But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. (9) The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. (10) But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. (11) Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, (12) looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? (13) Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. (14) Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless

2nd Peter was written by the apostle Peter to the faithful to refute the claims of false teachers who denied that Christ is coming again to judge the world. They claimed that nothing had changed and there was no indication that the world would end. But all of time is equally present with God; past present and future, while man has a finite perspective. Fallen man’s will is not free because we are born corrupt in Adam’s sin – born spiritually dead in sin but as God’s elect we are regenerated in faith in Christ. There is no reincarnation, no purgatory; we have an appointment to die and after this judgment. But also is coming the Day of the Lord when Christ is returning. There will be no second chance – Christ’s return will be unexpected and disasterous for those who have not repented of their sin. This world and all its treasure are going to burn and for the faithful God will recreate new heavens and a new earth in which only righteousness will dwell.

Peter stresses the testimony of the prophets and apostles to counter the scoffers who claimed the second coming of Christ was ridiculous. But the old and New Testament tell us the end will come suddenly and without warning. Peter speaks of the Day of God in contrast with the trust of unbelievers in the stability of creation. They were scoffers at the delay of the prophesies. Peter put time in context and tells us that God delays as He is unwilling that any should perish. But the “any” addresses only the elect/faithful that God wills to save.

Our verses today are a powerful attack on apostasy which is both doctrinal and moral. Believers are urged to live in hope and holiness. From the standpoint of Scripture we know God is going to accomplish a catastrophic destruction of the universe as we know it. Christian hope is not apathy, despair, not hedonism but godliness. We are to be found without soot or stain, blameless in the Lord. The longsuffering (delay) of the Lord is the salvation of the faithful.