Looking Forward 2 Peter 3:14-18

How much time do you spend looking forward (vs. looking backward)? What is the difference? Which is better? Looking back can be important… Looking forward is valuable... The concern of Peter here...

I. Be Diligent in Your Personal Conduct “Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless;” (2 Peter 3:14, NKJV)

A. We should be mentally anticipating what is coming We should be continually looking forward We should have an attitude of anticipation

B. We should be spiritually at peace with God We should be at peace with God We should have a clear conscience

C. We should be behaviorally blameless before Him We should be an acceptable sacrifice 2 Peter 2:13 “and will receive the wages of unrighteousness, as those who count it pleasure to carouse in the daytime. They are spots and blemishes, carousing in their own deceptions while they feast with you,” (NKJV) We should be without offense

II. Be Alert to Your Source of Truth “and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.” (2 Peter 3:15–16, NKJV)

A. The Lord’s apparent delay is for our benefit He exercises patience in giving time for human response He is not actually delayed, but is right on time The longsuffering of the Lord joins judgment and salvation…

B. The Lord’s truth is recorded in written form Paul had written to the same audience as Peter There was a mutual recognition of Scripture There was a depth to these writings

C. The Lord’s truth is twisted by unstable people The proper reception of the Word is critical The improper use of the Word is diabolical

III. Be Careful with Your Spiritual Footing “You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked;” (2 Peter 3:17, NKJV)

A. We are people who are responsible to know the truth This is a summary and conclusion for the book This is a reminder that we have been warned of what is coming

B. We are people who are vulnerable to slipping from the truth The threat to us is always false teaching The picture here is of a torrent that washes us off our feet

IV. Be Growing in Your Relation to Christ “but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.” (2 Peter 3:18, NKJV)

A. We grow in grace by depending on His resources We must personally receive the salvation package We must personally rely on His sanctification provisions We must personally submit to His Word & Spirit

B. We grow in knowledge by delighting in His Word We must accept His Word as the ultimate truth 1 Peter 2:2 “as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby,” (NKJV) We must make His Word our life priority This requires intentional devotion & investment Our greatest goal should be to glorify Christ

2 Corinthians 3:18 “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” (NKJV)