Articles
Are You Ready or Living In View Of A New World - 2Peter 2
Are You Ready or Living In View Of A New World - 2Peter 2
The world of Noah’s day was changed completely by the flood. In greater fashion our world will be completely changed by the coming of the Lord.
The world (kosmos, vs 6) of Noah’s day points to the orderly arrangement of things including people and society. That world ‘perished’ by the flood. That event was brought by judgment of God against ungodliness but it also set Noah and his family into a new order of things.
In greater fashion will be the change at the coming of our Lord. The word translated ‘earth’(vs. 5,7, 10)is defined as: "1 arable land. 2 the ground, the earth as a standing place. 3 the main land as opposed to the sea or water. 4 the earth as a whole” (see Strong’s lexicon).
This is different than the ‘cosmos’ of Peter’s experience. Here the earth and the heavens and the heavenly bodies - the universe of our existence and not just the people and society - will be dissolved (10, 11, 12), set on fire (12) and will melt as they burn (12).
We will not be homeless for God will provide a NEW heavens and earth wherein dwell righteousness. (cp. Rev. 21:1f) While the nature of such new existence is debated, it will be with a body prepared for such eternal existence and it will be in the presence of God. What glory awaits the children of God!
Peter drew the obvious conclusion for us: "Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness” (vs. 11). Therefore we are to be diligent (same as in 1:5, 11) to be found without spot or blemish. We are to have become godly in our character as outlined in 1:5-11. We are preparing ourselves to live in the presence of God. Thus we sing:
This World Is Not My Home…
There’s a great day coming…. Are You Ready …
Hopefully we are living what we sing.
Hugh DeLong
