2 Peter 3:1-18
The Day of the LORD
1 Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. 2 I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.
3 Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. 4 They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” 5 But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water. 6 By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. 7 By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.
8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
10 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 done in it will be laid bare.
11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 12 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. 13 But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.
14 So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. 15 Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. 16 He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.
17 Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position. 18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.
34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
When we explore the meaning and purpose of work through a biblical lens, we must look to Scripture...There is this human desire to build, achieve, and find lasting significance in our endeavors – whether it's through a home, a career, artistic expression, or hobbies – resonate deeply with a fundamental aspect of our created nature...But let us follow Scripture to give us the "Other Light" that examines these work pursuits...
Biblically, work is undeniably good and divinely ordained...From the very beginning, God placed Adam in the Garden of Eden "to work it and take care of it" (Genesis 2:15)...So from the very start of the Bible we are to learn to worl...This was before the Fall, indicating that labor is not a curse but an inherent part of human dignity and purpose...We are made in God's Image as co-creators, and our work, when rightly ordered, reflects His Own creative and sustaining activity...As God sustains us, He shows that work helps sustain us through faith...Through our work, we provide for ourselves and our families, contribute to society, use our God-given talents, and can even bless others, as various Proverbs encourage diligence and hard work...Work ethic is frequently lauded in Scripture as a virtue leading to provision and respect...
However, the "Other Light" we can see, particularly drawing from 2 Peter chapter three and Jesus' teachings on the Pharisees..These teachings highlight the critical distinction between the act of working and the ultimate purpose or foundation of that work...Our natural inclination, amplified by a fallen world, is to seek ultimate purpose and security in what we build, achieve, and accumulate on earth...We want our efforts to transcend our finiteness, to leave a lasting legacy...Whether it's the equity in a house, the acrual building of a house or business, gaining a status or a professional reputation, a great song written, a great painting, or a having a prized collection...These endeavors can bring a sense of power, a show of success, and even a feel of self-worth...Yet, Peter's entire message in 2 Peter 3:1-18 directly confronts this worldly mindset...He calls believers to remember the warnings of the prophets and the commandment of the LORD, while cautioning against the "scoffers" who will come, living according to their own sinful desires and deliberately ignoring God's past judgment (the flood) and the certainty of future judgment...Peter emphasizes that God's patience is not a sign of slowness but a Grace, giving time for our repentance...Nevertheless, the Day of the LORD will come "like a thief," when "the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the celestial bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed" (2 Peter 3:10, ESV, or 'burned up' in NIV)...This powerful imagery serves as a stark reminder of the impermanence of all earthly achievements, no matter how grand or seemingly enduring...It echoes the teacher in Ecclesiastes' profound declaration of the "vanity" of striving for accomplishments and pleasures that ultimately offer no lasting satisfaction "under the sun."...Likewise, Jesus' "woes to the Pharisees" (Matthew 23) critique not their actions in themselves, but the motivation and ultimate destination of their efforts—performing religious duties for public acclaim, building reputations among men rather than true spiritual substance...Jesus urges us to "lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal" (Matthew 6:19-21)...
The implication of 2 Peter 3:11 is profound: "the only things that are going to survive the fires of judgment on this earth are the expressions of holiness and godliness."...This doesn't mean work is bad, but that its lasting value is determined by its connection to God's Eternal Purposes...When our work is driven by selfish ambition, vain conceit, or an idolatrous pursuit of worldly recognition and security – as Peter describes those who "lined their pockets with money" and "elevated themselves above authority" – it lacks eternal substance...
Therefore, work is good when it is an expression of our faith, a means of serving God and others, and a sphere where we cultivate holiness and godliness...When we work to fulfill our daily needs and to help others it is good...It's about how we work and why we work...We are called to be diligent, responsible stewards of our time, talents, and resources here on earth...But our ultimate hope, purpose, and lasting significance must reside in Christ and His kingdom, not in the perishable things we build with our hands...We work unto the LORD (Colossians 3:23), finding our deepest satisfaction not in what our work gives us, but in how it glorifies God and builds up things of Eternal Value...Our work efforts, when submitted to God, can become "expressions of holiness and godliness" that will indeed survive the fire...