is what they will say. It's a mocking question, that questions the truth of the coming again of Jesus Christ, and the events associated with Christ's return. They are specifically mocking the "promise of His coming" They are mockingly saying, "well where is He, when is He going to come etc, ". And, they add, that nothing in the past has changed, things have just continued to go along as they always have, right from the start of creation. That's their argument, and that's their mockery. Nothing has changed, therefore nothing will change, and Jesus is not coming. 

But, Peter adds and explains that they are willfully forgetting what God actually did. God did create the world, and God did judge the world with a global flood, and the inhabitants of the world did perish. 

The last thing Peter says, is that the heavens and the earth which now exist, are being preserved by God's Word, and that He is reserving them for a fiery end of days judgement, and destruction of ungodly men. 

Peter will explain more of God's plan as we move through the rest of this chapter. But, for now, suffice to say, that scoffers, mockers, are flat out denying the teaching of the 2nd coming of Jesus Christ, and the destruction that is coming on the world. They make fun of this teaching, and ridicule it. They deny it. This has always been the way of satan, right from the start, please see Gen 3, where satan first appeared to challenge and deny the Word of God. This is what he does, plain and simple. God calls us to trust His Word, satan wants us not to trust it, and to not believe it etc, etc. 

What a blessing to know the truth of Jesus Christ, and to know that He is coming again, and as Peter will tell us towards the end of the chapter, that if we know these things are going to happen, then, there is way we ought to be living. 

Pastor Bob Grenier

Calvary Chapel Visalia

How God uses His Word in our lives.

2 Pet 3:1  Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder),

2 Pet 3:2 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,

First of all, it's a blessing to know how God sees us, and refers to those in Christ. "Beloved" means, dearly beloved, or well beloved, esteemed, worthy of love. This is who we are in Christ. It's how the Lord regards you, and will regard you. You are beloved. 

Secondly, Peter explains why he is writing his second letter, ( which is the same reason he wrote the first one ) It was to stir up their pure minds by way of reminding them. To stir, means to move an implement round and round in a liquid or other substance in order to mix it thoroughly. It means to cause movement, to wake, to rise from sleep, begin or cause to be active. To arouse strong feeling in. This was Peter's intention, and it's something that is needed from time to time in the lives of his readers, and of us today in Christ. We need to be stirred up in the best sense of the Word. Active for Christ, and in the knowledge of and service to Christ. 

Reminding is one of the ways of stirring up. Bringing something to the mind, and in this case the Word of God has the effect of stirring up the life. 

Thirdly, and here's the main point Peter is making, "that you may be mindful of the words spoken before by the holy prophets and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Savior. What does it mean to be mindful? It means "Conscious or aware of something" And, it means inclined, or intending to do something. So, to be aware of God's Word, and having the inclination to be a doer of it. 

Interesting to note that Peter specifies the "holy prophets" which was a reference to the prophets from the OT. Abraham, Moses, David, Samuel, Elijah, Isaiah, etc, etc. Virtually, the entire OT as it were. And, Peter then places the OT prophets right there on the same par as the Apostles of Jesus Christ. In other words, it's the entire Word of God. 

So, we are loved by God, we are dear to Him, and He wants us to be stirred up by having His Word brought to our minds and hearts, that we might be inclined to live as we ought in these last days. His Word is the way in which we are aroused to love and service. The entire Word of God has been given to us, for our souls benefit and blessing, and transformation. 

Paul spoke of the Word of God and it's being taught and preached to God's people as the "whole counsel" of God. And, thus what a blessing to be able to go through the entire Bible, verse by verse, chapter by chapter, and book by book.  Right now in our own church here @ Calvary Chapel Visalia, we are almost half way through the book of Isaiah. We call this our "through the Bible study" And, on Wed nights we will cover anywhere from 1-2 or 5-7 chapters of the Bible, depending on each chapters length and content, and the leading of the Holy Spirit on that evening. 

I do pray that each of us might be men and women of the Word, and that we might benefit from it, in the ways that Peter is describing here in his letter. May we be roused up in love for God, and for one another and for the world around us. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen. 

Pastor Bob Grenier. 

The truth about false teachers and their messages