How Should You Live If Jesus Is Coming Back? | 2 Peter 3:11–13

0:00Everybody, this is Vince Miller. Welcome to the daily. I'm glad you're studying the Bible with me again today. So this week we're going to finish up. Second Peter, we're in chapter three right now, the very last chapter. And then next week we're going to jump into for one week, the book of Jude. It's a one chapter letter in the new testament. We'll study a whole book next week. So get ready for that. That is actually in the same scripture journal here. So you don't need to go anything. Go get anything. But you do need to get ready for our next study. Our next study is going to be an Old Testament book. It is the book of Esther. And I have entitled this one for such a time. Courage when God seems silent in our lives. So if if God feels a little silent to you in your life right now, you're going to want to study this book with us. It's 10 chapters, so 10 weeks with me. Go to our website right now. In fact, in the description below, there is a link where you can grab the scripture journal. You want to have that in your hand so you can study along, take some notes and be encouraged along the way.

1:01And if you are a project 23 donor, don't go get the scripture journal. If you give $35 a month or more, we're going to send that in the mail to you. In fact, you might already have it in your hands. It's not too late to be a donor. We'll send it to you immediately. But this is one of the perks of being a donor. We want to make sure that you have our next study in your hand before we begin that study. So get ready for Esther for such a time. But today we're going to finish. We're going to begin finishing off second Peter chapter three. I'm going to be reading verses 11 through 13. Since all these things are thus to be dissolved and he's talking about end times right here, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness? Waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn. But according to his promise, his promises. So everything has already been said. We are waiting for

2:07new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Fantastic language here at the end. So Peter in the previous verses of this chapter has described the coming day of the Lord. Here he says that the heavens and the earth aren't going to last forever. Everything that we treat as permanent in this life will eventually be burned and dissolved. And then Peter asks the only question that matters in this text. What sort of people ought you to be? What sort of people ought you to be? Now note here that people, Peter, Peter does not give us an end times prophecy merely to indulge our curiosity about all the particulars of end times. He gives us end times prophecy to transform the way that we live right now our conduct. Thus if Jesus is returning, which he's going to, then we

3:09should live lives marked by holiness and godliness. So what did these two terms mean? Well, holiness means being set apart and godliness means living with this continued awareness. Remember, he said, stir up your mind. This continued awareness of god. Together, these two terms describe a life that increasingly reflects the character and priorities of Jesus Christ. You know, maybe like other theologians at this moment, I could become really, really interested in understanding all the details of end times rather than, rather than becoming the kind of man who is ready to meet Jesus. You see, it's possible to study all these end time timelines, charts and dates and debate the interpretations and still avoid the actual repentance god is asking from me from this text today. Peter does not want us to do that and he doesn't do that either in

4:13this text. The purpose of comprehending what is coming is to change how we live today. We are waiting for something. Did you see what we're waiting for? We're waiting for a new heaven and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Spont you want to live in that place? I do. Our future home here on earth, on earth, will not be marked by all the things we see today, deception and corruption and exploitation and rebellion. Righteousness will finally reign. Thank god. Literally, thank god. And if that is where we're going and where we're going to live, what should we expect to do then? Well, we should expect to allow his righteousness to begin to shape us right now. So what does that mean? Well, we should tell the truth because righteousness is coming. We should practice purity, mental and sexual purity because righteousness is coming. We should learn to forgive and serve

5:14and give and obey because righteousness is coming. You know, maybe it's time today for you to loosen your grip on temporary possessions, on your positions, on your pleasures. Because guess what? They're not going to last. Now, this doesn't mean that we withdraw from all of life or neglect responsibilities. No, it means we live in the present with our hearts anchored in God's promised future. Do you hear that here? The prophecies are going to come true. Christians are not waiting passively for the end and for an escape. We are actively right now preparing for the king. That's why I'm here every day. I'm trying to actively prepare you for the return of the king. So today, before making your next decision, maybe ask yourself, what would someone waiting for a world of righteousness do? Hmm. And your answer may change the conversation you have with that person today, the temptation you resist,

6:20the apology that you make, the money you spend or the person that you choose to serve today. You see, prophecy was not given merely to inform a timeline and to give you a chart to put up in a wall to talk about. It was given to you to transform all of your life. That's why. I love you guys. Hope this blessed day of that shared with someone else. I'll see you right back here again.