All these, then, being destroyed, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy behavior and godliness
Truth to Learn
We are either of the earthly family or the heavenly family. No one can be a member of both.
Behind the Words
The words “what kind of people” come from potapos, made up of the interrogative poios, meaning “what such” or “what sort” and a modified form of dapedon, meaning “a soil.” Actually, potapos is a corruption of the earlier podapos which meant, “From what country?” Hence, potapos is asking the question, “What kind of people?” but it is implying, “Are you earthly or are you heavenly?”
Meaning Explained
In light of the fact that the world will be judged by fire and all that remains of this earthly realm will go up in flames, we should focus our intentions on righteousness and holy living.
I can remember years ago being in a business management class in which we were all trying to figure out what our real goal in life was to be. We were told to imagine our own funeral, and we were to write our own eulogy, saying all those things for which we wanted to be remembered. Although a really good exercise in helping a person focus on what’s really the central driving ambition in life, it served primarily to help people focus on themselves and on what they wanted.
All the earthly ambitions of everyone in that room, everything written down in those eulogies, every accomplishment, every accolade, and every monument erected in honor of someone in that room will be “let loose” and will burn up completely until there is nothing left but the smell of smoke.
Jesus, in his sermon on the mount in Matthew 6:19-21, said this about earthly riches,
Do not treasure up for yourselves treasures on the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break in and steal. But treasure up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not consume, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Peter is saying essentially the same thing in today’s verse. Each of us will stand before the judge of all mankind some day. Those who have rejected Him will stand condemned and will be cast into the lake of fire to be tormented eternally. We who have accepted Christ as Lord and Savior will stand in Christ’s righteousness with our sins forgiven. However, we will still have our works judged, and those who have done God’s bidding in this life will receive crowns as rewards for their faithfulness and service. Any who have accepted the salvation that was offered them in this life but who have squandered their time here in self indulgence and self satisfaction, will enter into glory with nothing to offer the King of Kings.
Application
Will you be ushered into the glorious presence of the King or will you be cast into the lake of fire?
If you are ushered into the presence of the King, will you have anything to offer Him?
Or will you smell like smoke?
In God's service, for His glory,
Copyright © 2017 Will Krause. All rights reserved