Jesus Is Coming Again, Part 2 and Part 3

2 Peter 3: 10-14
P. G. Mathew | Sunday, June 30, 2019
Copyright © 2019, P. G. Mathew
Language [Japanese]

Introduction

Jesus Christ came first into this fallen world to fulfill his Father’s plan for him, to accomplish redemption for elect sinners as promised specifically in Genesis 3:15, Isaiah 53, and Psalm 16. He is coming again in glory to judge the whole creation.

Second Peter 3:10, 11, and 12 deals with this cosmic cleansing of sin and all its evil effects by fire, for “our ‘God is a consuming fire’” (Heb. 12:29). He is coming again to deal with all his enemies: the devil, his demons, and wicked humans who refuse to believe the gospel. He will judge the living and the dead. Jesus told us that the Father has given the Son authority to judge because he is the Son of Man. Then he said, “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out—those who have done good will rise to live [eternal life], and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned. By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me” (John 5:27–30).

He will send the wicked to eternal punishment in hell, while he sends all his holy people, the bride of Christ, to dwell with God and his elect angels in new heavens and new earth where dwells no sin, only righteousness forever.

Jesus is coming again in power and great glory. In Revelation 19:11–18 we read,

I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of [Christ’s] mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: King of kings and Lord of lords.

And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God, so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and mighty men, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, small and great.”

Your billions of dollars cannot save you. Your degrees cannot save you. Your brilliance cannot save you. Your beauty cannot save you. Your power cannot save you. Your science and technology cannot save you. Jesus alone can save you. Jesus alone created all. Jesus alone is the light of the world. Jesus alone is the bread of life. Jesus alone is the way, the truth, and the life. Jesus alone is the resurrection and the life.

Christ’s bride consists of all believers of the whole world of all times. He paid the highest price to redeem us; he died for our sins. He loved us in eternity past and he died in our place for our sin in time.

Paul writes, “However, as it is written: ‘No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him’—but God has revealed it to us by his [Holy] Spirit” (1 Cor. 2:9–10a).

Apart from faith in Jesus Christ, there is no hope for anyone. Elsewhere Paul says, “Remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world” (Eph. 2:12). Friends, apart from Christ, we are powerless, ungodly, sinners, and enemies of God (Rom. 5:6–10).

Thank God, Jesus saves everyone who repents and believes in him who died for us. In Romans 6:23 we read, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Every believer is Christ’s inheritance, Christ’s treasure, Christ’s portion, Christ’s bride, Christ’s segullah, the most precious sparkling jewel (Mal. 3:17). That is what we are.

I. Cosmic Collapse

Cosmic collapse is coming when Christ comes again. Jesus will destroy the cosmos by fire. Peter writes, “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat” (2 Pet. 3:10–12). By fire he will purify the whole creation of all effects of sin. There is going to be an end to this fallen world.

Abraham did not trust in this sinful world. In Hebrews 11:10 we read, “He was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.” Abraham was looking for the new heaven and new earth. And in verses 14 through 16 we read, “People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own.” We have a country of our own. “If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.” That city is the new Jerusalem.

Why do we not we hear many sermons on the second coming? Because even believers are putting their trust in this world that is about to be destroyed by fire. They trust in their money for their good life of entertainment. They do not want Jesus to come and mess up their plans for their lives. They do not understand what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 7:31, that “those who use the things of the world [should live] as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away.” They do not understand what the Hebrews writer says in Hebrews 12:27: “The words ‘once more’ indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, fallen created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.” They do not understand what Jesus said in Luke 21:34–36: “Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap. For it will come upon all those who live on the face of the whole earth. Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.” Jesus is coming to save us.

Jesus is coming again, as he promised. The wrath of the Lamb will be revealed against the wicked of the world: “Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and every free man hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. They called to the mountains and the rocks, ‘Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?’” (Rev. 6:15–17).

This will be true also for all antinomian Christians who disobey the Lord Jesus. There are wicked evangelicals who teach that we do not have to obey Jesus Christ. They are damned, and we can prove that they will go to hell. Jesus himself said so in Matthew 7:21–23: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” The actual translation is, “I never knew you. Away from me, you antinomians!”

A disobedient person is an unbelieving person. In Hebrews 3:18–19 we read, “And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed? So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief.” Hebrews 4:6 says, “It still remains that some will enter that rest, and those who formerly had the gospel preached to them did not go in, because of their disobedience.” And in Hebrews 4:11 we read, “Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience.”

II. New Heavens and New Earth, Characterized by Righteousness

In view of God’s destruction of all his creation by fire to purify the universe of every effect of sin, to result in a new heavens and a new earth where dwells no sin but only righteousness, what must true believers in Jesus do and what must all sinners do?

The first thing we must do is repent of our sins and commit our life to Jesus Christ and prove our repentance and faith by obedience to Jesus Christ. Consider the following:

Romans 10:9. Paul begins, “If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus Lord.’” We must understand that if we say that Jesus is our Lord, we are also saying that each of us is his obedient slave, his doulos. As such, our job is to hear and do his will. So Paul says, “If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” What are we saved from? The wrath of God.
Acts 20:21. Paul told the Ephesian elders, “I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.”
Acts 26:20. Paul’s model of preaching was that all must repent and prove their repentance by obedience: “First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and to the Gentiles also, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds.” In other words, God is asking us, “Where is the proof?”
2 Corinthians 6:2. Jesus has not come yet. He is waiting for our repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. “For he says, ‘In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.’ I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.” It is true for you and for me. “I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.” We must repent now; we must believe in Jesus now; we must prove our repentance and faith by obeying the Lord Jesus Christ now.
Matthew 28:20. Jesus said we are to go into all the world, “teaching them to obey whatsoever things I have commanded you.” What do we teach them? We can ask them: “What is God?” And the answer is: “God is a spirit, infinite, eternal, unchangeable in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness and truth” (Westminster Shorter Catechism, question 4). We can ask the first question: “What is the chief end of man?” The answer is, to glorify, obey, and honor God, and to enjoy him forever.

Do not trust in this world and worship money. Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money” (Matt. 6:24). If you worship money, know this: Behind money, or any other idols, are demons.

The rich man who trusted in money died, and his spirit went to hell (Luke 16). It was a surprise to him. He thought he was going to heaven. What was the proof? He had money—so much so that he was dressed every day in an expensive purple robe. But he went to hell. John writes, “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever” (1 John 2:15–17).

III. Join a Holy Church with These Marks

The second thing we must do is to join a holy church that has certain marks.

The first mark of a holy church is that pious and learned pastors preach the word of God with authority and clarity. Such men will not worship people or be influenced by their wealth or power. Consider the following scriptures about this important mark of a holy church:

2 Timothy 2:15: “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” Read Wrongly Dividing the Word of Truth by Professor John H. Gerstner.[1] Most evangelicals wrongly divide the word of truth. But in a good church, the pastor will correctly handle the word of truth.
2 Timothy 3:16–4:6: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry. For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure.”
Hebrews 13:17: “Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over your soul as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you” (Heb. 13:17). Who appoints a pious and learned pastor? God’s Son, Jesus Christ, as we read in Ephesians 4:11–12: “It was [Christ] who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.” Every true pastor is a gift from the ascended Christ because Jesus loves his church. Paul also speaks of this in Acts 20:28, “Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.” Jesus Christ paid the highest price for our redemption. We are God’s inheritance, and God is ours.
Proverbs 20:15: “Gold there is, and rubies in abundance, but lips that speak knowledge are a rare jewel.” This speaks about true ministers who preach the word of God. It is true that all of God’s people, not only the pastor, are rare jewels as they speak about the knowledge of God, and such people characterize God’s holy church. But God especially calls and sends his ministers as we read in Romans 10: ‘Everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.’ How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent?” The word “sent” is a divine passive, meaning what that God himself sends his ministers to bring us the gospel.

The second mark of a holy church is the faithful practice of two sacraments according to Scripture. First, there is believers’ baptism, which we believe in, and the Lord’s Supper, which we celebrate weekly in this church because it proclaims the Lord’s death until he comes. Christ died in our place for all our sins. He took all our sins, all our guilt, all our punishment, and all our hell upon himself, and he went to hell on the cross. And he gave us his perfect righteousness. When God looks upon us, he sees us clothed in the perfect righteousness of Christ. This is what we must proclaim.

The third mark is discipline. Discipline means we counsel people, telling them which way to go according to the Bible. And if they do not want to go that way, we will counsel again and again until they must be put out from the church. A true church will put out rebellious people. And we respect any church that practices such discipline, which Paul writes about: “It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that does not occur even among pagans: A man has his father’s wife. And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have been filled with grief and have put out of your fellowship the man who did this? Even though I am not physically present, I am with you in spirit. And I have already passed judgment on the one who did this, just as if I were present. When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present, hand this man over to Satan, so that [his flesh] may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord” (1 Cor. 5:1–5). Though disciplined, such a person will be saved, provided he is a born-again believer.

The fourth mark is fellowship. The church is God’s family; thus, there should be no discrimination. We do not believe in black power, white power, or yellow power. We love one another in all of God’s family, consisting in all people in all the world. And we show that love through our deeds. For example, if your brother or sister has no money for food or lodging, the church provides for that person. That is what “love one another” means. We read about this several places in the book of Acts:

Acts 2:45: “Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.”
Acts 4:32–37: “All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need. Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means Son of Encouragement), sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.”
Acts 6:1–4: Yet even in the early church there was discrimination. “In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, ‘It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.’”

Jesus said, “If two or three are gathered together, there I am in the midst.” This church believes God is in the midst, Christ is in the midst, the Holy Spirit is in the midst. And we repent and confess our sins. We may sin, but we repent and ask God’s forgiveness, and prove our repentance by obedience. We want to hear what God has to say, and we want to do what God has to say.

IV. Hope Expectantly (start of Part 3)

What are we to hope for? For the Lord Jesus Christ to come. We are to hope expectantly for the second coming of Jesus. Three times, in verses 12, 13, and 14, Peter uses the Greek verb prosdokaô, which means serious expectation, daily expectation. Yet many people, even Christians, do not want Jesus to come back. Why? It would mess up their plans for vacation or their daughter’s wedding.

What are you hoping for daily—making more money? Are you hoping for Christ’s coming, or your going to see him? Are you ready for him to come back? Are you striving to be holy, that you may see the Lord? Hebrews 12:14 says, “Without holiness no one can see the Lord.” It is not our standard; it is the biblical standard. God himself said, “Be ye holy, for I am holy.” We are to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ.

Paul spoke about the second coming:

2 Timothy 4:8: “Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.” Are you longing for his appearing?
Romans 5:5: “And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” And the Holy Spirit causes us to hope in nothing but in Jesus Christ, who is coming again.
Philippians 1:20–21: “I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”
Philippians 3:20–21: “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.”

John also spoke about the second coming:

1 John 3:2: “Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” We shall be glorified. Our bodies will be like our glorious body.
Revelation 22:7: “Behold, I am coming soon! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy in this book.”
Revelation 22:12: “Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done.” He is coming soon. Maybe today, maybe tomorrow.

In Acts 3:5–10, Peter uses this word prosdokaô. The disabled man was hoping expectantly to get money. But instead, he got salvation. So we read, “The man gave them his attention [prosdokaô], expecting to get something from them. Then Peter said, ‘Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.’ Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong.” Instead of money, he got Jesus. “He jumped to his feet and began to walk.” The King James says, “He was walking and leaping and praising God.” That is what salvation causes us to do.

Silver and gold cannot save anyone. Jesus alone saves. The kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. Matthew 6:33 says, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.” “If you have food and clothing, be content therewith” (1 Tim. 6:8). And God has provided us with food and clothing all these years.

Jesus is coming again to glorify his people, and we shall be conformed to his image, as we are predestined to be. Paul writes, “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers” (Rom. 8:29). Do you know that we belong to the family of God? God has a family, and our elder brother is Jesus Christ. It does not matter where we come from, what our color is, or how tall we are. It does not matter how rich or poor we are. We belong to God’s family and God loves us, and God will provide every need. We will arrive at our predestination when Jesus comes again to glorify his bride.

V. We Live Now Holy Lives as the Bride of Christ

We must live holy lives now, not tomorrow. We must today repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved. Our behavior must conform to our belief. Otherwise, we are lying when we say that Jesus is Lord, and we are his bondservants who delight to obey God immediately, exactly, and joyfully by the Holy Ghost power. We are to practice godliness, and his lordship is comprehensive. Paul writes, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31). May God help us to do that! Jesus himself obeyed his Father perfectly (see John 4:34, 8:29, 14:31, 17:4, 19:30). He never sinned.

The Bible says the fear of God will keep us from sinning. Why do we sin? We do not fear God. We do not understand who God is. He is eternal, infinite, and unchangeable in his being. There is nothing infinite but God. The fear of God must keep us from sinning.

Fear of God also keeps us obedient to God. In Proverbs 19:23 we read, “The fear of the Lord leads to eternal life.” We are to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. We are to serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling. We are to fear God and hate evil.

Joseph feared God and told Potiphar’s wife, “How can I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” (Gen. 39:9). Joseph feared the Lord. And Jesus himself said, “Remove this cup from me. But not my will but thine be done” (Luke 22:42).

True believers are those who have been born of God. Regeneration is the most important thing. We have no ability to repent or believe unless we have been born of God. Why? Because by nature we are dead toward God (Eph. 2:1–5). That does not mean unregenerate people cannot achieve great things in the world. They can, through common grace. But to enter the kingdom of God, we must be born again.

We are the light of the world (Matthew 5:14). We shine in the world of darkness like stars because we are born again, and we repent and believe in Christ. We are saved to obey Jesus. Peter says that God’s elect “have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood” (1 Pet. 1:2). What is the purpose of God saving us? It is to obey Jesus Christ, who received all authority in heaven and on earth. He rules. He is Lord.

Peter also says, “As obedient children [in the Greek it is “children of obedience”], do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy’” (1 Pet. 1:14–16).

True believers are to be like their heavenly Father. Before we were regenerate, our father was the devil (John 8:44) and we lived in trespasses and sins. We lived in the sewer and were very active in it. We enjoyed our sin in the morning, at noon, in the evening, and so on. We were dead toward God. But God, “because of his great love and rich mercy made us alive with Christ” (Eph. 2:4–5). We are God’s workmanship, and by grace we are now able to do good works of obedience by which we reflect our heavenly Father. Where there is justification there will be sanctification. Sanctification proves justification. True believers are not antinomians.

In J. I. Packer’s Concise Theology, he lists six different types of antinomianism:

Dualistic antinomianism. Such antinomians say that salvation is for the soul and God does not care what we do with our bodies.
Spirit-centered antinomianism. This is subjectivism. Such people declare, “The Spirit told me,” irrespective of what the Scripture says. The truth is, the Spirit did not tell such people anything. All antinomians reject the word of God and its authority.
Christ-centered antinomianism. Christ kept the law; therefore, we do not have to keep it; instead, we can sin, sin, and sin again!
Dispensational antinomianism. Without knowing it, most evangelicals and all Pentecostals believe in dispensationalism. Dispensationalism says we are now living in the dispensation of grace; therefore, we can sin all we want and still call ourselves Christians.
Dialectical antinomianism. This is taught by Karl Barth and Emil Brunner. They denied the authority of the Bible and the authority of biblical moral law, thus giving license to sin.
Situational antinomianism. This means that, in a given situation, adultery or lying or divorce or disobedience to parents is permissible, though such things are against the Scriptural mandates, as long as we are motivated by “love.” Situational antinomianism also is a rejection of the authority of the Bible.[2]

But we embrace the total authority of the Scripture, for in the Scripture, God speaks to us—God who is unchangeable in his being. God did not say that adultery was wrong in the Old Testament but now it is permitted. He is unchangeable.

Consider, then, the following scriptures on sanctification:

2 Corinthians 3:18: “And we, who with unveiled faces are all beholding the Lord’s glory [that is, in the Scripture], are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” We are progressively changed by God.
1 Corinthians 6:9–11: “Do you not know that the wicked [meaning antinomians] will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”
Colossians 3:1–5: “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.”
Galatians 5:22–24: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” What did we do to passions and desires? We crucified them.
Romans 8:14: “As many as are being led by the Spirit of God, they and they alone are the sons of God” (author’s translation). The Holy Spirit guides us through the Scripture.
Romans 6:1–4: “What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” I say, by his resurrection power of the Holy Spirit who dwells in each true believer.
Matthew 7:21–23: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘Hoi ergazomenoi tên anomian’” – my translation: “Go to hell!”
Matthew 24:24 says they did these miracles through demon power: “For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect—if that were possible.”
Romans 10:9: “That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” “Lord” means I am his bondservant. I will hear and do his will in the Scripture.
1 Corinthians 10:31: “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” Jesus obeyed God. Read John 17:4 and 17:6: “I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. . . . I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word.” Obedience not optional. If Jesus obeyed, those who confess him must obey him by the power of the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 6:19–20: “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God [obey God] with your body.” Did you know that our bodies are not our own? Even an unbeliever’s body is not his own. But beyond that, we are redeemed by the blood of Christ. The highest price was paid to redeem us. Christ died for our sins; therefore, we must honor God with our bodies.

VI. We Are to Speed the Second Coming of Jesus

Peter writes that we are to “look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat” (2 Pet. 3:12).

How do we hasten his coming? The Greek word is speudontas, by which we have the English word “speed.” We hasten Christ’s coming by living holy lives and evangelizing. We should not just be happy that we are saved; we must also recognize that we have a responsibility to share with others and point them to Jesus. (PGM) We must tell them, “Repent and believe in Jesus, and you will be saved.”

What, then, can we do to speed his coming?

Fasting and prayer. Fasting is in the New Testament as well as the Old.
Be filled with the Spirit and with the word (Eph. 5:18; Col. 3:16). In other words, as we read the Scripture, we should try to understand the meaning. And the Holy Spirit will enlighten us.
Worship at home. Timothy as an infant was taught Scripture (2 Tim. 3:15).
Worship only in God’s holy church. Do not go to a church that does not preach the gospel. There are many churches in the world that will not preach the gospel.
Live daily a holy life led by the Spirit through the Scripture.
Love one another sacrificially as Christ loved us. That means when that person does not have money, we should give them money. In the book of Acts, the disciples sold property and brought money to the apostles’ feet so there would be no poor among them. We are to love one another sacrificially as Christ loved us. Christ died for our salvation. Husbands are to love their wives as Christ loved the church and died for her.
Forgive one another as God has forgiven us. There are people who die without forgiving others. When God forgives, he remembers our sin no more.
Hear the word preached in order to do the word. There are people who say, “I can repeat what the pastor said. He gave three points,” and they can recite the points. But that is not good enough. We must do the word. Jesus said, “If you hear these words of mine and do them” (Matt. 7:24). And the Holy Spirit will give us power to do it.
Study Reformed theology to be filled with the word of Christ. The most correct theology is the Reformed theology of Luther and Calvin. These were brilliant people who experienced the power of the Holy Spirit and understood what election, predestination, and regeneration was.
Evangelize by sharing your faith. Begin with your family. Jesus said, “Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me in Jerusalem, anf in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8, KJV). We are now standing on the uttermost part of the earth and speaking the word of God, and you should do the same. “Freely you have received, freely give” (Matt. 10:8).
Practice the kingdom of God in your home. Paul writes, “Now I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God” (1 Cor. 11:30). In a Christian home, the husband is under Christ’s authority and the wife is under the husband’s authority (Eph. 5:21–33). There husbands are instructed, “Love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her . . . to make her radiant.” It is the husband’s responsibility to cause his wife to grow in grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ. And children are to live under their parents’ authority (Eph. 6:1–4).
Give to the poor, especially the poor of the church, but not limited to those in the church. To all poor we must be compassionate.
Visit the sick.
Practice hospitality. We should not come to church and run away without speaking to others. They are our brothers and sisters and we want to know how they are doing. Hebrews 10:24–25 says, “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
Keep the unity of the Spirit. We should not quarrel in the church. In 1 Corinthians 1:11, Paul says that he heard the Corinthian church had fights. Self-centeredness causes fights; we should avoid it.
Do not love the world. Instead, love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and love your neighbor as yourself. The Bible never tells us to love the world.
Be rich in good works (Eph. 2:10; Titus 2:11–14).
Provide for your family. Do not run around and pretend that you are doing the work of God while not providing for your own family. Paul exhorts, “If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” (1 Tim. 5:8). We are to work six days.
Make your calling and election sure. Why? Because today you may die. The Greek text says we must spare no effort to make our calling and election sure. Only one thing is needful in this life: We must make sure that we are saved.
Be ready to meet the Lord daily (Matt. 25). Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness (Matt. 6:33).

We can speed the Lord’s coming. He will come when every elect is saved by sharing our faith. Jesus taught us to pray, “Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” And in Revelation 22:20 we read, “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming soon.’” And the response of the church is, “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.”

VII. Will Jesus Find His Bride in the Beauty of Holiness?

In 2 Peter 3:14 we read, “So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.” Holiness is our responsibility also. Consider the following:

1 Timothy 6:14–15: “[I charge you] to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords.”
1 Thessalonians 3:13: “May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.”
1 Thessalonians 5:23–24: “May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.”
1 Peter 2:11–12: “Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good works and glorify God on the day he visits us.” God is coming to receive holy people.
Ephesians 5:25–27: “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.”
Revelation 19:6–8: “Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: ‘Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.’ (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.)” Sanctification is a joint effort. “Work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you both to will and to do his good pleasure.” He creates that desire, he gives it to us, and we work out what God wants us to do.

VIII. Are We Making Every Effort?

Are we making our business, are we making every effort to be found spotless, blameless, and in peace with Jesus when he comes? Are we obedient to Jesus that we may enter the new heaven and new earth?

Isaiah 65:17: “Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.” God will give us amnesia. Certain things, even our sins, we will not remember. Oh, what a blessed situation! It will be joy unspeakable and full of glory. There will be no depression in the new heaven and new earth.
Isaiah 66:22: “‘As the new heavens and the new earth that I make will endure before me,’ declares the Lord, ‘so will your name and descendants endure.’”
Revelation 22:1–4: “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’” There will be no more sin. New heaven and new earth, where dwells righteousness (2 Pet. 3:13). It will be a place of unimaginable beauty.
Hebrews 3:1: “Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess.” (Rev. 3:17-18). We must fix our thoughts on Jesus. A double-minded person is unstable in all his ways.
Hebrews 12:2: “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross.” Life here has troubles, but God will help us.
1 Peter 1:19: “But [you were redeemed] with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.” Let us be like Jesus, as his holy bride.
1 John 2:28: “And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming.”
1 John 3:2-3: “Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.”
1 John 4:17: “In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him.” Today, right now. Not tomorrow. In this world we are like him.
Hebrews 12:14: “Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.” May God help us to be progressively holy as we are being changed to be like him, from glory to glory.

Not only that, but also in peace:

Romans 5:1: “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
John 14:27: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
John 16:33a: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.”
Philippians 4:7: “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Peace of God. And all of a sudden, you are troubled by various things, and God’s peace comes on you.

Who dwells with God in the new heaven and the new earth? The answer is, holy people. In Revelation 22:14 we read, “Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city.”

Unimaginable beauty is waiting for us in the new heavens and the new earth:

Acts 3:19-21: “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus. He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything.” This is speaking about the new heaven and new earth—the unimaginable beauty of a sinless universe.
Romans 14:17: “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” Again, we cannot imagine what such true joy will be, for our experience of joy is flawed.
Matthew 19:28: “Jesus said to them, ‘I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.’”

There are pleasures of sin for a season (Hebrews 11:25). But there are also eternal pleasures of righteousness (Psalm 16:11). Think about what is waiting for us. Life with God in new heaven and new earth will be unending eternal pleasure for us. It will be joy unspeakable and full of glory.

The Bible speaks of an inside and outside. Inside is heaven; outside is hell. The following verses speaks about outside:

Revelation 21:8: “But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
Revelation 22:15: “Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.”
Revelation 20:15: “If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”
Matthew 25:41, 46: ““Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.’ . . . Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

There is also inside. We are going to go inside—inside the new city.

Revelation 22:14: “Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city.”
Revelation 21:1-4: “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’”

Conclusion

What are we looking for, what are we longing for, while we live in this sinful world? John says, “In this world we are like him” (1 John 4:17). What are we hoping in? Are we like him right now? Are we the light of the world? Are we resting in this world? Are we trusting in our money, our beauty, our brilliance, our power, or our family, putting not God first but family first? Are we trusting in our health or fame? None of these things will save us. Are we trusting in the pleasures of sin for a season, or are we trusting in the eternal pleasure of righteousness, trusting in the new heaven and new earth? Are we trusting to dwell with God, elect angels, and God’s people with joy unspeakable and full of glory? Let us consider the following:

1 John 2:17: “The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.”
Hebrews 13:13–14: “Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore. For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come.” This is speaking about the new Jerusalem.
Titus 2:11–14: “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own.” He paid the highest price to redeem us. We are God’s portion and he is ours—our portion is God, not money. Silver and gold have I none.
Matthew 6:19–21: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

May God be our treasure, and may we be God’s treasure. We are his inheritance. We do not understand it; we simply say, “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me.” May God help us to appreciate this great salvation and make our calling and election sure by obeying Jesus Christ, our great Savior and Lord. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

[1] John H. Gerstner, Wrongly Dividing the Word of Truth (Brentwood, TN: Wolgemuth & Hyatt, 1991).

[2] J. I. Packer, Concise Theology (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 1993), 178–180.