Looking For and Hastening (To) 2 Peter 3:10-18

"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. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 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? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells." 

 

"Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; AND CONSIDER THAT THE LONGSUFFERING OF OUR LORD IS SALVATION - as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures. You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, BEWARE LEST YOU ALSO FALL FROM YOUR OWN STEADFASTNESS, being led away with the error of the wicked; but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen." 

 

Peter mentions that Paul speaks of these things in his epistles and that some things are HARD to understand, yet clearly not impossible. In the gospel of John, Jesus teaches His followers that "he who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me and I in him" (John 6:56). "Many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, 'This is a HARD saying; who can understand it?' "(v.60) "From that time many of His disciples went back and followed Him no more." (v.66) 

 

Yet Peter said, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life." (v.68) Not too HARD for him to understand! We know that Peter was yet to fall into a trial in denying Christ at the cross. Even in that, what the Father had revealed to Peter was enough to bring him to repentance. So, we of these latter days should follow our brethren, remaining steadfast in the longsuffering of the Lord: feeding on Him even though it could be considered hard. It is our salvation! Twisting the words spoken by these disciples will lead to destruction.