Starting II Peter 3

Sometimes when new believers begin to read books of our Bible, they wonder why the book was written. Peter leaves no doubt as to why he wrote his letters!  Especially why he wrote this second one:

Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. 2 I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles. (II Peter 3:1-2, NIV)

We mentioned before that Peter most likely wrote this to the churches of Asia Minor (we find evidence for that in I Peter 1:1) which is now present-day Turkey. Jewish Christian believers had been scattered across the northern part of Asia Minor after persecution both from the Jews in Jerusalem and the Romans. The scholars tell us that it was written in about 67AD, after Peter had escaped the outbreak of war in Jerusalem and had arrived in Rome. (We know it's Rome because of the "special code" that is used, calling the city "Babylon." Peter sends his own greetings and greetings from John Mark (the author of the gospel), who stayed with Paul when he was under house arrest. We aren't certain who carried the letter, but some say it could have been John Mark.

So Peter, in a Roman jail, writes to encourage and warn these believers. His first letter serves as a defense against threats from outside the church, but the second focuses on defense against threats from within the body of believers . . . namely, false teachers, as we studied last week:

 False prophets appeared in the past among the people, and in the same way false teachers will appear among you. They will bring in destructive, untrue doctrines, and will deny the Master who redeemed them, and so they will bring upon themselves sudden destruction. (II Peter 2:1, GNT)

And also scoffers, who we will study this week.

Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. (II Peter 3:3, NIV)

Since this letter was written so close to the time of his death, it could be viewed as Peter's farewell.  He has announced that he is near the end of his earthly life; he has reminded the Christians of what he has taught them; he has commanded the believers how to live -- now he is warning them of future events.

As we look at this chapter, we will see that Peter is concerned primarily with the issue of Christ Jesus' second coming, and the delay (or perceived delay that some believers were concerned about) before the event. There were false teachers who were claiming that it would never happen. (Does that sound familiar? Some people say that today, too!)

Peter explains their "deliberate oversight" and says that they alter doctrine to justify their own sinful desires:

They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” 5 But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water. 6 By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. 7 By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. (II Peter 3:4-7, NIV)

Did you notice that? He says they "deliberately forget."  So these are folks who know better, and in order to follow their own desires (v 3) they push those thoughts away.
Then he begins to encourage and exhort the Christians to understand the actual reason why the Lord's return appears to be delayed. There's a wrong way and a right way to look at it. And that is what we will study next.....