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Romans 1:4 – Divine Resurrection Declaration

Posted on June 17, 2017 by Will

and declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord;

Truth to Learn

Jesus was resurrected from the dead, declaring that He is God.

Behind the Words

The word translated “declared” is the Greek word horidzō, which means “to mark out the boundaries or limits, as of a field.” Hence, it means “to determine, constitute, ordain, or decree.” As used here it means to designate someone for an office or function or to declare that designation.

“Power” is translated from the Greek dunamis. It describes “something that is powerful.” It is the word from which we get our English word “dynamite.”

The word “dead” is translated from nekros, which refers to “a dead person.” It is expressed here in the plural, however. This, coupled with the lack of the preposition ek (out of) tied to the word “dead” indicates that the translation could be “of the dead (ones)” or “from the dead ones.”

Meaning Explained

Yesterday’s verse was one in which the Apostle Paul declared the humanity of Jesus. In today’s verse he declares the divinity of Jesus. This verse starts out with, “who was declared to be the Son of God.” The three persons of the Godhead determined in eternity past who would be the Father, who would be the Son, and who would be the Holy Spirit. Paul’s statement here is not a reference to that determination, but to the declaration of that determination. And, this declaration was done “with power.” The way in which Jesus was declared to be the Son of God was with a powerful act.

The next phrase “according to the Spirit of holiness” is not a reference to the third person of the godhead (the Holy Spirit) as may be implied by the capitalization of the word “spirit.” This expression is grammatically tied to the expression “according to the flesh” in the previous verse. So we see that Paul is conjoining the fact that Jesus was a descendent of David (demonstrating his humanity) and the Son of God (demonstrating his divinity).

Finally, the declaration of his divinity was demonstrated by a powerful act: the resurrection of the dead. However, there are several people in the Bible who are described as having been resurrected from the dead, including Lazarus and the widow’s son who was resurrected by Elijah. But these people eventually died again. Jesus did not. His resurrection to eternal life is the declaration that He is the Son of God. And because He is alive, we know that His promise of our own resurrection from the dead is real. The fact that He remains alive is our assurance that someday we too, will be resurrected unto a life that will never end!

Application

There are many today who do not believe that Jesus was a real person. There are also many people who believe that Jesus was a real person, but they don’t believe that He is God. They deny that He was resurrected from the dead; therefore, they don’t believe the good news (gospel), and they are destined for an eternity in the lake of fire for their unbelief. But we know that Jesus did rise from the dead and He is alive today! That is the glorious message that we have to proclaim to all. He’s alive!

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 1:3 – Son of a King

Posted on June 15, 2017 by Will

concerning His Son, who was born of the seed of David according to flesh,

Truth to Learn

Jesus, the focus of the gospel message, the Christ, the Messiah, is descended from King David.

Behind the Words

The words “was born” come from the Greek, “tou genomenou” which means “the one who was brought into being” or “the one who became.”

The word translated “seed” is the Greek word, “spermatos’, which is both revealing and self explanatory.

“according to flesh” comes from the Greek, “kata sarka’, which means, “with respect to that which is flesh and bone.”

Meaning Explained

In verses one and two, Paul talked about the good news that God promised through His prophets. But even more important than who proclaimed this message in the past is who this good news is about. In today’s verse, He tells us who this gospel is about, “His (God’s) Son.” The importance of this verse cannot be overlooked. Paul is making it very clear from the start of this epistle who the central figure is.

He now goes on to declare the pedigree of the one he is talking about. Paul says that Jesus “was born of the seed of David;” that is, Jesus Christ took on human flesh as a descendent of King David (of the sperm of David).

The expression “according to flesh” is an interesting one in that it is used of no one in the Bible except Jesus. But why is this never used to describe anyone else? Saying that he came into being with respect to flesh and bone implies that there is another aspect (another nature) of His being that is not flesh and bone that already existed. This is only true of one who existed before He became flesh and blood and that is not true of any man except Jesus, who is eternally God. He has always had His divine nature and He took upon himself a human nature.

And why is it important for Paul to establish that Jesus was a direct descendent of King David? Because the Jews have been waiting for the One who was to come and rule eternally. This One was predicted numerous times in the Old Testament, most notably in David’s instruction to his son Solomon shortly before his (David’s) death which is recorded in 1 Kings 2:1-4. In order for Jesus to be declared the Christ, the Messiah of the Old Testament, He must be a descendent of King David.

According to the nineteenth century preacher Albert Barnes, “To a Jew there could be scarcely any honor so high as to be descended from the best of their kings; and it shows how little the Lord Jesus esteemed the honors of this world, that he could always evince his deep humility in circumstances where people are usually proud; and that when he spoke of the honors of this world, and told how little they were worth, he was not denouncing what was not within his reach.”

Application

And yet we, who have so much less to boast about in our own lineage, find it so hard to be as humble as He who had so much about which He could have boasted!

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 1:2 – The Promised Gospel

Posted on June 14, 2017 by Will

which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures,

Truth to Learn

The good news of Christ was promised to us in the Old Testament.

Behind the Words

The words “promised beforehand” are translated from the Greek proepangellomai. This is made up of pro, meaning “before, in time or place” and epangellomai, which is itself a compound word made up of epi, used as an intensifier and angellomai, meaning “to announce.” Hence, epangellomai means “to make a public proclamation or promise.” With the prefix pro added, this word means to announce or promise ahead of time.

Meaning Explained

Paul says in today’s verse that it was promised beforehand, but what is the “it” he is talking about? Paul is referring to “the gospel of God” which he mentioned in the previous verse. In yesterday's study we learned that the word “gospel” means “good news,” but what, specifically, is the good news? In 1 Corinthians 15:1-5 Paul states very clearly what he means by the “gospel”

And, brothers, I make known to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, and in which you stand; by which you also are being kept safe, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you in the first place that which I also received, that Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised the third day according to the Scriptures; and that He appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve.

There are two key elements to this “good news.” The first is that Jesus Christ died for our sins. Though He is 100% God, He also became 100% man and lived a sinless life. He, therefore, did not need to die to pay for His own sins, since He hadn’t committed any. As a result, He could die a substitutionary death to pay for the sins of others. The proof of His death is the fact that He was buried.

The second key element of the gospel is that He rose again. Only God can give life, and only God can raise someone from the dead. The resurrection is the power behind the death. It is, in effect, the verification that his life was sinless and, therefore, worthy of paying for the sins of others. The proof of His resurrection is the fact that He was seen by Cephas (Peter) and by the other disciples.

Paul tells us that God promised this good news beforehand through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures. He is not introducing a new doctrine. He is about to present the doctrine of salvation by faith alone, which was clearly taught in the Old Testament, and he will demonstrate so in this letter.

Application

The real question for us is not so much, “Do you know the gospel?” as it is, “Do you believe the gospel?” To know the historical fact that Jesus was crucified some 2000 years ago is really inconsequential. To believe the gospel, to accept the fact that you are a sinner and need payment for your sins, which payment Jesus Christ gave for you when He was crucified, is life giving salvation. And not mere physical life, but spiritual life, for eternity!

Do you believe?

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 1:1 – Our Master’s Slave

Posted on June 13, 2017 by Will

Paul, a slave of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God

Truth to Learn

All Christians need to recognize that they are God’s slaves.

Behind the Words

The Greek word translated “slave” is doulos, which means, “a slave, one who is in a permanent relation of servitude to another.”

The words “called an apostle” are translated from kletos apostolos. Kletos is an adjective meaning “one who is called, invited, or appointed.” The word apostolos means “one who has been sent with a message.” Hence, Paul is saying that he was specifically called out by God and sent with a message.

“Separated” is from aphoridzō, which is made up of apo, meaning “from” and horidzō, meaning “to define.” It means “to separate” or “to select to some office or work.” The Pharisees, the sect that Paul was part of before his conversion, got their name from this word. Paul is probably making a play on words here in the opening of this letter.

The word “gospel” is the Greek word euangelion, which is a compound word made up of eu, meaning “good” and a form of angellō, which means “to proclaim a message.” Hence, the word translated “gospel” really means “good news” or “a good message.”

Meaning Explained

Paul starts off his epistle (letter) in the manner which was customary for a teacher or person of authority, that is, by identifying who the epistle is from. Usually within the opening phrase, the writer and the intended audience were both identified. Paul deviates from this, however, by giving a thorough treatise on why he is the appropriate person to be sending this doctrinal letter. He doesn’t get to who this epistle is written to until verse seven.

You will notice that he uses his Greek name (Paul) rather than his Hebrew name (Saul). This is either because he wants to show that as a result of his conversion to Christianity he is a completely new creation (see 2 Corinthians 5:17), or because he is the recognized apostle to the Gentiles and he is writing to Christians in the Gentile world of Rome.

He, like other New Testament writers, refers to himself as a slave. We Christians all need to remember that we have been bought with a price and we are no longer our own, but we are the property of our Master. That’s easy to forget when we wander through this life seeking our own satisfaction, but we need to remember whose we are and constantly submit our will to His.

The thing that I want us all to take away from today’s verse is the fact that even the great Apostle Paul recognizes and makes a specific point of the fact that he is not the master but the servant. Our sin nature, along with the lustful “pride of life” stimulated so strongly by worldly advertisements, is constantly trying to make self the master, not the slave.

Application

Anyone who has accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior not only receives salvation but, at the same time, gives Lordship to Jesus Christ. In other words, when we were saved from our sins, we became the permanent property of our Lord, and we should not be seeking our own desires and will but His. His will is that we obey Him and submit to Him.

Are you a submitted slave today?

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans – Introduction

Posted on June 12, 2017 by Will

Who Wrote This Letter?

Through the centuries since the time of its writing there has been little dispute that this letter was written by the Apostle Paul. Though there have been some who claimed he was not the writer, their arguments are taken seriously by very few. As far back as the late first century, Clement of Rome (mentioned in Philippians 4:3) quotes from this letter, giving credit to Paul as its author.

When Was This Letter Written?

Concerning the time of writing of this letter there is also reasonable certainty. Based on Romans 1:11-15, we know that Paul had never been to Rome before writing this letter. Also, based on Romans 15:23-28, we know that he was about to take a trip to Jerusalem with a gift from the churches in Achaia and Macedonia. After delivering this gift he was planning on going to Spain and stopping by Rome on the way there. From Acts 20:6 and Acts 20:16 we find that this trip occurred between Passover and Pentecost. So, the writing of this letter occurred in the spring, just before Paul’s trip to Jerusalem, most likely between AD 56 and AD 58.

From Where Was This Letter Written?

In Acts 20:2-4 we know that four of the people who were about to accompany Paul on his trip were Timothy, Sosipater, Gaius, and Erastus, who were all with him at the time of the writing of this letter. In 1Corinthians 1:14 we find that Erastus was a member of the church at Corinth. From other sources we can ascertain that all four of these men were residents of Corinth (either temporary or long-term). Also, in Romans 16:1 we are introduced to Phoebe, generally believed to be the person who delivered this letter to the Romans. She was a deaconess of the church in Cenchrea, the eastern port city of Corinth. From all these facts, it is reasonable to assume that Paul was in Corinth when he wrote this letter.

Why Was This Letter Written?

Paul had a message (the Gospel message) which he had been called to deliver to the entire world and was determined to include the capital city of Rome in his ministry. It was important that he go to Rome because it was the center of the world’s life. The church in Rome was composed of both Jews and Gentiles, though we have no idea who started the church. It is possible that some of the “visitors from Rome” (Acts 2:10) who heard the gospel preached on the day of Pentecost came back to Rome and started the church there.

Paul’s ambition was to preach where no one else had been (Romans 15:20), and he had no hesitation in going on to Rome to do so. He tells is that he had wanted to go to Rome for some time (Acts 19:21) and had often made plans to do so (Romans 1:13) but thus far he had been prevented from going there (Romans 15:22). Now he had plans to go to Jerusalem, and after taking the gifts from the churches in Achaia and Macedonia there (Romans 15:26), he planned to go to Rome and then on to Spain (Romans 15:24, Romans 15:28). Meanwhile, he sends this letter so that the Christians in Rome might know the full truth about his gospel (Romans 1:15; Romans 2:16). He had already written extensively concerning the issues raised by the legalizers as set forth in the letters to Corinth and to Galatia. So now, in a calmer mood and more at length, he presents his treatise on the Righteousness demanded by God (Romans 1:17) for both Gentiles (Romans 1:18-32) and Jews (Romans 2:1-3:20) which can only be obtained by faith in Christ and His atoning death (Romans 3:21-5:21). This is Paul’s gospel and the remainder of this letter (chapters six through sixteen) deals with the particulars growing out of this doctrine of grace.

Outline of Romans

Romans 1:1-17 — Introduction.

Romans 1:18-3:20 – The entire sin-sick world is guilty before God. No one is righteous before God.

Romans 3:21-5:11 — Justification and righteousness are achieved by faith and faith alone.

Romans 5:12-8:13 — Dying with Christ, the resurrected life of Christ, walking in the Spirit, and the provision for inherited sin.

Romans 8:14-39 — The full blessing of the Gospel message.

Romans 9:1-11:36 — God has not abolished the covenant promises to Israel.

Romans 12:1-15:33 — Christian life and service.

Romans 16:1-27 — Greetings and blessings.

In God's service, for His glory,

2 Peter 3:18 – Eternal Praise

Posted on June 8, 2017 by Will

But grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and the day of eternity! Amen.

Truth to Learn

We are to grow spiritually and give God all the glory.

Behind the Words

The word translated “grow” is auxanō, meaning “to grow.” This growth, however, implies the result either of some outside agent or the element of life within. It is the word used of a seed which grows into a plant, simply because it has the element of life in it. There is a different Greek word, prokoptō, which also refers to growth. This, however, refers to growth as a result of human achievement. So we see that even though Peter gives this to us as a command, our growth in grace (there is no definite article “the” in the Greek text) and knowledge of Christ is not a result of our active conscious effort, but a result of the spiritual life within us.

The word translated “glory” is the Greek word doxa. The root of this word, dokeo, means “favorable thought or opinion.” Hence, it is often translated as “glory, praise, or honor.”

“Day of eternity” is translated from the Greek expression hēmeran aiōnos. The word hēmera refers to a “day.” It can refer to a specific twenty-four hour period of time, or it can refer to an indefinite period or point in time such as “the day of the Lord.” The word aiōnos refers to an “age of time.” It is most often used to refer to an indefinitely long period of time and, therefore, is often translated as eternity. These two words, therefore, refer to “the day of eternity,” that is, the time after the creation of the new heavens and the new earth when time will no longer have any meaning.

Meaning Explained

In the previous verse Peter told us to beware of the false teachers and scoffers, and we learned that we can only protect ourselves from false doctrine by studying correct doctrine. He now gives us another command. He says to “grow in grace and in knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” Peter tells us that we are to grow both in grace and in knowledge. Like a tree which continues to grow because it has life fed from the roots sunk deep in the earth, we are to grow because we are being fed from our roots in Christ through the Word of God. The only way to have continual growth is to be fed regularly from the book of life, the Bible. Only through regular constant reading and fellowshipping with the God of the Bible will we receive regular nourishment.

Peter then closes his letter with a word of praise for the one to whom we owe everything. He says, “to Him be glory …” God, and God alone, is to be given recognition for who He is and what He has done. Peter proclaims that this praise and honor is His both now and into (or unto) the day of eternity.

Application

As we complete this study of 2Peter, let’s take a few minutes in prayer to give Him the worship and praise that He is due. And let’s submit ourselves wholeheartedly to Him and commit ourselves to doing His will…

… from now until the day of eternity!

May God richly bless you as you do these things.

In God's service, for His glory,

2 Peter 3:17 – Be On Guard

Posted on June 7, 2017 by Will

Then, beloved ones, knowing this beforehand, guard yourselves lest being led astray by the error of lawless men you fall from your own steadfastness.

Truth to Learn

Based on what Peter has just taught us, we must be wary of false teachers who would cause us to stumble.

Behind the Words

“Knowing … beforehand” is translated from proginōskō, which is made up of pro, meaning “before, in time or place” and ginōskō, which means “to know absolutely or completely.” The word is expressed here as a present participle.

The word translated “guard yourselves” is the Greek word phulassō, which means “protect yourself, be on guard, or be aware of.” It is expressed here in the imperative mood, indicating a command and it is expressed in the middle voice, indicating something that you do to yourself.

“Steadfastness” is from stērigmos, which is derived from stēridzō, meaning “to set firmly in place.” So we see, stērigmos refers to “a position of stability.”

Meaning Explained

Therefore, that is, because there will be scoffers and false prophets who deny the truth of the Word and who deny that Christ is returning again and who don’t believe that there was a flood or that there will be a fiery judgment… knowing beforehand that Christ will return and there will be a judgment of this world and its inhabitants, be on your guard!

Peter is commanding us to be on our guard and to protect ourselves from the teachings of the scoffers and false teachers. Otherwise, he says, we may be led astray by their erroneous teaching. Remember we learned earlier that they will use a symphony of words to entice us into their false teaching.

How can we protect ourselves from false teaching? I learned years ago that people who are trained to detect counterfeit money do not spend their time studying various forgeries and counterfeits. Instead, they study the real thing over and over again in excruciating detail so that they can spot a fake, being different from the real thing. In the same way, we need to constantly be studying the Word of God over and over so that we will be able to spot false teaching. It is not sufficient to simply hear a sermon once a week and spend a few minutes reading our Bibles. We need to be studying the Word constantly!

Peter then tells us that if we do get led astray, we may fall from our “secure position.” Peter is not saying that we will fall from salvation. As we’ve shown before, we cannot lose our salvation. What we can lose, however, is our firm footing, our position of spiritual stability, and we can stumble and fall into sin if we get led astray by false teaching.

Application

We now know that Christ is coming again (it could even be today). And, we know He is coming as the Judge who will perform a trial by fire. We also now know that there are many false teachers who would draw us away from our firm footing. Therefore, beware and lift your eyes, for your redemption draws near!

In God's service, for His glory,

2 Peter 3:16 – Only God’s Truth

Posted on June 6, 2017 by Will

as also in all his letters, speaking in them concerning these things, in which some things are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as also they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.

Truth to Learn

The hard truths of the Bible are often distorted and mistaught by those claiming to be teachers of truth.

Behind the Words

The word “ignorant” is translated from amathēs, which is made up of the privative a, meaning “not” or “without” and a form of manthanō, meaning “to learn.” Hence, it means “unlearned, uneducated, or ignorant.”

“Unstable” is from astēriktos, made up of the privative a, meaning “not” or “without” and a form of stēridzō, meaning “to confirm” or “to establish.” Hence, this word refers to those who are “unsettled, unsteady, or unstable.”

Meaning Explained

Today’s verse is another one that, on the surface, seems confusing and hard to understand, so let’s look at it one phrase at a time.

“as also in all his letters” As we saw in the previous verse, Peter is talking about the Apostle Paul. At the time of the writing of 2 Peter, many of Paul’s epistles had been written. Peter, no doubt, had read them and had been himself instructed by them.

“speaking in them concerning these things” In Paul’s letters the subjects of the return of Christ, the judgment of the wicked, and the coming of a new heaven and a new earth are all spoken of.

“in which some things are hard to understand” In Paul’s letters there are a number of topics that are not easily understood by these mortal minds of ours. Things such as

the timing of the coming of Christ, which Paul believed would be any day;
the manner of His coming in person with all His saints and His mighty angels;
the destruction of antichrist at His coming, which will be with the words of His mouth
the rapture both of living and sleeping saints together, with a shout, the voice of the archangel, and trump of God, to meet our Lord in the air;
the standing of all believers before the judgment seat of Christ, and the account we all must give of our deeds.

“which ignorant and unstable people distort, as also they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction” Those who have great human knowledge but who have not been taught by the Spirit of God, those scoffers who don’t really believe, those who have not the Spirit of Christ and are none of His, who are ignorant and unstable will pervert the teachings of Paul as they have done to the teachings of the rest of Holy Scripture.

Application

Let us treat with sacred care the contents of this Book, teaching as truth only those things that are taught in it and denying all teaching that is contrary to what is taught in it! All truth is God’s truth. But when it is mistaught by false teachers it becomes man’s lies. We must uphold the truth of the Bible!

In God's service, for His glory,

2 Peter 3:15 – Patiently Restraining

Posted on June 5, 2017 by Will

And consider our Lord's patience as salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you according to the wisdom given to him;

Truth to Learn

God is holding back His wrath so that salvation can come to as many as possible.

Behind the Words

The Greek word translated “consider” is hegeisthe, which technically means “lead the way.” Metaphorically, however, it means “lead out before the mind,” that is, “consider it” or “think of it as.” The word is expressed here in the imperative voice indicating a command.

Meaning Explained

Peter says, “Don’t think of the longsuffering of God as weakness or as His inability to fulfill his promises. Instead, think of His longsuffering as His way of making sure that salvation comes to everyone possible.” The Apostle Paul said a similar thing regarding God’s longsuffering in Romans 2:4:

Or do you despise the riches of His kindness, and the forbearance and long-suffering, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?

Both the Apostles, Peter and Paul, indicate that God’s longsuffering (his patience, according to Peter) is His way of holding back judgment until the last possible moment so that salvation can come to as many as possible.

Romans 2:4 may be the verse that Peter is referring to in the second half of this verse. The startling thing is not that Peter refers to the teaching of Paul, but that he refers to him as a dear brother. If you recall, Paul was not one of the original 12 disciples nor was he the one selected to replace Judas (see Acts 1:15-26.) Paul is the only apostle of Christ who was saved after the resurrection. The other apostles were primarily sent to witness to Jews, but Paul was commissioned by the Lord Himself to a ministry among the Gentiles.

Scripture also records the fact that Peter and Paul had several strong confrontations regarding how Christianity was differentiated from Judaism (see Galatians 2:11 and surrounding verses), so for Peter to now refer to Paul as a “beloved brother” shows a remarkable demonstration of humility and acceptance on Peter’s part.

This is as much the message of today’s verse as anything else. We need to accept the fact that none of us has all the answers. In spite of everything that we have been taught through years of sermons, Sunday school lessons, Bible studies, or even seminaries, we all have much to learn from each other. And, as long as the teaching is based on what the Bible actually says (as opposed to hearsay or private interpretation), we need to be willing to be taught by the Holy Spirit regarding these truths.

Let us guard ourselves against heresy and the corruption of false teachers. However, we need to be open to the teaching from the Spirit of God so that we can all be effective witnesses for Christ.

Application

While God is patiently waiting, holding back His judgment, we need to be witnessing to everyone we can. God’s wrath will not be restrained forever, and each soul saved is one fewer who will experience that wrath. Proclaim the gospel message and ignore what the scoffers say about you.

In God's service, for His glory,

2 Peter 3:14 – Waiting Peacefully

Posted on June 2, 2017 by Will

So then, beloved ones, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found spotless, and blameless, at peace with him.

Truth to Learn

We are to be at peace awaiting and looking forward to the return of Christ.

Behind the Words

The expression “looking forward to these things” comes from the Greek, prosdokōntes tauta. Tauta means “these things,” and prosdokōntes means “looking toward or looking for, with expectation.” Hence, we could paraphrase this as “looking forward to and expecting these things.”

The word translated “spotless” is aspilos, which is made up of the privative a, meaning “not or without” and spilos, meaning “a stain or a blemish.”

“Blameless” is from amōmētos, made up of the privative a, meaning “not or without” and a form of mōmaomai, meaning “to censure or to blame.”

Both of these words are expressed in the nominative case, meaning that grammatically they are subjects, not objects. Hence the end of this verse is more appropriately translated as “be diligent, spotless and blameless ones, to be found by Him at peace.”

Meaning Explained

Peter is saying, “Because the world will be destroyed by fire and a new heaven and earth will be created (which will only be inhabited by the righteous), therefore (or so then), we are looking for these things to come to pass just as he said they would. We have no reason to be like the scoffers who don’t believe God anyway, we have every reason to believe the message about the future… and we should be preparing for it.

If we believe that this earth and all earthly deeds that we do will be burned up, we should focus not on the things of this world but on the things that pertain to godliness. In order to expectantly look forward to something you have to believe in it. If you don’t believe it will happen, then you won’t be expecting it.

And, if we believe these things will come to pass, then we are to be diligent to be at peace when He comes for us. Since we are in Christ Jesus, we are under no condemnation from God and should truly have peace. This is exactly how He should find us when He returns to judge the world.

Notice Peter calls us spotless and blameless ones. I think he does this intentionally to show the contrast between us and the false teachers he was talking about in the previous chapter where the words “blots and blemishes” are the same root words as “spotless and blameless” without the privative a in front:

Suffering wrong as the payback for their unrighteousness. They consider it pleasure to carouse in the daytime; they are stains and blemishes, self-indulgent in their delusions while they indulge in luxury with you. (2Peter 2:13)

Application

Are you expecting Him to return at any time? If so, do you have peace about it, and do you have confidence that He will return to take you home with Him?

If you’re truly saved then this peace should be yours because in God’s eyes you are spotless and blameless!

In God's service, for His glory,