Three Worlds
2 Peter 3:1-7; 10-13
I. The World That Was.
The world that was created by God was a Fantastic Place: Beautiful beyond description- Fruitful- Peaceful- "Paradise." The problem was not with the physical world, but the people in the world.
A. World of Compromise.
Sin entered world through Adam and Eve, but they repented and continued in their faithfulness to God in the offering of sacrifices and in obedience. Then the Godly line, the descendants of Seth, began marrying women from the unrighteous, ungodly line of Cain. The Bible says that they saw these daughters of men that they were fair (beautiful) and they married wives of all which they chose. Godly virtues and principles were discarded; evil fleshly desires were cultivated and catered to. It was a world of Compromise.
B. World of Corruption.
Gen.6:5,6 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.
Vs. 11-13 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.13 And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
This world of Compromise and Corruption was Judged by God and destroyed with a Great Flood. Peter said the "world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished."
II. The World That Is.
Peter then leaps ahead through history to the world that existed in his day, and continues to exist until the final judgement of God. The World that is now, is described by Paul as a World characterized by:
A. Dangerous Times.
2 Tim. 3:1-5 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
B. Deceptive Times.
1 Tim 4:1,2 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; 2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
The Spirit of God speaks plainly and emphatically that in the last days some will depart from the Faith; they will listen to and follow after seducing spirits; they will listen to and believe doctrines of devils; they will speak lies in their hypocrisy; they will have their conscience deadened (as if it has been seared or cauterized with a hot iron).
This World that Is Now is being Reserved by for the Day of Judgement and Destruction by Fire. This World that we live in is Destined for Judgement by Almighty God. This World we live in is Doomed for Destruction by Almighty God.
In this passage, Peter looks beyond the Rapture of the church, where every true believer- every born again child of God- every faithful Christian will be Caught away to meet the Lord in the Air; even those who have died in the Faith will be resurrected and caught UP!
Peter looks beyond the Tribulation where the Wrath of God is poured out on an unbelieving and rebellious world through the opening of the seven seals; the sounding of the seven trumpets; the pouring out of the seven vials.
Peter looks beyond the Battle of Armageddon, where the anti christ and his armies have gathered to destroy Jerusalem, the Jewish race and Jesus Christ himself, where Jesus leads the Armies of heaven on white horses and soundly defeats the anti christ and his armies, casting the anti christ and false prophet into the lake of fire.
Peter looks beyond the 1000 year reign of Christ known as the Millennium, where the Glorified Saints of God rule and reign with Jesus Christ over all the earth.
Peter looks beyond to the Time when Satan’s final rebellion will be subdued by Jesus Christ and Satan himself is cast into the Lake of Fire for eternity- THEN He Says,
"...the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. 11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, 12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
The World that now is will be forever dissolved, removed, and Replaced with:
III. The World That Shall Be.
Verse 13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
Is. 65:14 Behold, my servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for vexation of spirit. 17 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. 18 But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.
A. Everlasting Life- Life goes on forever and ever; never ending; no sickness, pain, death, sorrow, or tears.
B. Everlasting Righteousness - Sin is forever destroyed; the Saints are glorified; There is No temptation, No Tempter, No transgression! There is no longer a sinful human nature; no inbred sin; no lust within to draw anyone away.
C. Everlasting Beauty- Beauty that never fades. There is no deterioration and no time to take its toll. It will be a world of everlasting life and righteousness in the never fading beauty of God’s New Creation. New Heavens; New Earth; New Jerusalem
John cried out in Rev. 21:1 "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away- there was no more sea. I saw the holy city New Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, BEHOLD the tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himself shall be with them and be their God."
Those who lived only for the World that Was died lost in a Flood.
Those who live only for the World that Now Is will die lost in flaming Fire.
Only those who live for the World that Shall Be will find Everlasting Life in the presence of the Lord.
2 Peter 3:1-7; 10-13
I. The World That Was.
The world that was created by God was a Fantastic Place: Beautiful beyond description- Fruitful- Peaceful- "Paradise." The problem was not with the physical world, but the people in the world.
A. World of Compromise.
Sin entered world through Adam and Eve, but they repented and continued in their faithfulness to God in the offering of sacrifices and in obedience. Then the Godly line, the descendants of Seth, began marrying women from the unrighteous, ungodly line of Cain. The Bible says that they saw these daughters of men that they were fair (beautiful) and they married wives of all which they chose. Godly virtues and principles were discarded; evil fleshly desires were cultivated and catered to. It was a world of Compromise.
B. World of Corruption.
Gen.6:5,6 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.
Vs. 11-13 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.13 And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
This world of Compromise and Corruption was Judged by God and destroyed with a Great Flood. Peter said the "world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished."
II. The World That Is.
Peter then leaps ahead through history to the world that existed in his day, and continues to exist until the final judgement of God. The World that is now, is described by Paul as a World characterized by:
A. Dangerous Times.
2 Tim. 3:1-5 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
B. Deceptive Times.
1 Tim 4:1,2 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; 2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
The Spirit of God speaks plainly and emphatically that in the last days some will depart from the Faith; they will listen to and follow after seducing spirits; they will listen to and believe doctrines of devils; they will speak lies in their hypocrisy; they will have their conscience deadened (as if it has been seared or cauterized with a hot iron).
This World that Is Now is being Reserved by for the Day of Judgement and Destruction by Fire. This World that we live in is Destined for Judgement by Almighty God. This World we live in is Doomed for Destruction by Almighty God.
In this passage, Peter looks beyond the Rapture of the church, where every true believer- every born again child of God- every faithful Christian will be Caught away to meet the Lord in the Air; even those who have died in the Faith will be resurrected and caught UP!
Peter looks beyond the Tribulation where the Wrath of God is poured out on an unbelieving and rebellious world through the opening of the seven seals; the sounding of the seven trumpets; the pouring out of the seven vials.
Peter looks beyond the Battle of Armageddon, where the anti christ and his armies have gathered to destroy Jerusalem, the Jewish race and Jesus Christ himself, where Jesus leads the Armies of heaven on white horses and soundly defeats the anti christ and his armies, casting the anti christ and false prophet into the lake of fire.
Peter looks beyond the 1000 year reign of Christ known as the Millennium, where the Glorified Saints of God rule and reign with Jesus Christ over all the earth.
Peter looks beyond to the Time when Satan’s final rebellion will be subdued by Jesus Christ and Satan himself is cast into the Lake of Fire for eternity- THEN He Says,
"...the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. 11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, 12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
The World that now is will be forever dissolved, removed, and Replaced with:
III. The World That Shall Be.
Verse 13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
Is. 65:14 Behold, my servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for vexation of spirit. 17 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. 18 But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.
A. Everlasting Life- Life goes on forever and ever; never ending; no sickness, pain, death, sorrow, or tears.
B. Everlasting Righteousness - Sin is forever destroyed; the Saints are glorified; There is No temptation, No Tempter, No transgression! There is no longer a sinful human nature; no inbred sin; no lust within to draw anyone away.
C. Everlasting Beauty- Beauty that never fades. There is no deterioration and no time to take its toll. It will be a world of everlasting life and righteousness in the never fading beauty of God’s New Creation. New Heavens; New Earth; New Jerusalem
John cried out in Rev. 21:1 "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away- there was no more sea. I saw the holy city New Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, BEHOLD the tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himself shall be with them and be their God."
Those who lived only for the World that Was died lost in a Flood.
Those who live only for the World that Now Is will die lost in flaming Fire.
Only those who live for the World that Shall Be will find Everlasting Life in the presence of the Lord.
posted by Junction Hill Pentecostal Church | 11:53 AM
