In a few verses before Peter ends his message, he tells his readers about the day of the Lord that will come “as a thief in the night” when the ways of the universe (heaven and earth) we know now will be destroyed. Peter says that since this universe will not always be, Christians ought to live their lives a certain way that reflects what is really important. Christians are to be found “in holy conduct and godliness” as we look forward to that day of the Lord when He will destroy the current universe and look forward to the promised new heaven and death where righteousness lives. Peter then tells us to be diligent and found by Christ in peace, spotless, and blameless. Peter reminds his readers that Paul wrote about these things, and even if they are hard to understand, don’t listen to people who will try to distort these truths. The untaught and unstable treat these teachings about the new heaven and new earth like they do the rest of the Scriptures, leading to their destruction. 

Then in the final few words from the Apostle Peter, he writes: 

You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness, but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

2 Peter 3:17-18

Until the new heaven and new earth come, there are two actions Peter wants us to take:

  1. Be on your guard – Peter does not want us to be influenced by the teaching of error. 
  2. Grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus – Peter wants us to increase in the grace found in Jesus and in the knowledge we can attain in Jesus. 

These two actions commissioned to us from Peter, help us in preparation when Jesus returns and destroys the old and provides the new.

I want to be ready for that day, and I know you do too, but it takes work to be on guard all the time. We have to keep an eye out, and we have to study the bible constantly. This leads right to the following action. Through study, we can grow in grace and knowledge, which prepares us for the end of time and the restoration of God’s people in a new universe. I don’t know about you, but I am looking forward to that time.  Until the new heaven and earth come… we’ve got a few things to do. 

I love you, 

Alex