“Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless…”

The closing verses of 2 Peter set before us the conduct of Christians in view of the coming of Christ (vv.14-18; compare 3:11).

Therefore

The word “therefore” draws the bottom line. Peter adds up all the truth of the previous thirteen verses. He challenges us to reply to all the truth about the Lord’s return, the consummation of God’s program for the heavens and the earth, and the anticipation of new heavens and earth.

The word “therefore” means on which account. The “therefore” is the bond between belief and behavior. What the apostates destroyed by their denial of the coming of Christ, believers can fix with their anticipation of the coming of Christ. Peter links character to the expectation of the “coming day of God” and the creation of the new heavens and earth. One day there will come a meltdown of the universe as we know it, and God will start over with a new one.

Beloved

Peter punctuates this chapter with the word “beloved.” He loves his readers even though they almost bought into the lies of the apostates.

looking forward to these things

Peter used the words “looking forward” in the previous verse to anticipate the new heavens and earth, thus picking up the previous verse’s argument. In the new heavens and earth, we will receive our resurrection bodies.

In general, non-Christians neither know nor care about the things that Christians care about. They may not believe, for example, in a coming judgment, or they may not believe that God is a God of justice. Meanwhile, the Christian confidently expects great things for the future.

Principle:

We should stay expectant and eagerly anticipate Christ’s coming.

Application:

Spiritual Christians expect the coming of Christ for them. This keeps them at the pinnacle of spiritual performance. They operate at the maximum rather than at the minimum.

Those without Christ have little hope or anticipation of the future. They do not know what the future holds for them. They may be very well educated but spiritually illiterate. Can you call yourself educated if you do not know what will happen to you after death?

“Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage” (Hebrews 2:14-15).

Christians should not be afraid to die. They know their future and take comfort in knowing that their loved one does not lie in the casket. Rather, only their body does. But Non-Christians view death as frightful and horrible because they think of it as the cessation of existence.