Lesson 33
Second Peter
Warning against dangers
facing the Church
Chapter 3
The Certainty of the
Believers Hope – The Return of Christ
3:4 The Content of their Scoffing, and Ridicule
and
saying, "Where is the promise of His coming?
So the skeptic, the F/T is asking “Where
is the fulfillment of the promise?” But what do they mean by His
coming?
Do
they mean Christ’s coming for His saints, which we speak of as the Rapture?
– many scriptures John
14:1-3; Acts 1:11; 1 Cor 15:23; 1 Thess.
Do
they mean Christ’s coming with His saints to set up His universal kingdom (Rev.
19:11-16)?
But it seems clear from
the rest of the passage that they are thinking of the final judgment of
God on the earth, or what is commonly called the end of the world.
Their conclusion is based
on the careless hypothesis that “For ever since
the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of
creation.”
They believe in the law of
uniformitarianism. This law states that existing processes in nature have
always acted in the same manner and with essentially the same intensity as at
present, and that these processes are sufficient to account for all the changes
that have taken place.
3:4 And saying “Where is the promise of His coming? For
ever since the fathers died all things continue just as it was from a beginning of creation.
Contrasts between the Rapture and
the Second Coming (2
phases of the parousia)
1. At the time of
the rapture the saints meet Christ in the air, while at the second coming
Christ returns to the
2. At the time of
the rapture the Mount of Olives is unchanged, while at the second coming it
divides and a valley is formed to the east of Jerusalem (Zech 14:4–5).
3. At the rapture living saints are translated, while no saints
are translated in connection with the second coming of Christ to the earth.
4. At the time of
the rapture the world is not judged and continues in sin, while at the second
coming the world is judged and righteousness is established in the earth AS
Christ establishes His kingdom rule.
5. The
translation of the church is pictured as a deliverance
before the day of wrath, while the second coming is followed by the deliverance
of those who have believed in Christ during the tribulation.
6. The rapture is
described as imminent with no signs preceding, while the second coming is
preceded by definite signs. Matt. 24:29-31
7. The
translation of living believers is truth revealed only in the New Testament,
while the second coming with its attendant events is a prominent doctrine of
both Testaments.
8. The rapture concerns only the saved, while the second
coming deals with both saved and unsaved.
9. At the rapture Satan is not bound, while at the
second coming Satan is bound and cast into the abyss for the 1000 year reign of
Christ.
10. No unfulfilled prophecy stands between the church
and the rapture, while many signs must be fulfilled before the second coming.
Summary Thoughts on 3:4
1. Rejecting that He has come in the flesh therefore how
can He return? 2 Pet 2:1; 2 John 7
2.
Their rationalistic conclusions are based on the principle of
uniformitarianism, the implication of which is that all things continue as it
was.
3.
Definition of uniformitarianism: this is the view that the cosmic processes of
the present and future can be understood solely on the basis of how the orderly
system of the kosmos has operated in the past therefore is sufficient to
account for geological changes.
4. The
principles that form the foundation of uniformitarianism:
#1.
The universe and man are such that by
reason of the operation of a resident force are developing from a crude
beginning toward a perfect conclusion without the aid of any outside force.
#2.
This rules out divine intervention in the universal
order.
#3.
Since we’re in a universe governed by natural laws, the scoffers argue, there
are no miracles, just cannot occur. Therefore no virgin birth, no resurrection,
no return, no parousia.
5. If
we believe the Word of God, that God is the creator, does this mean that we
reject science? Not at all but we must
recognize that science has limitations.
6.
Science and God and the Bible: some principles of Doctrine we need to know.
#1.
God is eternal and creation is temporal.
#2. Therefore, space, matter, time, energy, material
and immaterial are
sustained by God.
- Why? are part of creation.
- 2 Pet 3:5
- earth sustained by the Word of God (perfect tense).
#3. God controls every part of His creation, at every
place, at every time. Therefore all of
creation is constantly being controlled by God.
Rom
#4.
God is not bound by any higher law than Himself.
#5. Science can only generalize about how God works in
some of His creations, in some places, in some times.
#6. Therefore, any scientific law talks about what God
did at certain places and certain times, not about how He must act at all
places and all times.
- Rem: It is God who controls the laws
- Since He is omnipotent it is through Him all
things are stabilized.
#7. Therefore, any scientific law (like gravity) does
not bind God and is not a law for God but only a normal expression of man for
the usual condition.
#8. If God reveals that He acted in some way, at some
point, at some time contrary to how He usually acts, this supersedes any
scientific law.
Statement: God has revealed Himself in creation.
Statement: God has revealed Himself in the scriptures.
False
conclusion: we must treat both on an equal footing; i.e. that science
interprets the scripture
Example:
Creation, restoration, Noahic flood - a lot the
W.O.G. does not tell us, but much it does tell us. The tendency is to say well
biological laws are operating this way now and therefore they operated this way
then!
Therefore,
what the Bible really means is this!
Then give a False conclusion an outgrowth of uniformitarianism or the
continuity of being, both from a pagan viewpoint.
True
conclusion: If God reveals that He acted some way contrary to the way He
normally acts, we must take Him at His word.
We
must be honest academically and recognize we don't have all the answers, but
neither do they!
#9. Therefore, although science can be trusted in most
cases, and should be, however when we have outside authoritative revelation
from God we are bound to trust the word over normal beliefs.
- every scientific event
is one that is repeated and evaluated
- Creation is not now ongoing therefore cannot be
scientifically evaluated. Gen 2:1-3 God stopped -
ceased His work of creation - what He did in creation and the restoration, He
stopped it
Therefore
how can you measure it, test it or evaluate it now - YOU CAN'T! (must not make the
mistake of going beyond and add to it)
#10. Must know the Word of God and subordinate
everything to it!
Have a test of faith:
Heb 11:3 By faith we understand that the worlds (aivw,n) were prepared by the word (r`h/ma) of God, so that what is seen
was not made out of things which are visible.
- We understand
that the ages, the entire plan of God including creation, including the
dispensations came into existence (gi,nomai)
by the word of God!
Control miracle of History = resurrection of Jesus
Christ.
1
Cor 15:51 = rapture, all believers removed from the
earth -- all will be changed -- resurrection body, a miracle -- its not
happening today but it will in God's timing.
Jn 2 --wine miracle = created old, aged, fine wine
out of water
B.L.
= there is nothing that any valid conclusion from true scientific data that
will ever destroy or refute what is in the Word of God, ever!!
- this is something that
we need to have settled in our thinking!
7. So
this uniformitarianism that the F/T’s are promoting during the last days rules out any divine intervention
in human history.
8. We
need to recognize that this belief in uniformitarianism has led to a number of
false doctrines and practices; biological evolution; socialism; Freudianism
(the psychological explanation for we don’t function as we ought); Marxism
(militant socialism); Keynesianism (economics).
9. All
of these today are essentially unchallenged by most and taught as fact in
school.
10.
Their statement here in vs:4 not only questions the fact of His return but also
denies the veracity and integrity of the Word of God, its inspiration and
inerrancy.
- denies 2 Tim
11.
These F/T’s maintain that God’s promise is unreliable and that the universe is
a stable unchanging system where an event such as the parousia
just will not occur.
12.
Therefore for them the logical conclusion is that the parousia
and the judgment to follow at the second advent are a delusion and therefore
they are free to pursue their old sin nature lust pattern unrestrained.