The Apostle Peter tells us the purpose of his inspired letters in the second letter, chapter 3 and verse 1. He writes: “This is now, beloved, the second letter that I have written to you; and in both of them I stir up your sincere mind by reminding you;” [NIV, “stimulate you to wholesome thinking”] In other words, it is Peter’s intention to help the followers of Christ think properly.
But how can we be sure that our thinking is wholesome and our reasoning is sound? Peter provides the answer in verse 2. He writes, “ that you should remember the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and the commandments of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior:” One thing we can learn from this instruction is the importance of studying the Scripture. The holy prophets Peter mentions are in contrast to the false prophets which he mentioned in chapter 2, verse 1. We can test the words and teaching of the false prophets by recalling what the holy prophets said. But how can we recall the words of the holy prophets if we don’t study the Bible so that we know what they said? Every follower of Christ would do well to set time aside every day to read and study the Bible so that the words God spoke through the holy prophets will be implanted in our hearts and minds.
Peter says that we are to remember the “commandments of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior.” [NIV, “the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.”] But what is this command? The answer is found in chapter 2, verse 21. There the words “the holy commandment delivered to them” is equivalent to the phrase “way of righteousness.”. So we see that the “command” given by the Lord actually refers to a whole way of life. It is important to understand this point. There are many non-Christians who proudly claim that in contrast to Christianity their faith is not merely a religion but a whole way of life. But those who talk this way do not understand what it means to be a follower of Christ. The person who has truly made Jesus his master will do what He commands. Jesus said, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and don’t do the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46) But obeying the command of Jesus to follow the “way of righteousness” means much more than just doing righteous things. The “way of righteousness” involves our thoughts and attitudes as well as our actions. Scripture says, “Don’t be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…” (Romans 12:2) In fact, the followers of Christ must do their best to imitate their master. The Apostle John writes, “Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.” (1 John 2:6 NIV)
It is also important to note that Peter says that the command was given by the Lord through “the apostles.” When we read the writings of the Apostles we are, in reality, reading the commands of Christ. There are some who say, “I believe in Jesus, but do not accept the teachings of Paul or of Peter.” But God does not give us that option. If we truly believe in Jesus, then we must also accept the teachings of the Apostles, because they did not speak on their own but on behalf of Christ. If we reject the Apostles, we are also rejecting Jesus. The words of the prophets, the commands of Jesus and the teaching of the Apostles are in full harmony with one another.
But there is another way to judge whether our thinking is wholesome or not. It is by the testimony of history. In verses 3 through 7 Peter writes, “knowing this first, that in the last days mockers will come, walking after their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of his coming? For, from the day that the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.” For this they willfully forget, that there were heavens from of old, and an earth formed out of water and amid water, by the word of God; by which means the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished. But the heavens that now are, and the earth, by the same word have been stored up for fire, being reserved against the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.”
We have already seen that all ‘wholesome thinking’ will be in full agreement with the words spoken by the prophets, the command of Jesus and the teaching of the Apostles. In contrast to this scoffers follow their own desires. We may be sure that whenever someone follows their own desires rather that the commands of Christ, that person has turned away from truth. One area in which this false thinking displays itself is regarding the return of Christ to judge the world. Scripture says, “…This Jesus, who was received up from you into the sky will come back in the same way as you saw him going into the sky.” (Acts 1:11). In another place it says, “For we must all be revealed before the judgment seat of Christ; that each one may receive the things in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” (2 Corinthians 5:10) But false teachers boldly declare that Jesus will not come again. They say this as an excuse to follow their own desires. If Jesus does not come again, then there will be no judgment. If there is no judgment then we may do as we please without fear of punishment.
Peter’s reply to this argument is to remind us of what God has already done in the history of the world. But in order to understand the force of Peter’s argument it is necessary to understand what he means by the term ‘word of God.’ The ‘word’ is another name for Christ. It was through God’s creative ‘word,’ that is Christ, that the heavens came to be and the earth was formed out of water. It was the same ‘word of God,’ that is Christ, that let loose the waters which destroyed the ancient world. Scripture says God, “…at the end of these days [has] spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds. His Son is the radiance of his glory, the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself made purification for our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.” (Hebrews 1:2-3) Since God’s ‘word,’ that is Christ, was the agent by which the world was both created, destroyed, and is now sustained what room for doubt is left that the same ‘word’ will bring fire upon the present heaven and earth according to God’s promise?
For what purpose will the earth be burnt up? Peter says that it is for the judgment and destruction of ungodly men. Each of us is given a choice. We may either choose to live according to the Lord’s command in the way of righteousness, or choose to face Christ’s fiery judgment.