The Suddenness and Destructi..

Welcome to Cornerstone Reformed Baptist Church. Thank you for using and sharing our resources. What you're about to hear is God's Word from one of our teaching elders. We trust that God's Word will inspire, instruct, and bless you. For further teachings or information on our ministry, please visit us on our website at cornerstonerbc.

com. That's cornerstonerbc.com. May the Lord Jesus Christ guide us as we speak about these matters and give us grace to the congregation and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the first begotten of the dead, the prince of the rulers of this world. We're going to be addressing Beloved of Christ verses 10 through verse 13 on 2 Peter chapter 3.

And in this section, beloved of Christ, the spirit of the Lord through the apostle Peter wants us, not only us, but also the churches who receive this letter, to be encouraged once again about the day of the Lord and to know that the future certainty of the day of the Lord is to have a present impact in the life of those who are genuine believers. Is my voice too loud? So good. So beloved of Christ, brothers and sisters and friends with us, that the certainty, the reality of the future that is to come the day of the Lord must not could but should and must have a present impact in the life of the Christian. that the certainty that there is going to be a day of the Lord, a day of God, a day of eternity, the coming of the Savior, the certainty by faith that this day is going to come should not be only something that abides in our mind, but rather it should be something that moves us to greater manifestations of Christlikeness in the present.

The future is meant to empower the present for the Christian. That which is to come, that promise that has been given by God, is to be apprehended in such a way by faith that the present is transformed, that greater manifestations of righteousness and Christ-likeness are a reality for those who are in Christ Jesus. So the apostle says that for the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away, and the elements will melt with fervent heat. And because of that day of the Lord that will come like a thief in the night, and there will be destruction because of the certainty of that day, then what manner of people are we to be in holy conduct? and also living in godliness, the present of the genuine believer, utterly affected and transformed and defined by the reality that is not yet even here, the day of the Lord.

That is the simple teaching that we have here in this portion from verse 10 through verse 13. So I'm going to invite you to read together with me, beloved of Christ. Chapter 3 from verse 1 to verse 13, and try to pay as much attention as possible in the Spirit and by faith, in the things that we're reading and the things that I'm going to say. My mind is a confession, a public confession. My mind depends on your faces.

So the countenance of your face guides my head and my mind. So when you're tired and when you're just going different places, then I cannot find ideas in my head. So before the Lord, in faith, I ask you, and with compassion before the Lord, that we will do our effort just to pay attention to the things that I say. Chapter three. This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved.

In both of them, I'm stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles. Knowing this, first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires, they will say, where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation, for they deliberately overlook this fact. that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, and that by means of these, the world that then existed was diluted with water and perished. But by the same word, the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.

But do not overlook this one fact, beloved. that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not as slow to fulfill his promise as some kind of slowness, but is patient towards you or us, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burnt up and dissolved. and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed or burned up.

Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people are you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn? But according to his promise, We are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Amen. This is the word of the Lord, beloved of Christ, brothers and sisters and dear eternal souls that are within the sound of my voice either here or those of you who are online. What we have here, simply put, is an exhortation that by the present faith that we have today, we will apprehend the reality that is coming in the future and we will be transformed.

In the words of this Apostle Peter, in his first letter, when he's writing to the different churches, he praises the God and Father of his Lord Jesus Christ, saying, Blessed be the God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope. We have been begotten again by the Father through the resurrection from the dead of the Lord Jesus Christ to a living hope. A hope that is in the future, that is not dead, that is a living hope. And the apostle continues to add to that living hope that is an inheritance that is incorruptible, undefiled, and that does not fade away, that is kept and reserved in heaven for you, it says, for the Christians. And the Christians are kept by the power of God through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed.

Those are the glorious words of Peter in his first letter, that we have been given a living hope. It's an inheritance that is kept, that is reserved, that is a salvation that is ready to be revealed. And every single genuine Christian is kept by the power of God through the faith that has been given to this person. For a salvation not that will be ready, not for a salvation that is being prepared, but rather, verse five, a salvation that is ready to be revealed. Then the apostle continued in chapter one of his first letter, in verse six, saying, in this we rejoice greatly, in this we rejoice greatly, Christian, beloved of Christ, brother and sister, in this living hope, this hope that is in the future undefiled, reserved there, kept for us, ready to be revealed.

In this we rejoice, though now for a little while we have been griefed if there is need. In the present, the Christian is to greatly rejoice for this living hope that is in the future. Knowing, having the mindset on those things that are to come, then those Christians who are going through tribulation and trials are to greatly rejoice. Why? Because their faith, the genuineness of their faith is being tested, which is more precious than gold.

So that once that faith has been tested, under revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ in that day of the Lord, the faith of the Christian will be presented as honor and glory and praise. Wow, beloved in Christ. Living hope. This Jesus Christ whom you have not seen yet you love. This Jesus Christ that you have not seen yet, by believing in him, you rejoice with unspeakable words, full of glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your soul.

That is genuine saving faith. That is what I said to you last week, that you have to understand that your faith is meant to be a wholesome faith. Your faith is meant to be a complete faith. Your faith is meant to be an empowered faith. Not only a faith that looks to the past and confirms that would happen at the cross, but a faith that also looks towards the future and holds the promises that are to come.

If you do not have a faith that is equally certain and equally powerful when you look to the past and when you look to the future, then you don't have the wholeness and the power and the ability of God-given faith. Because faith, beloved of Christ, does not only give you certainty of things of the past and things of the future, but also makes you participant of the spiritual realities that are already in heaven. The righteousness of Christ is effectively an in-reality given to a person who has genuine saving faith throughout the ages. even if that person was born before the cross or years and years after the cross, because faith is not only a certainty that is meant to abide in your mind, but it's a glorious reality to bring spiritual realities that are decreed and accomplished in the mind of God so that you will be partaker of them. For this reason, beloved of Christ, Satan attacks your faith.

For this reason, beloved of Christ, The best business of demons and Satan and the world is to attack your faith, is to give you uncertainty of the things of the past, and more easily, sadly, give you uncertainty of the things of the future. who, as I said last week, just simply negotiate with men to disagree about the future. Once that happens, then the church is left without certainty of the things that are going to come in the future. Best cases scenario, having certainty and conviction of what happened in the past, and then just simply agreeing to disagree of the promises that are to come. Beloved of Christ, that should not be.

We should not allow that be our faith. We should not allow that Satan and his demons and our flesh and the system of this world might move us or take us to a position in which our faith is uncertain. In the moment, beloved of Christ, that your faith is uncertain, or in the moment that your faith abides only in your mind, there's so much risk for you if you truly are in Christ. And if your belief only abides in your mind, then worst case scenario, you're not even in Christ. because you're not united to the eternal person, to the glorious Savior, Jesus Christ, by a belief that only abides in your mind.

It is a spiritual reality that is substantial in the heart that transforms you and gives you the life of Christ. And that's why Satan wants to destroy that faith. He's like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour. Stand firm in your faith. Defending and protecting yourself with a shield of faith.

All of the arrows that are sent to you from Satan and his demons. Your faith needs to be kept and protected and empowered and increased. Otherwise, you're not going to live your life in the power of the Spirit. How are you going to believe the word of God if your faith is uncertain? If your faith is partial and your faith is weak?

the spiritual diligence of the Christian, to come and behold the beauty of the Lord Jesus Christ continually, ongoingly, unstoppably, through the word of God and the power of the Spirit, so that our unbelief may be strengthened and made faithful belief in the Savior through the gospel, so that we will continue to endure until the end. Preserved, we are told by Peter, in verse five of chapter one of his first letter, by the power of God through your faith. It is your faith, the one that preserves and keeps you until the end. It is the one that obtains the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your soul. Satan attacks your faith.

He does it through your flesh. through the things that are passing away, by capturing your attention, by making you busy, by just moving your mind and your desires and your thoughts to things of this world that are passing away. Having a heart that is divided, here in the world and here with the Father, when that is not to be with the Father. That is the dichotomy that is impossible to abide in the same place. You either love the world or you love the Father.

Because if the love of the world is in you, you do not love the Father. as plain and simple as that, as the scripture says. It is a matter of affection. It is a matter of affection either to God or to the things of this world. And when your heart is divided, as the brother has said, as your heart is prostituted, divided, as the heart of Solomon, who had all wisdom, yet his heart was not complete, the Bible says, then he turned to adultery, and women, and all of these things, because his heart was not complete.

His head was full of wisdom, yet his heart was prostituted, divided, incomplete. And for that reason, the things of this world used by Satan, took him captive to deviate from the ways of the Lord. Tribulations and difficulties, all of these things that you will face through your life are with a purpose. of strengthening your faith. Count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.

But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, knocking nothing. If anyone lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all, liberally and without reproach. But ask with faith, not doubting, for he who doubts is like the wave of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord. He is a double-minded man.

Unstable in all his ways. Tribulations made to test our faith. To strengthen our faith that our faith may be complete. That our faith may be perfect. Perfect is the word that is used there.

That our faith may be complete, not lacking. How are we going to have the life of Christ? A faith that is complete. When you are negotiating to disagree the things of the future. How are you going to live in the power of the hope, this living hope, when you are okay to have five, 10, 20, or whatever number of different views about the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ?

That sounds to me opposite, as I said last week, to faith and certainty of the things that are to come. And the way also that Satan will attack your faith is not only by your flesh, and it's not only also do it, beloved of Christ, through false teaching, which happens often about these things of the future. It is just by simply saying, where is the promise of His coming? Which is what we have here. Where is the promise of His coming?

The things continue the same as in the beginning of creation. Where is the promise of His coming? False teachers questioning not only the past, but also putting in doubt and questioning the future. What do they do? They place uncertainty in your heart.

Once they place uncertainty in your heart and move you to be okay with lack of certainty about the things that scripture speaks about, then you either choose to submit to men or never engage in those matters so that you will not get into disagreements. Beloved of Christ, that is everything that Satan wants to do, weaken our faith when it comes to things of the past and of the future, and that is exactly what we have here in the context of this chapter 3 of the second letter of Peter. In the verses that we have in verse 10 through verse 13, beloved of Christ, as I said before, we have just a simple teaching. Kids and young adults and brothers and sisters who are younger in the faith, and those of you who have been walking with me longer than I have been alive, The simple teaching that we have here in this chapter, it is that the reality of the future is supposed to impact your present life. You cannot be an expert of the things of the future when you're living in sin.

This is a biblical disconnection. You cannot be an expert of the things that are to come and delight yourselves in this doctrine and this theory and this way and to have all your charts broken down nicely and neatly when your life is broken and in disorder. It is contrary to what the scripture says. Having the certainty of his promise of new heavens and new earth, how are we going to live like sinners in the present time? Holy conduct and godliness is the natural result of having proper doctrine.

That is what I was just thinking the other night. How do I know, Lord, that everything that I'm just thinking is correct? When that is manifested in your life in Christlikeness and in power in the Spirit, you will have a confirmation through your brothers and sisters that the truth is now with you, given to the local church in manifestations of Christlikeness. When thoughts and doctrines abide in your head and they did not reach the heart, question them. Question yourself or question them.

That is the simple teaching, brothers and sisters, kids, everyone who is within the sound of my voice, that this future hope that we have about the future is to produce in your lives, in the life of your father, in the life of your mother, and in the life of those who live with you, present manifestations, increasing manifestations of Christ-likeness and righteousness. I'm going to explain this just by simply explaining two things. I'm going to approach better this topic of this teaching that we have in these verses just by doing two things. I want to give you certainty of what the day of the Lord is according to Peter. I want to give you, once again, certainty, simple certainty as it is clearly stated in this passage for what Peter says that the day of the Lord is.

And once we understand what the day of the Lord is and everything that comes with the day of the Lord, I hope that we will be moved by the Spirit, not so much to understand why we are to be righteous in the present, but rather that your eyes will be opened, as mine have been, to be living in the present with an expectation, a real expectation of the things that come in the future, not because you simply have to tick these little things in order to be an Orthodox Christian, but rather because this is a reality in your heart. I just want to do those two things, beloved Christ. First, let's discuss together in grace and in love with the scripture in front of us what the day of the Lord is That is the first thing, just together, in love and in grace, not pretending to do anything, just discussing what it is, this day of the Lord, so that when we discuss and understand those things, then we will connect, I hope, naturally and organically by the spirit of why this future certainty is to cause present reality in ourselves. The day of the Lord, according to the words of Peter, Or the day of God, even in the same passage there that we have in verse 12. He calls it according to the ESV, which is an excellent translation there in verse 18.

The day of eternity, or you will have the day forever and ever in other translation. Or the day of judgment there in verse seven in chapter three. Or the day of destruction in chapter two, verse nine. All of those are synonyms of the same concept. The coming of the Lord the coming of the day of God, the coming of the day of judgment.

What is this day of the Lord for Peter? Peter is going to show us not only in this second letter, but also in his first letter, that this day of the Lord, beloved of Christ, is the last day that corresponds to a particular period of time. This day of the Lord is the last day that corresponds to a particular period of time. And that period of time, according to Peter, is either the last days or the last times. And we can see how these last times or the last days will go and move on to the final day, which is the day of judgment clearly given to us from verse three in chapter three.

It says. Knowing these, first of all, that is, coffers will come in the last days with a scoffing, following their own sinful desires. And he continued with the argument. False prophets will come in this particular period of time, which is the last days. And then in verse seven, all of that is moving to worse.

It says in verse seven, but by the same word, the heavens and the earth that now exist are stored up for fire being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. Peter has in his mind a particular period of time and a particular day in that period of time, which is what he calls the day of judgment or the day of his coming or the day of the Lord or the day of eternity or the day of God. When he's writing his first letter, you can read this on your own, but they're in verses three through five, something that I have already quoted. He says, blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, to this inheritance that is incorruptible and defiled, that does not fade away. who that is kept in heaven for us, who are kept by God and through our faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last times, he said.

He uses this concept of the last times and these last days of last times is to be understood. What does he mean by last times or last days? If I'm saying to you, Beloved of Christ, that this day of the Lord is the last day of this period of time. These last times, these last days. What does Peter mean by these last times of these last days?

He gives us the answer very clearly in first period. You go there quickly to first Peter chapter one in verse 20. Let's just read it from verse 17. This is the argument of the apostle. If you call on him as father, verse 17, chapter one, 1 Peter.

And if you call on him as father, who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb, without blemish or spot. Now he's going to say something glorious. This lamb who was slain through whose precious blood we are bought. He says he was foreknown. He was foreknown before the foundation of the world that was made manifest when in the last times for the sake of you.

And then he continues the argument. The manifestation of the Lamb of God, who was foreknown before the foundation of the world in His first coming, gives the initiation of these last times, which is clearly confirmed by other passages of the New Testament, primarily Hebrew chapter 1, in which the author says that in other times God spoke through the fathers, through the prophets, but in these last times, or these last days, He has spoken to us through the Son. Clearly in the mind of Peter, not even using Hebrews, not even using Hebrews, the manifestation of the coming of the Son of God, who was for none before the foundation of the world, gives the initiation or at least defines these last times or these last days. So the day of the Lord is the last of the days of this period of time that is initiated by the manifestation of Jesus Christ when he came to be here for the sake of you, the church, here according to 1st Peter chapter 1. But now, the apostle continues and he gives us more light, not even interpreting anything, just using his words.

The apostle gives us a deeper description of this day of the Lord. And this day of the Lord is described precisely as that day of the Lord or day of God. What is the apostle referring to when he says the day of the Lord? Is he speaking about the ownership or the property that God has of that particular day as he as if he was not the owner of all other days throughout history? Of course not.

He is sovereign over everything, and he's the owner of time. He defines time. He defines absolutely every single day. And every day, when it comes to ownership of property, is the day of the Lord. Yet, the Scripture, through Peter, has decided, and through the New Testament, and even in the Old Testament, has decided that there will be a day of the Lord.

What is this day of the Lord? How are we to understand this description of this day of the Lord? Well, by just simply seeing the many other words that the apostle uses to speak of this day of the Lord, because this day of the Lord is not defined by the ownership of God to that particular day, but rather by the unique work that God will do on that specific day. There's a unique event that will take place on the day of the Lord. God is sovereign over every single day, and he can do what he pleases through every single day of history.

Yet on the day of the Lord, on the day of God, on the day of eternity, there is a unique event that has never taken place, and it will never be repeated. This day brings a unique event. And that event is judgment. Verse seven. But by the same word, the heavens and earth that now exist are restored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.

Chapter 2, verse 9, speaks of the same reality, the day of destruction or the day of judgment of the ungodly. The ungodly is the recipient of the judgment of God, as he has never been poured out before. God has executed his judgment throughout the ages, even towards his people. But the judgment that comes on this particular day is a unique event in history that makes that day the day of the Lord. So what is the day of the Lord according to Peter, beloved of Christ?

The day of the Lord is the last day of a particular period of time that is initiated with the manifestation of Jesus Christ in his first coming, that this day has the unique manifestation of a work of God, namely his judgment. Everyone will have to give an account for the things that they have said, done. The things that they have had in their heart, every single heart within the sound of my voice, my heart is going to be clearly exposed on that day so that the righteous judgment of God will be executed. And what difficult things the scripture says, even speaking of the church, that in the day of the Lord, in the midnight cry, when the bridegroom comes to take his church, the church will be found partially not ready to face the Savior, that there will be virgins that are not wise, that are not prepared, that are foolish. But this is a story for a different servant.

Now, beloved of Christ, this is the day of the Lord, simply as Peter explains it here. Now, let me just go a little bit deeper now in the definition of the day. Let me just go a little bit deeper. I've said that this day of the Lord is the last day of a particular period of time of which the initiation of that time is the manifestation of the Lord Jesus Christ, who was foreknown before the foundation of the world, a day in which the judgment of God will be executed. Keep that in your mind.

Now, let me just go deeper with that, with information that we have in front of us. I'm not preaching. I'm only taking information that is from the text. I'm going to give you now two characteristics of that day of the Lord that are clearly given in the text. I'm not even preaching.

I'm just taking the closest from the text. Two characteristics of this day of the Lord. The first one is given to us in verse 10 as it happens, or it starts better. It says, but the day of the Lord will come like a thief, or like a thief in the night. The first characteristic of the day of the Lord is that is of sudden appearance.

Suddenly, the day of the Lord, of judgment, like a thief in the night. And even if I could use theologically these statements which are used by the Lord Jesus Christ and by Paul in other sections of scripture, just the concept of a thief in the night It speaks of the uncertainty and the unexpectedness of an event that is to happen. You don't know when the thief is going to come in the night. This is just simply that you don't know when it will happen because it happens all of a sudden. Everyone is speaking and going with their lives and everyone is just doing what they do.

And suddenly, the day of the Lord, like a thief in the night, Same words are used by the Lord Jesus Christ, just grammatically speaking. I'm not even comparing that passage so that there's no complications. 1 Thessalonians 4 uses the same language, not even theologically speaking, just grammatically speaking, to speak of the sudden coming of the day of the Lord. And if you have not read any other portion of the Scripture, when you're reading just that statement there, without presuppositions and assumptions in your head, Like a thief in the night would have brought to your mind this concept of this sense of unexpected event. Am I understanding your language correctly?

Like a thief in the night. And the question is, why? Why would this day of the Lord be of sudden coming, of sudden appearance? Now, the Bible speaks a lot about the day of the Lord coming like a thief in the night, but I'm not going to use any of those arguments theologically, only grammatically. Come with me to Revelation 3, because there the Lord speaks of these words and gives us a grammatical understanding of how the New Testament uses that expression, not theologically, grammatically.

When you go to Revelation 3, In verse three, we are given substance of the meaning of this reality of the coming like a thief. It says in chapter three, verse three, unto the angel, let me just read from the beginning, oh, let me just read from, yeah, let me just read from the beginning. Unto the angel of the church inside his right The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars, I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you're dead. Wake up and strengthen what remains and what is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God.

Remember then what you have received and heard. Keep it and repent. If you will not wake up, if you will not wake up, I will come like a thief and you will not know at what hour I will come against you. Now theologically, grammatically explain to us what the scripture means of this sudden coming like a thief in the night. And the Bible tells us that we don't know exactly the time of the hour.

And for that reason, we are to, according to the ESV, wake up, according to another translation, watch. Watch. That is that Christians, when they understand by faith that there is a day, a day of the Lord, a day of God, a day of eternity, that indeed is going to happen, because he has promised, as a brother said, he has promised, he is faithful to complete what he has said. How come on earth Christians who are walking supposedly in the Spirit are going to be slothful, are going to be not caring about these matters, and worse than that, living lives of not waking up, and not caring, and not watching for the coming. Does it make sense?

In my head, it's just simply one, two, three. It just doesn't make sense. If that is what scripture says, and we say that we believe the word of God, what follows, according to my limited understanding, is that you obey whatever he says. He says that we are to watch, that we are to be careful. How are we going to be careful about something that we don't believe in?

You know what these divisions of the eschatological thing has made to our faith? That simply we don't live lives that are watchful, if that is the word. Because we have uncertainty about this coming of the Lord, instead of rejoicing in the coming of the Lord and deciding with our heart that at any point, even as I'm speaking, the Lord can come. This is meant to fill our hearts with holy expectation. This is the substance of a wholesome faith, not only that believes and confirms the things of the past, but beloved, the things of the future.

Because the first characteristic of this day of the Lord is that is sudden, unexpected. You were not looking for it. You did not know. Beloved of Christ, that the things of this world easily take us. to be removed from this reality.

I remember that when we went to Mexico with Jasmine, before we had kids, we arrived to Mexico after five or six years of being living in Australia. We had been living in this way of living here, and when we arrived to Mexico, I was so concerned that something could happen to us because Mexico is not like Australia. I've told Brother Bernie that I've bought a chain. So every night, we will go and lock every single door and then she will be sleeping next to me and I was almost awake with a chain in my hand because I knew that in Mexico, if someone makes it through the door, that's it. And if they know that we're coming from Australia, that is the end.

I kept the chain in my hand for many days, like 10 or 15 days. After 15 days or 17 days, my Colombian-ness, my South American-ness in which I was born, It slowly started to take over my Australian fears, and then because I knew that I had been born in a place in which I had seen people being killed and things like that, then just my flesh started just to allow me not to be watchful anymore, and I don't know where I left the chain. I was not watchful anymore about the things and the dangers of Mexico, and then in a month into Mexico, just sending Jasmine to go and do shopping on her own. This is what happens to us with the deceitfulness of the things of this world, when you do not believe that something is indeed going to take place, simply you don't act and you do not live as if that thing is going to happen. And this has happened, beloved of Christ, when it comes about the future, sudden coming of the day of the Lord, and we are called to watch.

Second characteristic that is given to us, if you go back to that passage, Second characteristic, I said to you that I only wanted to give you two characteristics of the day of the Lord. The first one is that it's a sudden coming, sudden appearance. The second one, beloved Christ, is that the day of the Lord is a day of destruction. Destruction. The day of the Lord is not only a day that is just gonna come and happen, but it's a day of destruction.

We are told that the heavens will pass away with a great noise. The heavenly bodies of the elements, that is the substance of what is made, will be burned up, dissolved. Not only that, but the works will be done, will be done away or exposed or burned up. All of this language of dissolving, disappearing, passing away. It is a day of destruction.

There is no way around it. The day of the Lord. The day of God is a day of sudden coming, and when it comes, there's going to be destruction. There's going to be utter destruction, and we are told that it's going to be by fire. Judgment came in the Old Testament through water.

Now these heavens and earth are reserved and kept for judgment that is gonna take place through fire. Utter destruction. This is where you have to pay attention to, beloved, because we're gonna get a little bit more into what I want to share with you with this concept of destruction. The first thing that I want you to pay attention to is what is that which is going to be destroyed? What is it?

What is the object of this destruction that happens on the day of the Lord? What is the object of all of this judgment that comes and this fire that melts and all of this destruction that will take place? We are told, first, initially there in verse 10, that the heavens will pass away. We are also told about the heavenly bodies there in your ESV or the elements if you have a different translation. And then we're given and asked the question, we're left to ask the question, what is that which is going to be destroyed?

It speaks of heavens and the earth and these heavenly bodies and these elements. All of these things, beloved of Christ, can be easily understood by the implicit statement in verse 13 that speaks of the result of the destruction that says, but according to his promise, we are waiting for new heavens and new earth. That is, that if there's going to be new heavens and new earth, that which has been destroyed has been the old heavens and the old earth. And then the apostle uses all of these words of, heavenly bodies, or the elements, or the earth and the heavens, to speak of that reality. The heavens and the earth will be the object of the destruction of the Lord on the Lord's day, or the day of the Lord.

Be with me, beloved of Christ, brothers and sisters and friends. What is the day of the Lord according to Peter? The day of the Lord is the last day in a particular period of time, which is called the last times of the last days, which is initiated or started by the manifestation of the first coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. And this last day or the day of the Lord is a day of judgment that suddenly happens. and that brings destruction of heavens and earth.

You're with me, right? Heavens and earth. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. And when I say that, there is a danger. And this is the danger of not interpreting this properly.

There is a danger. And that danger is that we reduce down heavens and earth to our only material existence. we can easily reduce down heavens and earth to a creation that is only material. But when the Bible speaks of the heavens and the earth, it's speaking about a reality that goes beyond that which is material, and rather speaks of a system, a system that is called the old heavens and the old earth, and a new system, a new reality that is the new heavens and the new earth. How do I know that is the question that you should be asking yourself.

It is by the statement that is given to us in the end of verse 10. So we are told that it's not only the heavens that will pass away, and not only that the elements will be melt with a fervent heat or burnt up, but also it says, and the earth and the works that are done in it will be burnt up or exposed. That is that. everything that has been accomplished, everything that has been done, every work that has been conducted under that system of heavens and earth will be destroyed equally on the day of the Lord. Because these heavens and earth is not only a material thing, but it's a whole system.

It's a system that lives and produces works and deeds. All of it is going to be destroyed by fire on the day of the Lord. All of it will be the object of the fire of God and the wrath of God in destroying completely, nor partially, that's why he uses those words, passing away, melting, burning up, dissolving, all of it, the heavens and the earth, and every work that has been accomplished in it. will be completely destroyed by the judgment of the Lord. Fearful, as the brother was preaching, I'm just thinking about the judgments that came through the people of Israel.

Repetitive, the judgment of God. Glorious is his faithfulness and his promise, but the judgments of God being executed through the ages, not only the people of Israel, but also the heathen. Nothing compared to the fire that is going to be solved everything that has been created, beloved of Christ. When we're speaking about the heavens and the earth, we're not speaking only about planet Earth and the heavens. We're speaking about everything that has been created.

Now think about the vastness of this universe. Now think about the power and the majesty of the things that have been created, that man is amazed by the things when they see outside of this world. All of this by the coming, the sudden coming of the Lord, dissolved and destroyed. This is the power of the God that has created heavens and earth and everything that is in them. He is the one that rules and that governs completely just by the coming of the Lord.

All of this majestic creation and the depths of it and the vastness of it, gone, dissolved as walks with the heat was whatever other element, plastic or whatever, dissolves easily with heat, like that, just by the Word of the Lord. I don't know if that happens to you and to your heart, but brothers and sisters, this is fearful, the power of our God. Apart from Christ, this is just fearful, and if you are not in Christ, you are Crazy, you are a foolish according to the words of the scripture that says that there's no God, that there's no gospel, that there's no Christ. You are a foolish if you do not come to terms of peace with this Christ that will indeed come and that will bring this dissolving and destruction on his day, the day of the Lord and our beloved Christ. We need to go a little bit deeper to understand some important matters of this destruction, because this destruction is the execution of the judgment of God.

Now, keep your mind, please, with me. Keep your mind, please, with me. Why is it necessary that there will be destruction on this day? Why is it necessary that when the day of the Lord comes suddenly, Why is it necessary that there will be this type of destruction? Why?

What is the reason behind the disposition of God in bringing utter, complete destruction to the heavens and earth? And not only that, but this is a day of the Lord which prompts the new heavens and the new earth. We will be very silly not to see that. It says, verse 13, but according to his promise, we are waiting for the new heavens and new earth in which righteousness dwells. The destruction of heavens and earth prompts the coming of the new heavens and the new earth.

Why would God execute this type of destruction on the heavens and the earth? The answer to this question, beloved of Christ, is going to give us insight, not only in the gospel and what Christ has accomplished, but also is going to help us to establish our hope in the things that are to come. So please stay with me in your mind. I'm going to give you two reasons or two answers if you want. There's more, but I just want to give you two reasons of why it's necessary that there will be complete destruction on the day of the Lord, complete dissolving of everything.

There are two reasons, two answers for why this is necessary. These two answers, beloved Christ, are not only going to help us to understand this text, but the things of the end times in a better way. Now, as you have seen, and I hope that you have seen it, I have not departed from my theological argumentation from the book of Peter. I have only gone to 1 Peter, which is the same author, and I have gone to Revelation 3, verse 3, to make a grammatical argument and not a theological argument. This is the first time during this time that I have been speaking to you in which I'm going to go to a different author, to a different book, just to make a theological claim so that we will understand this passage here.

There's much danger in doing so because of this matter and the seriousness of this topic. but I truly believe that what I'm going to tell you is true, and that you will follow me because we're gonna submit to your scripture. The first reason why it is necessary, beloved of Christ, brothers and sisters, friends, you who are within the center of my voice, the first reason why it is necessary that there will be destruction on the day of the Lord is because of the presence of sin. the presence of sin. So come with me to Romans chapter 5.

And the reason why I'm using this answer is because I have already spoken about this. So I can use something that is already in your mind to build the following argument. If you go to Romans chapter 5, you remember that in the Bible study, I spoke or we spoke about the three Ps, remember? The presence, the power, and the penalty of sin. But now I want to bring to your attention only the presence of sin.

So the reason why there has to be utter destruction on the Lord's day is because of the presence of sin. Romans 5, verse 12. Romans 5, verse 12. It says, Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death is spread to all men because all sin. I'm not gonna go beyond this, but it says, therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death is spread through all men because all sin.

You have it there in your translation. Through the sin of one man, sin came into Adam, Beloved Christ, did the sin of Adam brought or bring sin only to himself? No, it says that the sin of Adam brought corruption to the world. That sin entered the world. That sin entered the cosmos.

That sin entered everything that has been created. Sin now has corrupted not only the heart of Adam and Eve, but everything that has been created is now in the presence of sin. Why is it needed that when the day of the Lord comes, there will be not only a sudden coming, as the Bible clearly speaks of, but also complete destruction? This is the answer. Because, pay attention to this, because the consummation of the physical relationship between God and his people can only take place with the absolute absence of death and sin.

Again, the consummation of the physical dwelling of God with his people, the consummation of it because the spirit of God is already in us, It is dwelling in us. But the consummation of the dwelling of God with his people, the physical consummation of it, requires that sin will not be present. God cannot come and dwell finally and in the final state with his people in the midst of the presence of sin and death. It cannot happen. So because the day of the Lord, which brings utter destruction to heavens and earth, prompts the beginning of the new heavens and the new earth, then the presence of sin, not only in the person, but also in the cosmos, has to be eliminated or taken, if that is the word, so that the presence of God, physical presence of God with his people, will be consummated.

Do you understand what I'm saying? Go to Revelation chapter 21, please. So I said that this is the only time in which I'm going outside of Peter to make ideological argumentation. And here's where the debate will start with different people. But brothers and sisters, I'm using passages in which it is just not only very clear, and we agree with the many things that I think agree on the presence of sin, but also chapter 21, speaks with the same words, right?

Speaks of the same words, chapter 21 of Revelation. Like, I'm not going anywhere. It's something like a different passage to make any argumentation. I'm going to passages that use the same words it says in chapter 21, verse 1. Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth.

Now, stop. Is it reasonable, fair, to think that this passage is related to 2 Peter chapter 3? is very reasonable, right? Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. And he continues to speak in the same language of Peter.

And the sea was no more. We're not going to address that. And I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, behold, the dwelling place of God is with men.

This is the consummation of God's relationship with his people in a physical sense. He's coming down now to dwell with them, not only spiritually, but physically. He will dwell with them and they will be his people and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes and death shall be no more. Death is the wages of sin.

The presence of death is equivalent to the presence of sin. The reason why the day of the Lord has to come suddenly and bring utter destruction to the system of the old heavens and earth and to bring prompt new heavens and new earth is because when the Lord comes, when he comes, there will be the consummation of the dwelling of God with his people and death cannot be there. Death cannot be there. Sin cannot be there. The Lord cannot dwell.

Once He has been glorified and enthroned in heaven, He cannot dwell now as the King and Ruler with people in sin. He was with people in sin after He was resurrected for 40 days, but He had not been enthroned in heaven yet. He had not sent the Holy Spirit yet, which, by the way, is a very important sclerological event. He has not done all of those things. When he comes, he comes as the faithful witness.

He comes as the first begotten of the dead. He comes as the ruler of the kings of the earth. He comes as the lover of our souls. He comes as the one who triumphed and made us kings and priests unto his Father and God. This is a kingdom that is already here.

He is enthroned in heaven, reigning victorious. And when he comes, When he comes, the day of the Lord, the day of his coming, this requires that the presence of sin will be no more. What is the day of the Lord, according to Peter? The day of the Lord, according to Peter, is the last day of a period of time that is initiated by the first coming of the Lord, which is the manifestation of the one who was foreknown before the foundation of the world. It is the last of those days in which there's going to be judgment.

And that day will be of sudden coming, of sudden appearance, and there's going to be destruction of the heavens and the earth. And the first reason why the heavens and the earth have to be destroyed is because of the presence of sin. I said to you that I was going to give you two reasons. Second reason, and the most important one. The first one is because of the presence of sin.

It cannot be there. Second reason, and the most important one. The reason why the coming of new heavens and new earth has to happen through utter and complete destruction of heavens and earth is because of the nature of the gospel. Is because of the nature of the gospel. The first one is because of the presence of sin.

The second one is because of the nature of the gospel. I'm just trying to put the words in your mind so that I will explain them. It's the nature of the gospel. We go back to Roman chapter five. Roman chapter five in verse, the same verse.

Please pay attention to me in this part. Roman chapter five. We're going to read that verse again, but now let me just add an element to the definition of the nature of the gospel. Pay attention, beloved of Christ. The nature of the gospel requires federal headship.

The nature of the gospel requires federal headship. What do I mean by that? I don't have an easier word to take those terms that men have put together, so that is the only words that I know. But federal headship is what I am to my precious wife and my precious kids and my beautiful sister. I am the head of my house.

There's a federal headship. in which I am the head of the house, and what I am and what I do influence and impact my precious wife, my family, my kids, and my sister, because I am the federal headship of my house. And the Lord, through redemptive history, works with lots of federal headships or covenantal headship. The gospel can only be understood when we understand this concept of federal headship. That is, that the world is under the head of Adam, it says in verse 12.

Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, so death spread to all men, or to all people, because all people sinned. The reason why you are a sinner, I'm sorry, my hair, the reason why you are a sinner brother and sister and friend. It's not only because you have sinned, which we have all sinned, but it's because we have been born in Adam. Adam disobeyed and sin entered into the world and all humanity fell with Adam because we are under the federal headship of Adam. So in a sense, we are sinners and we are guilty because of what we have done, but also because of Adam.

The same thing happens with the Gospel. Once Jesus Christ comes as the second Adam, he dies upon the cross, he becomes the federal head of a burnt covenant, And those who entered that covenant are recipients of the works that He accomplished 2,000 years ago, not because of their unrighteousness, because they are united to the federal headship of Jesus Christ, the second and better Adam. You understand that, right? This is the federal headship. Now, the thing is that it's not only humankind, the ones that are under the federal headship of Adam, The world is also under the Adamic system.

The whole creation is also under the Adamic system. That's why when Adam sinned, the sin was not only transferred to people, but was transferred to the whole cosmos. It says in verse 12, Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sin, the presence of sin was not only in humankind through the disobedience of Adam, but also was a habit to creation. So then when you go to Roman chapter eight, when you go to Roman chapter eight, we have clearly stated there the condition of creation. It says in verse, let's just read it from verse 18, and I will try to explain there from verse 18.

Chapter 8, verse 18. Now, for Paul, the day of the Lord is the glory of God. You can see that in Romans 5, verse 3, and also here, the manifestation of the sons of God, or the children of God. Well, your title have the future glory, perhaps, if you have the ESV, as I do. It says, verse 18, for I consider that the sufferings of the present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going to be revealed to us.

For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the Psalms of God. Now it says something, for the creation was subjected to futility or to corruption or to vanity. The creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it in hope. Now, the question that follows is, who subjected the creation to futility and to corruption? And this subjection of it is in hope.

The only one who can do that to the cosmos is God. God is the one who has the power to subject creation to a condition and plus give the creation hope. So God created the heavens and the earth and Adam and Eve, and then God placed all creation under the federal leadership of Adam. And that creation depended on the obedience of Adam. When Adam disobeyed, then the punishment of the Lord came not only to Adam, but to everything that was subjected under him, namely humanity and also creation.

So the Lord subjected creation to vanity or to futility or to corruption, but that is in hope. It says there, verse 20, for the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it in hope. that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been growing together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves who have the first fruits of the Spirit grown inwardly and continuous and continuous and continuous.

Be with me, very soon I will finish. Beloved of Christ, why Is it necessary that the day of the Lord, the day of the coming of Jesus Christ, that even according to Paul, in another place, is the blessed hope of the appearing of Christ, or according to 1 Peter 1, it is the revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ, or the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Why is it necessary that when he comes, as the second coming, that when he comes, there's utter destruction, and there's this prompt of this immediate coming of new heavens and the earth because of the presence of sin. Reason number one, the consummation of the dwelling of God with his people cannot happen with the presence of sin, but also beloved of Christ. Because when Jesus Christ comes and consummates and establishes his kingdom, it is not only glory and hope that is given to the children of God, but it is a cosmic restoration that was accomplished by Jesus Christ upon that cross, that just as through one man, creation was subjected to futility, also through one man, creation will be made new, and will be made not only new, but the place in which God would dwell with his people for eternity, so that when Jesus Christ, who is already the king and throne and has accomplished everything, comes to rescue his bride, The coming of the Savior brings utter destruction of the old heavens and earth, the prompt beginning or starting of new heavens and new earth.

And it says, Peter, where righteousness dwells. In the previous one, sin was the one that was present in the old heavens and the new earth. With the coming of the kingdom of Christ, establishing the new heavens and the new earth, cosmic transformation, because one man His God, but because one man, because one man was able to obey, to submit himself in perfection to God, because one man was so loving that in doing so he rescued people unto himself, to make them kings and priests unto his God. For a man that gave his life, poured his life, his blood was shed upon the cross. When Christ comes, new heavens, new earth, where righteousness dwells.

Sin, no more. Death, no more. The tears of your eyes wiped away implicitly there by the presence of God. Not by the presence of your spouse that is sinner. By the hand of God implicitly in Christ.

Death, no more. Cosmic restoration. Just the appearing of this Savior of ours. Think about the majesty of this universe. All of it completely transformed just by the coming of this Jesus Christ.

And righteousness was the habitant of this world. Righteousness dwells where the Lord Jesus Christ comes. Can I move you to live holy lives? Can I move you to have holy conducts when you depart from here? Can I encourage you to be like Christ Jesus?

I cannot. I don't have the power to do so. The only thing that I know is that when we submit to this book, that when we come and seek the Lord genuinely and in the heart, he's so good that he teaches us his word. And when your eyes are truly open to what he says, if your life is not transformed, then that means that your faith is not complete and it's lacking. because that's why Peter says that we are to live holy lives, that we are to have these godly lives.

Behold, the Apostle John says in 1 John 3. Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God. And because we are children of God, the world does not know us. Why? Because the world did not know the Lord Jesus Christ.

But we know that we are the children of God, he continues and say. We know that we are the children of God and what we will be, he has not yet revealed. But when he comes, When the Lord Jesus Christ comes, he will be revealed because we will be like he is, because we will see him face to face. And the one who keeps this hope, the apostle says, purifies himself just as the Lord Jesus Christ is pure. the purification of the soul in the present time, because of the certainty of the hope that is to come, that we're going to see the Lord Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the ruler of the kings of this world, the one who has loved us, the one who gave himself for us, the one who rescued us, the one that deserves all the glory, the one that is the beginning and the end, the Alpha and the Omega, the one that is, that was and is to come, the Almighty God.

the one that is in the middle of the candlesticks, the one whose words are like two-edged swords, the one whose eyes are like flaming fires. This is Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. If you indeed not only presently believe in Him, but in His coming, O beloved of Christ, brother and sister, How are you not to give your life to Him in the present time? To live entirely for Him. To live entirely by this Lord Jesus Christ.

Now by this we know that we know Him. If we keep His commandments. He who says, I know him and does not keep his commandments is a liar. And the truth is not in him. Whoever keeps his word, the love of God is perfected in him.

And by this we know that we abide in him. And he who says that he abides in him ought to walk just as he walked. How the Lord Jesus Christ walked. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return. When he was threatened, he did not threaten in return.

When he was accused, he did not open his mouth to utter anything against his enemies, but rather he entrusted himself to the one who judges justly. Not my will, but your will be done. Because he knew that in the hands of the Father, everything was kept and preserved, and he could trust his soul to the Father. Beloved of Christ. Set your eyes on things above, not on things on the earth, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.

Set your affections and things above and not on these things of the earth, because your life is hidden with Christ in God. You have been crucified with Christ, but it's Jesus Christ, the one that lives in you, and the life that you're supposed to live now is meant to be lived by the faithfulness of Christ. The faithfulness of Christ was manifested in the fact that he loved you. and he gave himself for you, the faithful witness, the revelation of Jesus Christ.